Dr. Lucilla Gatta, nutrition biologist who collaborates with the LILT center in Frosinone to provide nutritional advice for cancer prevention, illustrates the numerous properties of Hawthorn and its action against hypotension.
Hawthorn, scientific name " Crataegus oxyacantha ", is a shrub belonging to the Rosaceae family (the same family to which, for example, roses, pear, apple and peach are part), which grows spontaneously in most regions of Europe (also in Italy), Asia and America.
PROPERTY'
From the bromatological point of view (food chemistry), hawthorn is rich in many molecules with antioxidant and phytosterolic action, which give the shrub various health properties. In fact, hawthorn is used in the preparation of many supplements.
BENEFITS
Of great importance is the effect of hawthorn on the arterial circulation. In fact, thanks to the natural presence of proanthocyanidins and flavonoids naturally present in Hawthorn, the latter has positive effects not only on anxious states, but also a regulatory effect in case of arterial hypertension, accentuated by the anti-hypercholesterolemic action, due to phytosterolic molecules of this plant.
THE GEM
A particularly interesting extraction to act on pressure regulation is the Hawthorn bud extract, extracted precisely from the buds of the plant.
The bud extract or glycerine macerate is considered a regulator of the nervous system and of the heart . In anxious subjects, it relieves emotional tensions and promotes relaxation . But its main action is precisely the normotensive one, able to regulate both low and high blood pressure. It is considered an excellent remedy in case of functional arrhythmias such as tachycardia, extrasystole. It is also useful for promoting memory and cognitive functions, especially if they are altered by an anxious constitution and improves night rest.