I usually write about herbal cures in my Saturday Quack, complaining that they don't work. But when they do, I'm happy to report it on a busy weekday. A paper in the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews has evaluated results form 14 clinical studies of the use of hawthorn extract in treating the symptoms of heart failure.

All the 14 studies were randomized, double-blind, and placebo controlled, which makes them acceptable for serious review. Extracts of hawthorn leaves, fruits, and flowers were used in different studies. In most studies hawthorn was used in addition to conventional treatment.

The extracts worked significantly better than placebo in improving exercise tolerance and cardiac oxygen consumption. Shortness of breath and fatigue improved significantly with hawthorn treatment, compared with placebo. Side effects were infrequent and mild. They included nausea, dizziness, and occasional gastrointestinal complaints.

The German Commission E approved the use of hawthorn leaf with flower in patients suffering from heart failure graded stage II. I suppose it will take clinical trials conducted under the aegis of an IND (Investigational New Drug) conditions before the FDA will grant approval to a manufacturer to promote the use of this herb. In the meantime, don't imaging that hawthorn is a substitute for regular care. So no self-diagnosis followed by self-treatment, please.