AKA: Aesculus hippocastanum (latin), Atkestani, Buckeye, Castagno D’India, Chataigne De Cheval, Ippocastano, Marronnier D’Inde, Rosskastanie, Seiyo-toti-no-ki, Spanish Chestnut, T’ien-shi-li, Wilde Kastanje

Despite its common name, the horse chestnut is not really a member of the chestnut family, but instead belongs to the buckeye family. They are called chestnuts due to the shiny brown color and the spiny husks of the fruit which are known as conkers. The tree is native to the Balkan mountain area of Southeast Europe, but has become a popular shade tree that is widely planted throughout the temperate areas of the world. It has been used for centuries to clean linen and has medicinal properties.

Used for: Varicose Veins, Hardening of the arteries, Leg Ulcers, Hemorrhoids, Frostbite, Fluid Retention

Properties:  Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Astringent, Decongestant, Expectorant, Tonic

The chief traditional use of the Horse Chestnut, has been for varicose veins in the legs. People who stand for extended periods of time, who are overweight or both, put increased pressure on the leg veins. This causes the veins to swell and leak fluid into the surrounding tissue,  eventually deteriorating into varicose veins. Horse Chestnut extract contains a saponin known as aescin which is an antioxidant and performs a role as a vasoprotective, promoting the toning of the vein walls by protecting the two key vessel proteins: collagen and elastin.  These specific properties also make the extract good for treating hemorrhoids.

The plant also works at reducing fluid retention by increasing the permeability of the capillaries which allows excess fluid to be absorbed back into the circulatory system.  Studies have shown that people who take the extract have shown an improvement in the health of their leg veins and have reported less swelling, heaviness and fatigue, which symptoms associated with lower leg swelling.  Horse Chestnut can also be used for edema (excess fluid buildup) caused by trauma related to  sports injuries, surgery, and head injury.

The seeds are also considered effective at relieving congestion and have been used as an expectorant. They have been used as a topical ointment for rheumatism and phlebitis and they are used internally for leg ulcers and frostbite. They are also considered to have antioxidant properties containing many useful flavonoids and glycosides. While the isolated compound Aescin is considered the predominate compound that gives horse chesnut it unique capabilities, most research tend to argue that the seed as a whole is more effective than merely using this sole isolated compound.

Warnings

Horse chestnut is considered to be toxic and should only be used with the outmost caution and discretion. Please  see a physician before using it. It has been known to cause   allergic skin reactions when applied externally and  can cause circulation disorders. It should not be taken by anyone who has liver or kidney disease, taking an anti-coagulant or any pregnant or nursing women.

coming soon....