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More
Information:
Other
Common Names
Hawthorn Fruit or Berry
Page
Number In Radiant Health
205
Pharmaceutical
Latin
Fructus Crataegi
Pinyin
Shan Zha
Treasures
None. Crataegus is not a tonic herb. It is a digestive.
Treasure
Rating
Atmospheric
Energy
Slightly warm
Taste
Sour, Sweet.
Organ
Meridian Systems
Spleen, Stomach, Liver
Part
Used and Form
The ripe fruit which has been sliced and sun dried.
Primary
Functions
To improve digestion and remove food stagnation.
Qualities
Crataegus strengthens digestion. This very useful herb
helps to remove stagnated food from the digestive tract
and to restore normal functioning of the Spleen and
Stomach in digesting, transporting and distributing
nutrients. Crataegus a very commonly used herb, used to
relieve indigestion which has resulted in abdominal
distention, belching, acid regurgitation, stuffiness,
anorexia, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and irregular
bowel movements (diarrhea or constipation) due to food
retention. In China, Crataegus is often consumed as the
main ingredient in a tea, or combined on a couple of
other digestive herbs, when one has consumed too much
meat or greasy food. Crataegus is excellent at digesting
these.
Crataegus has become an extremely popular herb in Europe
because of its very beneficial influence on hypertension
(high blood pressure), hyperlipemia (high blood fat) and
high cholesterol. In China it is combined with Cassia
tora seed to improve this function and consumed as a tea
or in capsules. Crataegus can be used to treat symptoms
of coronary heart disease, especially when combined with
herbs that improve circulation, such as Salvia,
Pseudoginseng, Ginkgo and Ligusticum.
Primary
Combinations
Combine with:
1. Ginseng Root, Citrus Peel and Atractylodes to tonify
the Spleen and remove stagnation in the Stomach
Varieties
and Grading
Crataegus is best when it is freshly processed. If it
appears old, overly dry and discolored, look for another
supply. It should look like good dried fruit that you
would eat. Both stir-baked Crataegus and unprocessed,
sun dried Crataegus are available. The stir-baked
variety is best for digestion, while the unprocessed
(sun dried only) Crataegus is best for hypertension,
high cholesterol, etc.
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Crataegus
strengthens digestion. This very useful herb helps to
remove stagnated food from the digestive tract and to
restore normal functioning of the Spleen and Stomach in
digesting, transporting and distributing nutrients.
Crataegus is used to relieve indigestion which has
resulted in abdominal distention, belching, acid
regurgitation, stuffiness, anorexia, abdominal pain,
nausea, vomiting and irregular bowel movements (diarrhea
or constipation) due to food retention. In China,
Crataegus is often consumed when one has consumed too
much meat or greasy food.