Hawthorn Berry Herb Side Effects
Hawthorn berry was first used to ward off evil spirits. Branches of it were hung over doors during the Middle Ages in Europe. In the early 1800s the berries and flowers were found to have a restorative property and began being used in tonics to treat respiratory and circulatory illness.
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Function
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Hawthorn berries and flowers have been found to have an antioxidant. The antioxidant destroys dangerous compounds called free radicals that can damage cells.
Mild Side Effects
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The side effects of Hawthorn Berries include headache, palpitations, rashes, nausea, sweating and fatigue. These have rarely been reported, however, and doctors generally feel it is safe. In fact, the American Herbal Products Association has placed it in the safest class of herbs.
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Severe Side Effects
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Occasionally, more severe side effects are possible. If you feel more pain in your chest, exhaustion, or simply feel different it is recommended that you stop taking hawthorn and seek immediate medical attention.
Drug Interactions
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Hawthorn also interacts with at least two medicines. One, Digoxin, is used to treat irregular heartbeats. In this case, the interaction seems positive as the hawthorn enhances the effectiveness of Digoxin. The other drug has only been tested in laboratories with hawthorn so no human corroboration has been supplied. Preliminary tests suggest Phenylephrine would be counteracted by hawthorn.
Benefits
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Specifically, hawthorn seems to help control blood pressure, chest pain, cholesterol, atherosclerosis and even heart failure.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Courtesy of Grandpa David on Wikimedia Commons
