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Background Türkiye hosts many important fruit species due to its geographical location and ecology. Hawthorn, which is highly beneficial for human health, is one of these significant fruit species. In the present study, 125 accessions of Crataegus azarolus L. were identified from different regions of hawthorn germplasm in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Türkiye in 2022 and 2023. This study was conducted to detect the morphological, pomological, and molecular genetic variations of the accessions. Results The examined accessions showed significant differences in morphological and pomological aspects (ANOVA, p  < 0.05). Among the accessions, the pH varied from 3.02 (‘G75’) to 3.99 (‘G55’), the soluble solids content changed between 8.19 (‘G108’) and 21.98 °Brix (‘G1’), the titratable acidity ranged from 0.69 (‘G3’) to 2.29% (‘G37’), and the ripening index varied from 4.33 (‘G107’) to 29.90 (‘G3’). Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that fruit traits made the greatest contribution to the diversity among accessions, followed by leaf traits. In the scope of molecular analysis, a total of 195 bands were obtained from 15 inter simple sequence repeat primers (ISSR), and 191 of these bands were found to be polymorphic. The polymorphism rate ranged from 75 to 100%, with an average rate of 97.20%. The similarity index of the accessions ranged from 0.72 to 0.90. According to the quantitative data set, we identified twenty accessions (‘G21’, ‘G117’, ‘G104’, ‘G17’, ‘G11’, ‘G124’, ‘G23’, ‘G10’, ‘G125’, ‘G30’, ‘G2’, ‘G38’, ‘G115’, ‘G4’, ‘G111’, ‘G8’, ‘G35’, ‘G106’, ‘G97’, and ‘G52’, respectively) with superior qualities that can be used as parents in breeding programs or selected directly for cultivation. Conclusions It is believed that the findings from the studied accessions will provide valuable guidance for researchers aiming to understand the characteristics of hawthorn species and incorporate relevant genetic material or traits into modern plant breeding programs. In addition, the study is expected to make significant contributions to the literature on the evaluation and conservation of hawthorn genetic resources.

Background Trimethylamine- N -oxide (TMAO) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. Consumption of hawthorn fruit is believed to be cardio-protective, yet whether it is able to suppress the TMAO-induced atherosclerosis remains unexplored. The present study was to investigate the effects of hawthorn fruit extract (HFE) on TMAO-exacerbated atherogenesis. Methods Five groups of male Apolipoprotein E knock-out (ApoE −/− ) mice were fed a low-fat diet (LFD), a Western high-fat diet (WD), or one of the three WDs containing 0.2% TMAO (WD + TMAO), 0.2% TMAO plus 1% HFE (WD + TMAO + L-HFE), or 0.2% TMAO plus 2% HFE (WD + TMAO + H-HFE), respectively. After 12-weeks of intervention, plasma levels of TMAO, lipid profile, inflammatory biomarkers, and antioxidant enzyme activities were measured. Atherosclerotic lesions in the thoracic aorta and aortic sinus were evaluated. The sterols and fatty acids in the liver and feces were extracted and measured. Hepatic expressions of inflammatory biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes were analyzed. Results Dietary TMAO accelerated atherogenesis, exacerbated inflammation, and reduced antioxidant capacities in the plasma and the liver. TMAO promoted hepatic cholesterol accumulation by inhibiting fecal excretion of acidic sterols. HFE could dose-dependently reduce the TMAO-aggravated atherosclerosis and inflammation. HFE was also able to reverse the TMAO-induced reduction in antioxidant capacity by up-regulating the expression of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), SOD2, glutathione peroxidase 3 (GSH-Px3), and catalase (CAT) in the liver. Moreover, the hepatic cholesterol content was lowered by HFE via enhanced fecal excretion of neutral and acidic sterols. Conclusions The present results indicated that HFE was able to reduce the TMAO-exacerbated atherogenesis by attenuating inflammation and improving antioxidant capacity at least in mice. Graphic abstract

