Hawthorn Berries [Circulatory] have long been used around the world for many different purposes, including jellies and flours. They come from a small, spiny tree indigenous to the Mediterranean re-gion. Throughout history, hawthorn has had a reputation both as a symbol of hope and as a symbol of evil. At one time Christi-anity regarded the plant as sacred, due to the belief that it furnished Christs crown of thorns. Hawthorn is especially popular in Europe, where it is used in a number of herbal tinctures, herbal combinations and teas. The berries effects on the circulatory system have been researched in Europe. Certain chemical constituents in the berries seem to enhance enzyme metabolism and oxygen utilization in the heart muscle. The berries should be taken over a period of time for their full nutritional benefits to be realized. They contain vitamins C and B complex, crataegin, carotene, flavonoids and sugars. Natures Sunshine offers the nutritional support of hawthorn berries in both capsule and liquid extract form. Liquid extracts are especially useful for those who have difficulty swallowing cap-sules. The key constituents of the hawthorn berries are extracted using a combination of grain alcohol and distilled water. Ex-tracts are rapidly assimilated by the body and can be mixed in liquid or taken directly under the tongue. Each capsule contains 450 mg hawthorn berries.