Plant Comparison

Hawthorn vs Raspberry Leaf

A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.

First plant

Second plant

Plant AHawthornCrataegus monogynaRosaceaeFull monograph →

Plant BRaspberry LeafRubus idaeusRosaceaeFull monograph →

At a glance

Hawthorn and Raspberry Leaf: both belong to the Rosaceae family; they share 1 indicated use (skin irritation).

HawthornRaspberry Leaf

Constituents23

Pharmacological actions43

Indicated uses66

Safety notes21

Cited sources2114

Indicated uses

Only Hawthorn

Arthritis / joint painCancer (anticancer research)Cardiovascular / heart healthInflammation (general)Insomnia / sleeplessness

Shared (1)

Skin irritation

Only Raspberry Leaf

DiarrhoeaMenstrual crampsPMS / premenstrual syndromePregnancy supportWounds

Pharmacological actions

Only Hawthorn

Anti-inflammatoryAnticancer (preclinical)AntioxidantSedative / sleep support

Shared (0)

none

Only Raspberry Leaf

AntidiarrhoealAstringentEmmenagogue / uterine tonic

Evidence face-off — shared uses

Condition	Hawthorn	Raspberry Leaf	Verdict
Skin irritation	1/10	6/10	Stronger for Raspberry Leaf

Evidence scores (1–10) are computed from the tier of each cited source. “Comparable” means the two scores are within one point. Follow a score to its detailed sources.

Key Constituents

Flavonoids (catechins, quercetin, vitexin) and anthocyanins^{[1, 4]}

Principal cardioprotective and antioxidant polyphenols characterised by chemical profiling of leaf, flower and fruit.

FlavonoidsCatechinsQuercetinAnthocyanins

Oligomeric proanthocyanidins^[4]

Contribute to the vasoactive and antioxidant effects, the basis for extract standardisation.

Proanthocyanidins

Tannins^{[1, 8]}

Astringent constituents of the leaf.

Tannins

Flavonoids and the alkaloid fragarine^{[1, 2]}

Fragarine is the constituent proposed to give the uterine-toning effect.

FlavonoidsAlkaloids

Vitamin C and minerals^[1]

Nutritive constituents.

Pharmacological Actions

Anti-inflammatory^{[4, 13, 14, 15]}

Anticancer (preclinical)^[1]

Antioxidant^{[4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]}

Sedative / sleep support^{[13, 14, 15]}

Antidiarrhoeal^[1]

Astringent for mild diarrhoea (tannins)

Astringent^[1]

Astringent for menstrual cramps (traditional); Astringent for mild diarrhoea (tannins)

Emmenagogue / uterine tonic^{[1, 7, 13, 14]}

Traditional uterine tonic taken in late pregnancy to tone the uterus and support labour - one small double-blind RCT found a shorter second stage of labour and fewer forceps deliveries (no effect on the first stage), alongside observational signals; robust proof is still lacking

Traditional & Indicated Uses

Arthritis / joint pain^{[13, 14, 15]}Traditional · 1/10

inferred from anti-inflammatory action

Evidence: 1

Label: Arthritis / joint pain

Cancer (anticancer research)^[1]Traditional · 2/10

inferred from anticancer action

Evidence: 2

Label: Cancer (anticancer research)

Cardiovascular / heart health^{[13, 14, 15]}Traditional · 1/10

Evidence: 1

Label: Cardiovascular / heart health

Inflammation (general)^{[13, 14, 15]}Traditional · 1/10

inferred from anti-inflammatory action

Evidence: 1

Label: Inflammation (general)

Insomnia / sleeplessness^{[13, 14, 15]}Traditional · 1/10

inferred from sedative action

Evidence: 1

Label: Insomnia / sleeplessness

Skin irritation^{[13, 14, 15]}Traditional · 1/10

inferred from anti-inflammatory action

Evidence: 1

Label: Skin irritation

Diarrhoea^[1]Moderate · 5/10

Astringent for mild diarrhoea (tannins)

Evidence: 5

Label: Diarrhoea

Menstrual cramps^{[1, 7, 11]}Moderate · 5/10

Astringent for menstrual cramps (traditional)

Evidence: 5

Label: Menstrual cramps

PMS / premenstrual syndrome^{[1, 11, 13, 14]}Good · 7/10

inferred from emmenagogue action

Evidence: 7

Label: PMS / premenstrual syndrome

Pregnancy support^{[1, 10]}Moderate · 6/10

Evidence: 6

Label: Pregnancy support

Skin irritation^{[1, 5, 9, 12]}Moderate · 6/10

inferred from astringent action

Evidence: 6

Label: Skin irritation

Wounds^[1]Moderate · 5/10

inferred from astringent action

Evidence: 5

Label: Wounds

Safety, Cautions & Contraindications

Safety note^{[13, 14, 15]}Caution

Generally well tolerated. Hawthorn should not replace prescribed cardiac medications without medical supervision. May potentiate the effects of cardiac glycosides (digoxin), antihypertensive drugs, and coronary dilators. Not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to insufficient safety data. Mild side effects (nausea, dizziness, GI upset) occasionally reported.

Safety note^{[13, 14, 15, 16]}Caution

Duke (2002) rates hawthorn as +++ — one of the most clinically supported cardiovascular herbs. Clinical evidence (score 2) supports its use for decreasing cardiac output (NYHA functional Stage II heart failure), as recognized by Commission E. Key activities include vasodilation, positive inotropic effects, and antioxidant protection of vascular tissue. Dose: 160–900 mg standardized leaf/flower extract (containing 18.75% oligomeric proanthocyanidins) daily. Duke emphasizes that hawthorn should not replace conventional heart failure therapy, and therapeutic effects may take 4–8 weeks to emerge. Mild interactions with cardiac glycosides (digitalis) are possible (Duke, 2002).

