Horse chestnut (other names: acorn and aesculus) belongs to the Sapindaceae family. It is a fairly tall deciduous tree (25–30 m) with a dense dense crown.
The leaves are large, compound palmate (up to 7 petals), on long petioles (stipules are absent). The flowers are white, medium-sized (up to two cm), bisexual, forming inflorescences in the form of a snow-white erect pyramid.
Flowering – May–June. The fruits are a tricuspid, spiny green, oval-round box containing 1–3 seeds (inedible).
The greatest diversity of plant species grows naturally in North America. However, it can be found in East Asia, Europe, and other places. Its plantings in Russia extend to St. Petersburg (only there it does not reach great heights).
Chestnut loves loose, fertile soil, as well as loamy soil with lime. At the same time, he prefers a moderately humid climate. It grows well in city conditions, therefore it is included in the green variety of most European parks, where it is deliberately bred for its beautiful foliage and magnificent pyramidal inflorescences. However, in industrial areas it does not respect gases and smoke.
Natural reproduction of chestnut is carried out by fruits that grow abundantly every year. At the same time, it can be propagated by cuttings. Trees grow slowly until about ten years of age, after which the growth rate accelerates. Fruiting begins at 15–20 years.
There are many explanations for the name “horse”. The first refers to the petiole of a fallen leaf leaving a scar on the branch in the shape of a horse's shoe. The second says that the ripened fruits of the plant have the color of a bay horse. Third: the dark brown fruit has a light spot that resembles a horse's hoof print. Fourth: the name is given solely for the purpose of distinguishing inedible fruits from the outwardly similar fruits of a seed (edible) plant.
The composition and nutritional value of the fruits are comparable to bread grains, but they are superior in the presence of water (up to 50%), which sharply decreases as they dry (up to 20%). There are known cases of dangerous poisoning of domestic animals and children by chestnut fruits, but cattle often eat them. The bitter-astringent taste of the seeds is not always immediately liked by cattle, but gradually they get used to such food. However, pastoralists often grind them into flour by adding it to boiled or heated chopped vegetable roots.
In Germany, this plant was used to predict the weather. If the leaves are spread out, the weather will be good; if they are close to each other, bad weather is expected. About a day (sometimes two) before the rain, chestnut leaves begin to “cry” (they secrete drops of sticky juice).
The nectar of chestnut flowers is rich in sucrose (up to 75%), so all types of plants are excellent early honey plants, additionally distinguished during the growing season by their original decorative effect. The honey they produce is usually transparent, without any color tints. It is sometimes bitter and crystallizes quickly.
In the old days, book publishers mixed the powder of ground dry fruits with alum, resulting in a strong binding glue.
Fishing poachers used powder made from the fruit to poison fish in stagnant bodies of water.
Crushed seeds are used to prepare a special snuff powder.
The wood of the plant is soft and biologically unstable (comparable to linden wood), as a result of which it has no commercial demand. When freshly cut, it emits an unpleasant odor that disappears after drying. Very often damaged by frostbites.
The wood texture looks uniform, without expressiveness. In the absence of protective treatment, it quickly takes on a dirty gray color in air. However, due to the ability of strong retention of fasteners (screws, nails, etc.), strong gluing, and preservation of shades when painted, it is used in the production of furniture and doors.
The wood can be easily processed by cutting, sanding and polishing, providing excellent surface quality. This is often used in turning and carving for the manufacture of household items and light containers (for example, caskets, various boxes). In the old days, it was used to make musical instruments.
At the same time, dust and sawdust during processing can provoke allergic manifestations and the occurrence of dermatitis.
For medicinal purposes in folk medicine and the pharmaceutical industry, leaves, flowers, branch bark, seeds and their peel are prepared (except for the thorny boxes that store the seeds). Collection of bark - May-June, flowers - at the beginning of flowering, fruits - August-September. Harvesting leaves is allowed throughout the season (until they fall).
The bark contains abundant amounts of the glycoside esculin, tannins, and saponin escin. Esculin strengthens the vascular walls of capillaries and veins, normalizes their tone, prevents thrombus formation, and when they appear, it participates in resorption and stimulates venous blood flow. Escin reduces blood viscosity. It is no coincidence that chestnut preparations effectively treat vascular diseases and uterine bleeding.
Freshly squeezed flower juice, when taken internally, helps well with venous varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids can also be healed by bathing with a decoction of the bark. Chestnut tinctures (alcoholic and aqueous) reduce inflammation in the muscles, relieve neuralgic, rheumatic, arthrosis pain.
