Hawthorn commonly called quickthorn, thornapple, May tree, whitethorn or hawberry, is a genus of several hundred species of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia and North America. Today, hawthorn is irreplaceable as a component of cardiovascular health, and anti-aging skin care therapy is another amazing facet of the wide ranging benefits of the hawthorn berry.

Many studies showed that extracts of Crataegus oxyacantha and C. monogyna have anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Active compounds responsible for the above are known to be flavonoids and their glycosides, such as hyperoside, quercetin, vitexin and rutin. In addition, proanthocyanidins were also identified and they were found in higher amounts from unripen fruits.