FLAVONOID CONTENT OF HAWTHORN (CRATAEGUUS MONOGYNA) IN IRAN

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), a medicinal plant in the Rosaceae family, contains medicinal flavonoids and is used in Iran as a cardiotonic and for reduction in nervousness. This investigation studied the content of quercetin, rutin and quercetrin flavonoids in hawthorn plants collected in Gorgan, an area in northern Iran. Leaves and flowers were collected from 10 year old wild hawthorn plants during full bloom and ripe fruit were collected from the same plants during the autumn. On a dry weight basis, quercetin content was higher in the flowers than in the leaves or fruit. No differences among the leaves, flowers, or fruit were observed for rutin content. Quercetrin was only detected in the flowers.