Benefits of Hawthorn
Fructus Crataegi (Shanzha), commonly called hawthorn, is a well-known herb in traditional Chinese medicine and is an herb remedy in cultures throughout much of the world. In ancient times, the Chinese herbalists mainly used crataegus (shanzha) to improve digestion; for the past thirty years, Western applications of crataegus have been verified by Chinese researchers and added to its list of applications in Chinese medicine. Numerous Chinese formulations now incorporate the herb for strengthening heart function, lowering blood lipids, and dilating blood vessels to promote blood circulation.

TRADITIONAL USE AS DIGESTIVE AID
Among the traditional Chinese herb formulas that include crataegus, the majority are digestive aids. The commonly used formula with crataegus as the dominant ingredient is Baohe Wan, first recorded in the book Danxi Xinfa (Essence of Teachings by Zhu Danxi; 1481). The formula is (1):

Crataegus 180 g
Shen-chu 60 g
Pinellia 90 g
Hoelen 90 g
Citrus 30 g
Forsythia 30 g
Raphanus  30 g

The herbs are ground to powder and made into pills with water; the dosage is 6-9 grams each time, and this is best taken with a decoction of germinated barley. The formula was developed for treatment of abdominal fullness due to "food retention," a situation where the food that has been consumed is not digesting well. As a result of this indigestion, one feels no further appetite, and may have belching, acid regurgitation, and/or diarrhea; there will often be pressure felt in the lower intestine. While originally used for persistent digestive problems, the formula is often used today simply to relieve fullness that follows overeating or consumption of a meal that is difficult to digest.

A slightly modified version is the Great Tranquility Pill (Da An Wan), which adds white atractylodes to the formulation. And, a much simplified version of Bao He Wan was also developed, called Major Crataegus Pill (Da Shanzha Wan), consisting of just three ingredients: crataegus (77%), shen-chu (11.5%), and malt (11.5%). The indications are the same as for Bao He Wan. Although these variants are far less commonly used than Bao He Wan, the focus on crataegus in these formulas (35% of Bao He Wan and 32% of Da An Wan) indicates that it is likely the primary active component.

The reputation of crataegus is that it promotes the digestion of meat and fatty foods. The presumed mechanism of action is to stimulate the production or activities of enzymes (such as proteases and lipases) that digest these food substances and/or stimulate production of bile, which especially assists the digestion of fats. The fruit contains small amounts of lipase and one of the fruit constituents, crataegolic acid, is reported to increase the activity of proteolytic enzymes.