Hawthorn berries is medicinal, edible and ornamental plants. In ancient times, people believed that hawthorn – a protector against evil spirits and evil spirits.
Hawthorn is the Pink family (Rosaceae).This shrub or small tree with shiny purple-brown branches, have thick long straight long thorns. The leaves are alternate, broad lyrhombic, pointed. The flowers are small, white, with unpleasant smell. Fruits of blood-red, spherical, ellipsoid, with sweet powdery pulp. The height of 3-5 m.
Hawthorn berries contain 4 through 11% sugar, mainly fructose, so that they can be eaten under diabetes, it also has biologically active substances – triterpene acids (oleanic, ursolic, ikrateg), choline and acetylcholine, quercetin, tannins, phytosterols, tartaric and citric acid, A, C, R vitamins.
Hawthorn acts as vasodilator, antispasmodic, increases vascular and cerebrum blood supply, has strong antioxidant properties, lowers cholesterol, reduces blood vessels and capillaries permeability.