Hawthorn berries* are used for mild heart failure and other symptoms of the circulatory system. Yixintong** is a Chinese medicine containing those berries. The effect of Yixintong was studied on three different calcium channels*** to best understand how it works in heart disease.
The effects of hawthorn were tested on leak calcium channels, receptor-operating calcium channels (ROC), and pulse-dependent calcium channels (PDC).
CONCLUSION: Yixintong, containing hawthorn, reduced the flow of calcium into cells by way of ROC and PDC calcium channels.
NOTES: *Hawthorne berry (Crataegus pinnatifida) is known as Shan Zha in Chinese. Hawthorn fruit are known as Crataegi, fructus.
**Yixintong (Yi xin tong) is a Chinese medicinal formula which contains hawthorn berries. It is used with Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhizae) for pain and stagnation of the heart channels.
***Calcium channels are openings in the cell walls which allow calcium to pass through. Inhibition of the calcium flow is beneficial in some diseases of the circulatory system, such as chronic heart failure.
To read the author’s abstract of the article, click on the title of the article. Unfortunately, the full article is only in Chinese at this time.
PMID: 15015360.
Summary #756.