Although the hawthorn is not a forest-forming species, and it has no high economic significance, it is a very valuable component of forests, mid-field woodlots or roadside avenues. The literature, however, lacks information on the growth rate, growth phases, or growth–climate–habitat relationship for trees of this genus. This work aimed to establish the rate of growth of Craraegus monogyna and C. xmedia Bechst growing in various parts of Poland, in various habitats; analyze the growth–climate relationship; and distinguish dendrochronological regions for these species. Samples were taken using a Pressler borer from nine populations growing in different parts of Poland, from a total of 192 trees (359 samples). The tree-ring width was measured down to 0.01 mm. The average tree-ring width in the studied hawthorn populations ranged from 1.42 to 3.25 mm/year. Using well-established cross-dating methods, nine local chronologies were compiled with tree ages between 45 and 72 years. Dendroclimatic analyses (pointer year analysis, correlation and response function analysis) were performed for a 33-year period from 1988 to 2020, for which all local chronologies displayed EPS > 0.85. The tree-ring width in the hawthorn populations depended mostly on temperature and rainfall through the May–August period. High rainfall and the lack of heat waves through these months cause an increase in cambial activity and the formation of wide tree rings. Conversely, rainfall shortages through this period, in conjunction with high air temperatures, caused growth depressions. Cluster analysis enabled the identification of two dendrochronological regions among the hawthorn in Poland: a western and eastern region, and a single site (CI), whose separation was most likely caused by contrasting habitat and genetic conditions. The obtained results highlight the need for further study of these species in Poland and other countries.

Flowering plant (angiosperm) mitochondrial genomes are remarkably dynamic in their structures. We present the complete mitochondrial genome of hawthorn ( Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge), a shrub that bears fruit and is celebrated for its extensive medicinal history. We successfully assembled the hawthorn mitogenome utilizing the PacBio long-read sequencing technique, which yielded 799,862 reads, and the Illumina novaseq6000 sequencing platform, which producing 6.6 million raw paired reads. The C. pinnatifida mitochondria sequences encompassed a total length of 440,295 bp with a GC content of 45.42%. The genome annotates 54 genes, including 34 that encode proteins, 17 that encode tRNA, and three genes for rRNA. A fascinating interplay was observed between the chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes, which share 17 homologous sequences sequences that rotal 1,933 bp. A total of 134 SSRs, 22 tandem repeats and 42 dispersed repeats were identified in the mitogenome. Four conformations of C. pinnatifida mitochondria sequences recombination were verified through PCR experiments and Sanger sequencing, and C. pinnatifida mitogenome is more likely to be assembled into three circular-mapping chromosomes. All the RNA editing sites that were identified C-U edits, which predominantly occurred at the first and second positions of the codons. Phylogenetic and collinearity analyses identified the evolutionary trajectory of C. pinnatifida , which reinforced the genetic identity of the hawthorn section. This unveiling of the unique multi-partite structure of the hawthorn mitogenome offers a foundational reference for future study into the evolution and genetics of C. pinnatifida .

