NIS - libdoc.who.int - World Health Organization

Folium cum Flore Crataegi
tract (containing 18.75% oligomeric procyanidins) displaced 3 H-ouabain
bound to sodium- and potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase (39).
Anticontractile effects
An aqueous extract of the flowers inhibited barium chloride-induced contractions
in rabbit intestine in vitro (78). A flavonoid-enriched extract of
the leaves with flowers inhibited both histamine- and nicotine-induced
contractions in rabbit intestine in vitro and partially inhibited contractions
induced by barium chloride, acetylcholine or serotonin (ED 50
0.02 mg/ml)
(52). Intravenous administration of a flavonoid-enriched extract of the
leaves with flowers to cats (20 mg/kg body weight) inhibited contractions
in intestinal smooth muscle, and intraperitoneal injection (400 mg/kg
body weight) inhibited acetic acid-induced writhing in mice (52).
Sedative effects
Sedative effects have been observed in various animal models after intragastric
administration of leaf with flower extracts (79, 80). A 60% ethanol
extract of the flowers increased hexobarbital-induced sleeping times, and
decreased spontaneous motility and exploratory behaviour in female mice
(800 mg/kg body weight) (80).
Diuretic effects
A flavonoid-enriched fraction of a flower extract had diuretic activity in
dogs (50 mg/kg body weight) (81).
Toxicology
Single-dose toxicity studies have demonstrated that rats and mice tolerate
3 g/kg body weight, by gastric lavage, of a standardized hydroalcoholic
extract of the leaves with flowers (containing 18.75% oligomeric procyanidins)
without any clinical symptoms of toxicity. The intraperitoneal
median lethal dose (LD 50
) was 1.17 g/kg body weight in rats and 750 mg/
kg body weight in mice. No toxic effects were observed in a repeat-dose
toxicity study in which rats and dogs were given a standardized extract
(containing 18.75% oligomeric procyanidins) at doses of 30, 90 and
300 mg/kg body weight daily by the intragastric route for 26 weeks (82).
Clinical pharmacology
Cardiac insufficiency
Review of the pharmacological and clinical data indicates that standardized
extracts of Folium cum Flore Crataegi increase myocardial performance,
improve myocardial circulatory perfusion and tolerance in cases of
101