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Botanical illustration of Shan Zha
MedicinalSourced entry

Shan Zha

Crataegus pinnatifida

Chinese hawthorn fruit, eaten and used in Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years for indigestion, especially after meat, and for high blood fats. Research is mostly in the lab and in animals.

Safety at a glance

  • PregnancyNothing recorded
  • BreastfeedingNothing recorded
  • MedicinesNothing recorded
  • Who should avoid itNothing recorded
  • AllergiesNothing recorded
  • Toxicity1 note →

Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.

What is Shan Zha?

Plant family
Rosaceae, the rose family
Parts used
The fruit, usually dried and sliced; also eaten as food
Where it grows
China
Genus
Crataegus
Species
pinnatifida

Also called

Chinese Hawthorn, Fructus Crataegi, Fructose Crataegi, Crataegi Fructus

Traditional names

Shanzha

Traditionally used for

  • Indigestion (traditional)
  • High blood fats (traditional)
  • Circulation (traditional)

Traditionally described as

  • Lowered blood fats (in animal studies)

Health topics

Where Shan Zha appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.

  • High Cholesterol

    Traditionally used for high blood fats, and lowered them in animal studies. Not confirmed in people.

  • Indigestion

    A traditional Chinese remedy for indigestion, especially after rich or meaty meals. Not tested on its own in trials.

Traditions that use it

  • Traditional Chinese Medicine

    Called shan zha; used for over 2,000 years as food and medicine for indigestion (especially after meat), high blood fats and "blood stasis".

How it's prepared

Common ways Shan Zha is prepared or sold. This isn't advice on how to take it; see Safety below.

Safety

Toxicity testing

  • A 2023 review of the hawthorn group found no evidence of toxicity in the studies it covered.[2]Study

What does the research say?

Traditional use

These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.

  • Chinese hawthorn has been used in China for over 2,000 years as both food and medicine. The fruit is traditionally used for:

    • Indigestion, especially after eating too much meat
    • High blood fats
    • "Blood stasis" and a tingling feeling in the heart
    • Sores
    [3]Study

  • Hawthorns grow across Asia, Europe and the Americas, and have been used for thousands of years to strengthen digestion and improve blood circulation, and also for painful periods and weak bones. The site's Hawthorn page covers the European species.[2]Study

Laboratory & animal research

Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.

  • In lab and animal studies, Chinese hawthorn lowered blood fats, protected the heart, reduced blood clotting and hardening of the arteries, may help reduce inflammation, and protected nerves. These are lab and animal results.[3]Study

Sources

  1. [1] Triterpenic acids present in hawthorn lower plasma cholesterol by inhibiting intestinal ACAT activity in hamsters · DOI: 10.1093/ecam/nep007Peer-reviewed study
  2. [2] Traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and safety concerns of hawthorn (Crataegus genus): A comprehensive review · DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117229Peer-reviewed study
  3. [3] Botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activity of Crataegus pinnatifida (Chinese hawthorn): a review · DOI: 10.1093/jpp/rgac050Peer-reviewed study

This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.