Background Hypercholesterolemia and gut microbiota dysbiosis are associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Hawthorn fruits has shown to be cardioprotective and hypocholesterolemic. However, no studies to date have studied the biological activity of hawthorn seed oil (HSO). The present study was to investigate if HSO could favourably reduce plasma cholesterol and modulate gut microbiota in hypercholesterolemia hamsters. Methods Golden Syrian hamsters (age, 8 weeks) were randomly divided into five groups ( n  = 8, each) and fed one of the following five diets, namely a non-cholesterol diet, a high cholesterol diet containing 0.15% cholesterol (HCD); a HCD diet with addition of 4.75% HSO (LHSO), a HCD diet with addition of 9.5% HSO (HHSO), a HCD diet with addition of 0.50% cholestyramine as positive control diet. After 6-week dietary intervention, plasma lipids, inflammatory markers, atherosclerosis plaque, hepatic and fecal lipids were quantified. Microbiota in fresh feces were analysed by sequencing 16S rRNA genes, while RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were employed to quantify the expression of genes involved in cholesterol homeostasis. Results HSO at a dose of 9.5% HSO could decrease plasma cholesterol and non-HDL-cholesterol by 15%. Additionally, both HSO experimental groups also suppressed mRNA of 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-CoA Reductase (HMG-CoA-R). Supplementation of HSO at 4.75% could significantly increase the excretion of fecal acidic sterols, accompanied by elevation of short-chain fatty acid levels in feces. The analyses of gut microbiome indicated that HSO supplementation could selectively alter the genera abundance of gut bacteria that were correlated with cholesterol metabolism including unclassified_f__Christensenellaceae, Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_ group, norank_o_Gastranaerophilales, Faecalibaculum, Peptococcus, norank_f__Clostridiales_vadinBB60_group and Ruminococcus_2. Conclusions HSO supplementation was able to decrease plasma cholesterol by favourably modulating gut microbiota composition and gut-derived metabolites associated with cholesterol regulation. Graphical Abstract

Previous studies have shown that both hawthorn and honey‐processed hawthorn (HH) can prevent heart injury in acute myocardial ischemia (AMI). Hawthorn pectin (HP) and stir‐fried hawthorn pectin (FHP) have been identified as protective agents against AMI, with the effects closely related to their structural characteristics. This study aims to investigate the effects of pectin of HH (HHP) in preventing AMI. Results showed that the esterification degree, the content of galacturonic acid, and the viscosity‐average molecular weight of HHP were lower than those of HP. Rats pretreated with HHP exhibited improvements when suffering from AMI in maintaining the levels of myocardial enzyme as well as indicators related to oxidative stress. In terms of gut microbiota and short‐chain fatty acids, HHP enriched Monoglobus and increased the content of propionic acid, while HP enriched Lachnospira and increased the content of acetic acid in the intestine. The different effects of HHP from HP on regulating gut microbiota and short‐chain fatty acids might be attributed to structural alterations of the HHP after processing of hawthorn. These results contributed to the established connection between pectin consumption and its protective effect from AMI. Pectin prophylaxis improved myocardial enzyme levels and oxidative stress indicators in AMI rats, with hawthorn pectin enriched Lachnospira and increased acetic acid content, while honey‐processed hawthorn pectin enriched Monoglobus and increased propionic acid content.

Polysaccharides are biological macromolecules that are difficult to absorb into intestinal epithelial cells for exerting activities, whereas the interaction between polysaccharides and gut microbiota might be an alternative method. This study aimed to explore the in vitro digestion of hawthorn polysaccharides (HPS) and their interaction with the gut microbiota. Results showed that the content of reducing sugars increased slightly during gastric digestion. However, no free monosaccharide was detected during the whole simulated digestion process, indicating that HPS was indigestible. The total carbohydrate residue decreased during in vitro fermentation. This result was due to the utilization by the gut microbiota. Meanwhile, short-chain fatty acids were produced due to the utilization of HPS. Notably, HPS could significantly modulate the composition of human gut microbiota; in particular, the relative abundances of Megasphaera, Acidaminococcus and Mitsuokella increased, whereas the relative abundances of Escherichia Shigella and Fusobacterium decreased. It was suggested that HPS could decrease the abundances of harmful intestinal microbiota and regulate the proportion of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract. Overall, the beneficial effects of HPS were believed to be related to the gut microbiota and could be used as a potential dietary supplement.

