South African Herbal Remedies offer you the best Organic herbs and natural remedies from Southern Africa. All our products are 100% Natural and have been formulated and proven by registered Herbalists. Our sprays are fast acting and the most effective way of taking medicine. Up to 9 times more effective than tablets or capsules. They are amazingly easy to use.

Treats Circulatory Disorders & Respiratory Illnesses

Hawthorn (Crataegus species), a member of the rose family, was hung over the doorway in the Middle Ages to prevent the entry of evil spirits. By the early 1800's, American physicians recognized the herb's medicinal properties and began using it to treat circulatory disorders and respiratory illnesses. Considered a "cardiotonic" herb, the flowers and berries of the hawthorn plant have been used in traditional medicine to treat irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, chest pain, hardening of the arteries, and congestive heart failure.

Animal and laboratory studies have found that hawthorn contains active compounds with antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are substances that scavenge free radicals -- damaging compounds in the body that alter cell membranes, tamper with DNA, and even cause cell death. Free radicals occur naturally in the body, but environmental toxins (including ultraviolet light, radiation, cigarette smoking, and air pollution) can also increase the number of these damaging particles. Free radicals are believed to contribute to the aging process as well as the development of a number of health problems including heart disease. Antioxidants found in hawthorn can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause. Today, many professional herbalists believe that the antioxidants in hawthorn may help protect against heart disease and help control high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Congestive heart failure:
Hawthorn has primarily been studied in people with congestive heart failure (a health condition in which the heart is unable to pump adequate amounts of blood to other organs in the body). Of six well-designed trials, four studies concluded that hawthorn significantly improved heart function and three found that the herb improved patients' ability to exercise. Patients in five of the six studies reported that hawthorn significantly improved symptoms of the disease (such as shortness of breath and fatigue). One study found that hawthorn extract (900 mg/day) taken for 2 months was as effective as low doses of captropril (a leading heart medication) in improving symptoms of congestive heart failure. A large-scale international study is currently underway to determine whether hawthorn extract reduces the risk of death in people with this disease. Results are expected at the end of 2002.

Chest pain:
Hawthorn berry preparations have been shown to combat chest pain (angina), a health problem caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart. In one early study, 60 angina patients were given either 180 mg/day of hawthorn berry-leaf-flower extract or placebo for 3 weeks. Those who received the hawthorn preparation experienced improved blood flow to the heart and were also able to exercise for longer periods of time without suffering from chest pain.

High cholesterol:
Studies using rats suggest that a hawthorn tincture (made from the berries) may be a powerful agent for the removal of LDL ("bad") cholesterol from the bloodstream. The tincture of hawthorn berries also reduced the production of cholesterol in the liver of rats who were being fed a high-cholesterol diet. Studies to determine if hawthorn will confer the same effects in people are needed.

High blood pressure:
although hawthorn has not been studied specifically in people with high blood pressure, considerable evidence supports the cardiovascular benefits of this herb. Studies suggest that hawthorn can be taken safely by people with hypertension who are also taking blood pressure medications.