THE NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF HAWTHORN-BASED MEDICATIONS

The purpose of this review is to summarize and organize the existing literature data on the antidepressant activity of drugs derived from plants in the genus Crataegus L. For this article, over 50 sources from the PubMed abstract database and the scientific information network eLibrary.ru were consulted, covering the period from 1999 to 2024. The keywords used in the search included "hawthorn", "Crataegus L.", "neuroprotective activity", and "antidepressant activity". Only studies that specifically addressed the neuroprotective activity and antidepressant properties of hawthorn-based medications were included. At the same time, articles on the use of hawthorn in other areas of medicine were excluded. Herbal medicines with neuroprotective effects, some of which also act as antidepressants, are used in global medical practice. Currently, from the perspective of evidence-based medicine, the most widely recognized herbal antidepressant is Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort). Given that one of the active components in this plant is the flavonoid hyperoside, it is essential to focus on the fruits, flowers, and leaves of various hawthorn species (Crataegus L.) as they also contain this compound. Additionally, hawthorn plant materials are known to contain other flavonoids, such as procyanidins and vitexin, along with their derivatives, which are noteworthy for their neuroprotective activity. Hawthorn-based medications are presently used as cardiotonic agents. Continued research in this area could lead to the development of new and effective treatments for both nervous and cardiovascular diseases in humans. Keywords: Hawthorn, Crataegus L., neuroprotective activity, antidepressant activity, flavonoids.