Hawthorn (Crataegus) is a plant of the Rosaceae family and is widely grown throughout the world as one of the medicinal and edible plants, known as the “nutritious fruit” due to its richness in bioactive substances. Preparations derived from it are used in the formulation of dietary supplements, functional foods, and pharmaceutical products. Rich in amino acids, minerals, pectin, vitamin C, chlorogenic acid, epicatechol, and choline, hawthorn has a high therapeutic and health value. Many studies have shown that hawthorn has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-cardiovascular disease, and digestive enhancing properties. This is related to its bioactive components such as polyphenols (chlorogenic acid, proanthocyanidin B2, epicatechin), flavonoids (proanthocyanidins, mucoxanthin, quercetin, rutin), and pentacyclic triterpenoids (ursolic acid, hawthornic acid, oleanolic acid), which are also its main chemical constituents. This paper briefly reviews the chemical composition, nutritional value, food applications, and the important biological and pharmacological activities of hawthorn. This will contribute to the development of functional foods or nutraceuticals from hawthorn.

Ecological speciation via host-shifting is often invoked as a mechanism for insect diversification, but the relative importance of this process is poorly understood. The shift of Rhagoletis pomonella in the 1850s from the native downy hawthorn, Crataegus mollis, to introduced apple, Malus pumila, is a classic example of sympatric host race formation, a hypothesized early stage of ecological speciation. The accidental human-mediated introduction of R. pomonella into the Pacific Northwest (PNW) in the late 1970s allows us to investigate how novel ecological opportunities may trigger divergent adaptation and host race formation on a rapid timescale. Since the introduction, the fly has spread in the PNW, where in addition to apple, it now infests native black hawthorn, Crataegus douglasii, and introduced ornamental hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna. We use this “natural experiment” to test for genetic differentiation among apple, black, and ornamental hawthorn flies co-occurring at three sympatric sites. We report evidence that populations of all three host-associations are genetically differentiated at the local level, indicating that partial reproductive isolation has evolved in this novel habitat. Our results suggest that conditions suitable for initiating host-associated divergence may be common in nature, allowing for the rapid evolution of new host races when ecological opportunity arises.

Background: The hawthorn fruit is an interesting medicinal plant that has several biological features, especially related to anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune-modulating actions, and boosting general health. In this study, we aimed to clarify the immunological effects of hawthorn vinegar on immunity and general health. We also focused on three different production processes to improve the antioxidant activity of hawthorn vinegar (2) Methods: In the study, besides the traditional production of hawthorn vinegar (N), thermal pasteurization (P) and ultrasound (U) techniques were applied to vinegars. A total of 56 female adult Wistar albino rats were randomly allocated into seven groups; Control, N0.5 (regular vinegar; 0.5 mL/kgbw), N1 (regular vinegar; 1 mL/kgbw), P0.5 (pasteurized vinegar; 0.5 mL/kgbw), P1 (pasteurized vinegar; 1 mL/kgbw), U0.5 (ultrasound treated vinegar; 0.5 mL/kgbw), and U1 (ultrasound treated vinegar; 1 mL/kgbw). Vinegars were administered by oral gavage daily. The average weight gains, body mass index, and blood hematological parameters were measured, and the Neutrophil Lymphocyte ratio was calculated. The plasma IL-1β and TNF-α values, and MDA, IL-1β and TNF-α values of intestinal tissue, were determined. Also, the streptavidin–biotin–peroxidase complex method was applied to determine the expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β in duodenum. (3) Results: There was a decreasing tendency in the average weight gains in all vinegar groups compared to the control group. In addition, there was an increase in NL ratio in all vinegar groups, although not significant. There were no statistical differences among all vinegar groups, although decreases were observed in plasma IL-1β. Also, the plasma TNF-α values showed slight increases in high-dose-of-vinegar groups (N1, P1 and U1), although not significant. In addition, the intestinal tissue IL-1β value tended to increase in groups N0.5, N1 and P0.5, while it tended to decrease in P1, U0.5 and U1. On the other hand, there were slight increases in the TNF-α values of intestinal tissue in all groups compared to control, although these were not significant. Furthermore, the intensive expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β were determined in groups U0.5 and U1. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest that either high doses or ultrasound applications of hawthorn vinegar have positive effects on intestinal health, boosting immunity and general health.