The headline “Herbal extract promising in heart failure,” in last week’s news brought my rapt attention. The story referenced clinical study results presented at last week’s annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology.
The herbal extract referred to in the headline was from hawthorne. The lead author of the study noted “hawthorn (sic) has been used for centuries in traditional European medicine”.
Notation of use for hawthorne in heart care traces back millennia.
Yet this was the first heart failure trial conducted with an herbal product according to the lead researcher.
The news story reported “a significant survival benefit at six months and at 18 months during the study”.
Patients with congestive heart failure had their lives extended by an average of four months through 18 months of a two year study.
The news story then reported that “the study failed” because “there was no meaningful difference in death rates” at the end of two years.
Do you suppose the families of the significant number who lived an average of four months longer through 18 months would call that extra time with their loved ones a failure?
There was “a significant survival benefit” to more people with a hawthorne extract than to those not receiving the hawthorne extract.
Down to the nitty gritty
An extract of hawthorne leaves was used in the study. Leaves, flowers and berries contain similar properties though a much greater concentration is found in fresh berries. Fresh hawthorne berries require more immediate and special handling so extracts of leaves are much more common place. More uncommonly excellent results might be expected from a fresh hawthorne berry preparation.
Too numerous to mention are the astounding results reported from one fresh hawthorne berry preparation with at least 140 years of use. More than a few I have personal knowledge about. The most astounding was of a man some years ago at White River Medical Center in Batesville, Arkansas.
A man in his 93rd year that we were very close to was in ICU after a heart attack just prior to Thanksgiving. Two of us arrived toward the end of his first full day in the hospital. His condition was very grave. He was pale with eyes sunken and could barely speak though normally possessing a very strong voice.
Fully hooked up to monitors and oxygen his heart rate was 51, pulse at 41, blood pressure 139 over 41, and oxygen varying only between 90 and 95 per cent even on 100 per cent oxygen. His hourly readings had been steadily dropping all day.
The gentleman with me asked our friend and his wife if he would like some herbs. The wife excitedly said, “Yes!” The man muttered a barely audible, “Yes”.
The man’s wife gave him more than a double dose. Each of us in the room watched in amazement as in less than thirty seconds the heart monitor began climbing into the 60s. In 60 seconds the heart rate was at 67 and the pulse was steadily catching up. At two minutes the heart rate stabilized at 69, pulse rate was steady at 71, and his blood pressure steadied at 155 over 89.
The man suddenly sat up in his bed and in a clear strong voice called his wife’s name and said, “Get me my shirt – I’m going home”. He began pulling off monitor connections and disconnected his oxygen. In another few minutes his oxygen increased to 99 per cent without being on oxygen.
The doctor hurried in and warned the man he could die if he left the hospital. He left with more than usual thankfulness for that Thanksgiving season.
Through the years I have seen hawthorn berry syrup make some difference in minutes, and work wonders in days or weeks, but never before have I seen it work such wonders in such a short time as in this instance.
Placebo effect? Do you really believe that?
The man ceased his multiple heart drugs of his own accord the following month though continuing with his hawthorne berry heart syrup that he carried with him wherever he went.
This dear senior citizen moved out of state a couple years later. Last I heard a month or so ago he was still kickin’.
Epilog
A cardiologist at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) responded about last week’s study by calling it “a single, modestly sized trial, these finding will require confirmation in other independently conducted, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.”
This “modestly sized trial” was with almost 3,000 individuals. It has taken decades … centuries … millennia for modern medi$in to get around to just one hawthorne-heart failure study. Don’t hold your breath waiting for the next one.
