Bidens pilosa, Crataegus douglasii, and Urtica dioica effects on Cardiovascular System
The three specimens known as Bidens pilosa, Crataegus douglasii, and Urtica dioica all exhibit medicinal properties that have an immense effect on the cardiovascular system. Some of these effects include anti-inflammatory responses, protection against hypertension, treatment of infections, antihypertensive, and antibacterial properties. Amongst the overlapping medicinal properties in Bidens pilosa, Crataegus douglasii, and Urtica dioica, is an understanding of how the plants play a role in numerous cardiovascular processes.
Crataegus douglasii has been used to help protect against heart disease and help control high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Different studies have shown that Crataegus douglasii seems to improve circulation, lower blood pressure, and increase coronary artery blood flow. It has also been used to treat boils and skin sores. This plant contains different flavonoids, such as rhamnosides and schaftosides. Flavonoids are phytonutrients found in almost all fruits and vegetables that have anti-inflammatory effects and protect cells from oxidative damage that can lead to disease. Because of the flavonoids, Crataegus douglasii has a positive inotropic effect on the heart by strengthening the force of the heartbeat. This plant has leaves that are broad, long, and serrated at the tip. It has dense clusters of white flowers in the spring and edible fruits that mature to black in late summer. Its flowers have an unpleasant fragrance which tends to attract pollinators such as midges and butterflies. Crataegus douglasii can also be planted for erosion control. This specimen is self-fertile, meaning that both male and female parts can be found on the same plant. The best method of propagating Crataegus douglasii is through seeds and wind dispersal. It is native to wetlands, open moist places, bluffs and slopes, meadows, ditches, and along streams in a large geographic territory. It is most commonly found in the Pacific Northwest.
Urtica dioica subspecies Holoser., or stinging nettle has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Its leaves are initially hostile, but can be cooked similar to a vegetable for both nutritional and medical value. The leaves can also be burned into a tea, producing a health tonic filled with flavonoids. As aforementioned, flavonoids have cardiovascular properties, and the tonic is also anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. U. dioica can produce hypotensive responses, through a vasorelaxant effect mediated by the release of endothelial nitric oxide and the opening of potassium channels, and through negative inotropic action. It can also be turned into a pulp and used externally as a poultice. There are claims that it helps with eczema, urinary tract problems, and cardiovascular benefits, but these claims are less substantiated than health claims related to internal consumption.The plant itself has leaves rich in cellulose, polyphenol compounds, vitamin C, and minerals. They are high in fiber and can be used within basic construction. The stinging nettle can self-reproduce, as it grows with both male and female reproductive organs. It also spreads easily within its locality, with widely spreading rhizomes and stolons. In fact, it is often planted to reduce soil erosion and help the environment in which it is planted. However, it is native to subtropical and tropical Asia, and is common especially in China. However, it can still be found in the North Americas, particularly on the West Coast. Here, hikers often see stinging nettle on trails or bordering neighborhoods, as the name ‘stinging’ implies less danger than what is actually to be feared.
Historically, Bidens pilosa has been used to treat over forty diseases and disorders including inflammation, immunological disorders, digestive disorders, infectious diseases, cancers, metabolic syndromes, and wounds. However, in addition to these common medicinal uses, the bioactive compounds produced by Bidens pilosa have also proven rather useful in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. This includes lowering systolic blood pressure, reducing cardiac hypertrophy, and the potential to treat cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Bidens pilosa is rich in phytochemicals such as polyynes, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, and phenolics that in addition to treating tumors, inflammation, diabetes, viruses, microbes, and gastrointestinal diseases, have also been found effective in treating cardiovascular diseases. Flavonoids, in particular, present many potential cardiovascular health-promoting properties. Bidens pilosa is rich in flavonoid compounds, with evidence of over 60 different flavonoids being produced by the plant. These flavonoids include bioflavonoids and quercetin derivatives which exhibit antioxidant properties that function to reduce the harmful impact of free radicals in the body. Through a series of chemical reactions, free radicals, derived from metabolic processes or through an outside source such as pollutants or chemicals, damage cellular components leading to an increased risk for the development and further progression of cardiovascular diseases. Medical research has found that extracting these flavonoids and constituting them with acetate, butanol, and water creates free radical scavengers, substances functioning to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. In addition, the plant is rich in essential oils, these essential oils contain compounds such as monoterpenes and phenolics believed to have anti-hypertensive properties.