This product is the mature fruit of the deciduous shrub or small tree plant of the Rosaceae family, namely Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. Var. major N. E. Br., hawthorn fruit (C. pinnatifida Bge.), or wild hawthorn fruit (C. cuneata Sieb. et Zucc.). The first two are commonly referred to as "northern hawthorn fruit," and the latter is known as "southern hawthorn fruit." It is produced in most regions of the country. The fruits are harvested when they mature in autumn. Northern hawthorn fruit is sliced and dried, while southern hawthorn fruit is dried directly. It is used either raw or stir-fried.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Sour and sweet, slightly warm. Act on spleen, stomach and liver meridians.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Resolving accumulation, moving qi, and dispersing stasis.

bubble_chart Indications

1. Used for meat food accumulation stagnation syndrome. This product has the effect of eliminating accumulation and resolving stagnation, especially as an essential medicine for digesting greasy meat food accumulation stagnation. For symptoms such as abdominal distension and fullness, belching acid swallow, and abdominal pain with loose stool due to meat food accumulation, it is effective when decocted and taken alone, or combined with radish seed, Medicated Leaven, etc. For severe abdominal distension and fullness pain due to food accumulation and qi stagnation, it is advisable to use it with green tangerine peel, Immature Orange Fruit, Zedoary Rhizome, etc.
2. Used for diarrhea with abdominal pain and hernia pain. It can move qi to relieve pain. For diarrhea with abdominal pain, charred hawthorn fruit can be decocted with water and taken, or combined with Aucklandia Root, Areca Seed, Submature Bitter Orange, etc. For hernia pain, it can be used with Tangerine Seed, lychee seed, etc.
3. Used for blood stasis causing chest and abdominal pain, and dysmenorrhea. This product is warm in nature and can move qi to relieve pain, with the effect of invigorating blood and resolving stasis. For postpartum abdominal pain due to blood stasis, lochiorrhea, or dysmenorrhea due to blood stasis, it can be decocted with water and taken alone, or combined with Sichuan Lovage Rhizome, Chinese Angelica, motherwort herb, etc. For blood stasis causing chest and hypochondriac pain, it can be used with Sichuan Lovage Rhizome, Peach Kernel, Carthamus, etc.
4. Modern use of this product in preparations has shown good efficacy in treating coronary heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, bacterial dysentery, etc.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Xinxiu Bencao: "The juice taken orally stops dysentery, washing the head and body alleviates sores."
2. Bencao Yanyi Buyi: "Strengthens the stomach, promotes the circulation of qi, treats postpartum abdominal pain and lochiorrhea in women. Boil the juice and add granulated sugar, taking it will have an immediate effect."
3. 《Materia Medica Compendium》: "Transforms food and drink, dissipates accumulations, treats chronic drinking diseases, relieves acid regurgitation, and stagnant blood causing distension."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Decoct 10-15g, with a maximum dose of 80g. Raw hawthorn fruit is used to promote digestion and disperse stasis, while charred hawthorn fruit is used to stop diarrhea and dysentery.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

North hawthorn fruit contains tartaric acid, citric acid, hawthorn fruit acid, flavonoids, lactones, sugars, and glycosides. Wild hawthorn fruit contains citric acid, hawthorn fruit acid, tannins, saponins, fructose, vitamin C, etc. Hawthorn fruit can increase the secretion of gastric digestive enzymes, promoting digestion. The lipase it contains can promote fat decomposition. The various organic acids it contains can enhance the activity of proteases, making meat easier to digest. Hawthorn fruit has effects such as contracting the uterus, strengthening the heart, anti-arrhythmia, increasing coronary blood flow, dilating blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, and reducing blood lipids. It also has a strong inhibitory effect on dysentery bacilli and large intestine bacilli.