The short answer
An increased risk of low blood pressure from hawthorn fruit plus clonidine has not been established. A controlled fruit-drink trial did not show a favorable blood-pressure effect over placebo. Findings for hawthorn leaves or flowering tops should not automatically be applied to fruit products.
What this answer covers
Oral hawthorn fruit (Fructus Crataegi) with oral clonidine. The inspected controlled trial used Crataegus pinnatifida var. major fruit; other species and plant parts remain distinct.
- Supplement or preparation
- hawthorn fruit
- Medication ingredient
- clonidine
Which hawthorn is being discussed?
This article concerns fruit. Hawthorn research also includes leaves and flowering tops, often in standardized extracts. Those are different preparations, so a positive result for one is not enough to establish a clonidine interaction for all hawthorn products.
What did the fruit study find?
Sixty-one participants completed a crossover trial of hawthorn fruit drink and a sugar-matched placebo. Many used blood-pressure medicines, but clonidine-specific results were not reported. The fruit drink did not outperform placebo for blood pressure.
What limits that finding?
Both drinks supplied substantial sugar, the study was relatively short, and the analysis focused on completers. The neutral result is useful contrary evidence, not proof that every fruit extract is harmless with clonidine. Capsules and different species may represent different exposures.
Should you change your treatment?
Ask your pharmacist to check the plant part, species and extract on your label. The inspected evidence does not supply a reliable spacing rule. Avoid changing prescribed clonidine on your own, including stopping it abruptly.
Evidence and practical considerations
Physiologic interactions
The exact fruit-clonidine hypotension claim is unconfirmed; the inspected fruit-specific controlled trial was neutral and did not isolate clonidine users.
- Exact scope
- Oral hawthorn fruit (Fructus Crataegi) with oral clonidine. The inspected controlled trial used Crataegus pinnatifida var. major fruit; other species and plant parts remain distinct. with Clonidine, RxCUI 2599, IN. The inspected oral immediate-release clonidine hydrochloride label explicitly identifies its clonidine free-base equivalent. That salt-to-active-ingredient bridge is restricted to the labeled oral formulation; patch, epidural and extended-release regimens are not assigned the same exposure automatically.
- Medication form and route
- oral
What remains uncertain
- Fruit beverage is not a leaf or flower extract; no exact-pair risk estimate.
Factors that may matter: exact product and dose; baseline blood pressure; other medicines.
Read the supporting source summaries
Source 1: original clinical research
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: 72 randomized, 61 completers; 48 receiving antihypertensive treatment.
No significant favorable blood-pressure effect compared with placebo; systolic pressure increased during both interventions.
How this applies: Direct fruit preparation evidence, which must not be conflated with flowering-top or leaf extracts.
Trial conducted in 2000-2001, published in 2024. Sweetened beverage, per-protocol analysis and no clonidine-specific outcome.
Source 2: regulatory product labeling
dailymed.nlm.nih.gov · Source check Sep 10, 2026
Population: People prescribed oral immediate-release clonidine.
Describes blood-pressure lowering, sedation, interactions with other sedating drugs, and potentially severe rebound hypertension after abrupt withdrawal.
How this applies: Defines medication context and prevents an unsupported recommendation to stop clonidine.
Does not directly test the botanical combinations in this batch. The free-base bridge is explicit in Description.
Research assessment: · Open full citations ↗
Review and change history
- Publication status
- Published research summary
- Clinical review
- Not yet recorded
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| Article prepared | |
| Original article drafted after source checks. Exact preparation, route, contrary evidence and claim limitations recorded for review. | |
| Research summary published |
Article revision: 3b930840c7aad249
This guide brings together the evidence records used by our interaction checker. Each finding retains its own preparation limits, research date, and source summaries.
Full citations require verification. Reading this answer and the source summaries does not.
Taking other supplements or medications?
Use the checker to explore your other combinations. Ask a pharmacist to review the exact products, amounts and medical conditions in your complete list.
Open the interaction checkerInformation, not medical advice. Do not change prescribed treatment based on this guide.