During treatment, additional ointment should be applied daily (up to 5 times) to the affected area. To prepare it, mix (in powder form) sage flowers (10 g), chestnut fruits (50 g), chamomile flowers (10 g), potato starch (5 g). Hot chicken fat (200 g) is poured into the mixture. Keep in a water bath for three hours, leave overnight, heat again to a boil, strain, squeeze and cool.
They drink chestnut tincture, and in combination with it also hawthorn tincture.
The first one is prepared like this. As soon as the chestnut tree blooms, its flowers are collected. Fill a liter jar with flowers one third or a little more, since there will be no overdose (they can be lightly pressed with a spoon). The remaining volume is filled with vodka. Leave for at least 3 months in a dark place.
The second one is prepared like this. When chestnuts fall from the trees, they are collected and peeled like potatoes. The peeled thin brown shell is placed in a jar one third full, filled with vodka already infused with hawthorn flowers, as in the first preparation, left for 3 months, gradually pouring out for use.
About 700 ml of chestnut tincture and the same amount of hawthorn tincture (preferably red, it blooms around May 20) are usually enough for a year. Take them three times daily without breaks, one teaspoon at a time. It turns out to be a very nice double effect.
Pour vodka (100 g) over the crushed fruits (10 g), place in the dark for 10 days, shaking the dish regularly. Strain and consume before meals (30 drops in 60 ml of water).
Take 20 ml of freshly squeezed flower juice with honey daily before meals (3 times).
Mix chestnut fruits ground into powder and camphor oil, thinly smear on a piece of black bread, apply to the painful area, and leave for 3 hours.
Boiling water (200 ml) is poured into 5 g of crushed fruit shells and boiled for a quarter of an hour. Daily three-time intake - according to art. spoon. For douching, prepare the decoction a little differently: 15 g of the shell is poured into 0.3 liters of water, boiled for 10 minutes.
50 g of bark is poured with boiling water (1 liter), boiled for a quarter of an hour, and left to stand for 8 hours. Strain and drink three times daily in a dose of 50 ml.
Pour crushed bark (half a tablespoon) into 400 g of water, leave for 8 hours, bring to a boil, strain. Take daily, drinking the drug in 4 doses.
An infusion is prepared from the bark (tsp of raw material in two glasses of chilled water). Infuse for 8 hours, strain, take 4 times daily in a dose of 30 ml.
Half a liter of vodka is poured into 70 g of crushed fruits, placed in the dark for 3 weeks, shaking the dishes regularly. Since the fruits are hard, they are pre-soaked for two days in warm water, then cut into small pieces with a knife. The fruits are not discarded from the finished tincture. They stay in the bottle until the drug runs out. The wounds are moistened with the tincture, and a day later the sore spot is sprinkled with dry streptocide. By the way, streptocide is used only once a week at night.
Many people are interested in him. It is made from fruit powder: 15 g per 150 g of vegetable (preferably olive) oil. Infuse for two weeks, and then stand for three hours in a water bath. It is taken three times daily (dose – 10 ml), diluted in 100 g of warm water.
For compresses, dissolve 20 ml of oil in a liter of warm water, moisten a napkin, apply it to the painful area, and wrap it in a cloth. Keep the compress for an hour. You can simply lubricate sore spots with oil (legs - from bottom to top).
Horse chestnut has long been considered a useful herbal remedy that is used to eliminate various diseases. It is especially often used as part of various ointments and creams for the treatment of varicose veins. Thanks to the presence of this plant, the ointment has a tonic effect on the veins, penetrates deep into their structure, strengthens the tissue, relieves inflammation and normalizes blood circulation. At the same time, you can easily make an ointment containing horse chestnut yourself at home. But first, it’s worth carefully considering the medicinal properties of this herbal medicine.
All aerial parts of horse chestnut are used to treat various diseases, including varicose veins. The range of uses of this plant is quite wide. Due to the fact that it has a rich composition, it is actively used in traditional and folk medicine.
Separately, it is worth noting a number of medicinal properties that this plant has:
Varicose veins are a fairly serious pathology in which there is a disturbance in the flow of blood through blood vessels due to the appearance of cholesterol plaques on the surface of their walls. For this reason, there is stagnation of blood in the veins, the veins greatly expand and are strongly pressed close to the skin. Therefore, they can be seen with the naked eye on the surface of the skin.
The kernels and flowers contain valuable components - esculin and escin. Thanks to these elements, the following actions are observed:
When using preparations based on horse chestnut, blood flow through the vessels improves, the tone of the walls of blood vessels increases, which ultimately causes them to narrow, and they disappear under the skin.