Safety note^{[1, 13]}Caution

Despite widespread popular use, there is no robust (randomised-trial) evidence of efficacy or safety. Use in pregnancy should be discussed with a midwife or doctor and is generally reserved for the last few weeks rather than early pregnancy.

External Ids

Gbif: 9220780

Wikidata: Q161511

Gbif: 2993094

Wikidata: Q12252383

Botanical Description

Small deciduous tree or large shrub, densely thorny, with deeply lobed, glossy leaves (more deeply cut than midland hawthorn). Clusters of small, five-petalled white flowers with a strong, musky scent appear in spring ('May blossom'), followed by small red berries (haws), each containing a single seed (nutlet) - the origin of the species name monogyna.^[4]

Height: 5-10 m

Habit: Small deciduous, densely thorny tree or large shrub

Leaves: Deeply lobed, glossy (more deeply cut than C. laevigata)

Flowers: Clusters of small, five-petalled white, strongly musky-scented flowers

Stem: Densely thorny branches; grey, fissured bark on older wood

Root: Deep, spreading root system

Fruit: Small red berry (haw), containing a single seed

Flowering Period: May

Deciduous, thicket-forming shrub (Rosaceae), 1-2 m tall, with upright, prickly, biennial canes (vegetative in the first year, fruiting in the second). Leaves are pinnate with 3-7 toothed leaflets, whitish-felted beneath. Small white, five-petalled flowers are followed by the aggregate red raspberry fruit, a cluster of drupelets.^[2]

Height: 1-2 m

Habit: Deciduous, thicket-forming shrub with biennial canes

Leaves: Pinnate, 3-7 toothed leaflets, whitish-felted beneath

Flowers: Small, white, five-petalled

Stem: Upright, prickly canes

Root: Spreading suckering root system

Fruit: Aggregate red raspberry (cluster of drupelets)

Flowering Period: May-June

Habitat

One of the commonest hedgerow and scrub trees of Europe, growing in hedgerows, woodland edges, scrub and pasture on a wide range of soils; native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.^[4]

Native to Europe and northern Asia, widely cultivated as a fruit crop and naturalised on woodland edges, hedgerows and disturbed ground in temperate regions.^[2]

Harvesting

Flowers are picked as they open in May, leaves are picked with the young flowering shoots, and the ripe red berries (haws) are gathered in autumn after the first frosts soften them slightly; all three parts are traditionally combined.^[4]

Parts: Flower, Fruit, Leaf

Season: Flower and leaf in May; fruit in autumn

Leaves are picked fresh during the growing season - before or during flowering is considered optimal - and dried; fruit is picked when fully ripe in summer.^[2]

Parts: Leaf

Season: Leaf before/during flowering; fruit in summer

Traditional Uses

Common hawthorn shares the same long cardiovascular and calming tradition as midland hawthorn, used across European herbal medicine as a heart tonic for mild circulatory complaints, palpitations and nervous tension, and remains one of the most clinically studied cardiovascular botanicals.^[4]

Raspberry leaf has a long, very widely known folk tradition as a 'pregnancy tea', taken in the final weeks of pregnancy as a uterine tonic to prepare for labour. Observational studies and a small randomised controlled trial suggest a possible modest effect on labour duration, though robust proof is still lacking.^{[1, 13]}

Preparations

Standardised extract^[4]

Leaf-and-flower extract standardised to flavonoid or procyanidin content, taken as tablets or capsules; the best-studied clinical form.

Infusion (tea)^[1]

Dried leaf steeped in hot water - the classic late-pregnancy preparation.

Standardised leaf extract^[2]

Used in some observational and clinical research.

Dosage

Standardised extract^[13]

The EU herbal monograph on Crataegus spp., folium cum flore gives dry extracts in divided daily doses of 240-900 mg (single dose 80-450 mg) or, for one quantified extract, 570-1750 mg daily (single dose 190-350 mg), in adults and elderly. If symptoms persist longer than 2 weeks a doctor should be consulted, and hawthorn is never used as a substitute for prescribed heart medication without medical supervision. Educational reference only, not a prescription.

Herbal tea^[13]

The EU herbal monograph gives 1-2 g of the comminuted leaf and flower in 150 mL of boiling water as an infusion, up to 4 times daily (maximum 6 g daily), in adults and elderly. Educational reference only, not a prescription.

Infusion (tea)^{[1, 13]}

Popular guidance and observational studies generally describe starting raspberry-leaf tea or tablets in the last few weeks of pregnancy, at roughly 1-3 cups of tea daily; use should be discussed with a midwife or doctor given the lack of robust trial evidence. Educational reference only, not a prescription.

References

REF-0785, REF-0786, REF-0787, REF-1709, REF-1710, REF-1711, REF-1712, REF-1713, REF-1714, REF-1715, REF-1716, REF-1717

REF-0497, REF-1536, REF-1537, REF-1538, REF-1539, REF-1540, REF-1541, REF-1542, REF-1543, REF-2574, REF-2575, REF-2576

Drug Class Interactions

Safety note^{[17, 18, 19]}Caution

Drug Class: cardiac-glycosides

Mechanism: Hawthorn has its own positive effect on the heart (a Cochrane review found it improves heart-failure symptoms and exercise tolerance) and shares P-glycoprotein handling with digoxin, so combining it with digoxin or other cardiac-glycoside heart drugs should be supervised even though a controlled study found no major change in digoxin levels.