In addition, horse chestnut relieves inflammation, swelling and relieves pain. All these symptoms are inherent in varicose veins.
At home you can make a good remedy with chestnut - ointment. It has a high therapeutic effect and helps to quickly eliminate all the unpleasant signs of varicose veins. Moreover, its preparation is quite simple.
To prepare the ointment you will need the following components:
Horse chestnut ointment should be prepared according to the following scheme:
To improve its properties, many advise adding saturated acids to Omega-3 homemade cream. About 3-4 capsules will be enough. Capsules can be purchased freely in many pharmacies. But there is no need to put them in their entirety. The capsules are opened, then the entire contents are squeezed into the already strained cream.
Horse chestnut ointment for varicose veins can be used using several methods. The first method of application is quite simple:
Massage using ointment is also very effective, but it must be performed correctly. Movements when performing a massage should be performed from bottom to top, but not vice versa. It is not recommended to put too much pressure on the skin; all movements should be smooth. It is worth considering that with varicose veins, the capillaries have a fragile structure; they can quickly become damaged with slight pressure.
The ointment can also be applied using the second method - in the form of a compress. The compress is done like this:
When using horse chestnut ointment, it is worth considering that this plant has some contraindications. This remedy should not be used if you have the following conditions:
The ointment contains active elements that are quickly absorbed into the blood and distributed throughout the body. Therefore, this remedy should not be used if the following indications exist:
There are many drugs available in pharmacies that contain chestnut. They have a beneficial effect on the body and improve its condition. Many drugs in the form of ointments and creams are often used to treat varicose veins, trophic ulcers, thrombophlebitis, thrombosis and other vein diseases.
The following drugs are especially popular:
All of the above remedies have a tonic effect, improve blood circulation, and give veins elasticity and strength. They also relieve swelling, inflammation and pain.
But it is worth remembering that these drugs should be used only in the early stages of the disease, as well as for preventive treatment. It is best to use preparations with horse chestnut as part of a complex treatment. You can also additionally do therapeutic exercises, monitor your diet, and also take medications prescribed by your doctor.
Valuable medicinal raw materials in folk and traditional medicine. It has venotonic, vascular strengthening, anti-edematous, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects. At home, you can prepare decoctions, infusions, oil, alcohol tincture, and fresh juice from it.
The medicinal properties and contraindications of horse chestnut were first tested by a French doctor in 1896. He successfully used this medicine to treat hemorrhoids. And he revealed the main value of chestnut - its venotonic, vascular-strengthening properties. The plant prevents the formation of blood clots in blood vessels. The need for this plant in modern medical practice is increasing every year. Many medicines can be prepared at home, but no pharmacy can do without ointments, suppositories, capsules, injections, tablets, or tinctures based on horse chestnut. Unfortunately, the number of vascular diseases has increased significantly and “rejuvenated”.
What are the beneficial properties of horse chestnut? What parts of the plant can be used for medicinal purposes? How to procure raw materials? For what diseases can it be taken? What are the possible contraindications?
There is no need to give a botanical description of horse chestnut. A beloved, beautiful and very ancient tree by many. In the pre-glacial period, entire chestnut groves were found in Europe. Northern Greece is considered the birthplace of this species. The tree is found in Southern, Eastern, and Central Europe; it grows in India, North America, East Asia, China, and Japan. Chestnut is often grown as an ornamental plant. With its crown and beautiful candles in the spring, the tree decorates city parks, alleys, and gardens.
Water chestnut does not belong to the Sapindaceae family. This is what people call the sweet marsh herb, or Chinese water chestnut. Widely used in cooking, especially in China. Rich in carbohydrates, potassium, manganese, vitamin B6.
Healing properties are found in all parts of the plant - fruits, fruit peel, leaves, branches, bark, flowers.
The use of horse chestnut fruits as feed raw materials has been known for a long time. It is also known that the fruits were endowed with special magical powers - you were supposed to carry 3 fruits in your pocket or bag to ward off all diseases. It was only at the end of the 19th century that the medicinal properties of this plant were discovered and they officially began to use it in pharmaceuticals and prepare it as a medicinal raw material.
The same beneficial substances are found in the bark, branches and leaves of the tree.
For what symptoms and diseases does treatment with horse chestnut give a positive result?
As a hemostatic agent, horse chestnut is used not only for uterine, but also for nasal, pulmonary, and intestinal bleeding.
What are the uses of horse chestnut in folk medicine, the pharmaceutical industry, and scientific medicine?
Horse chestnut preparations are freely sold in pharmacies. However, before using them, a mandatory consultation with a doctor is required.
Most often, a decoction is prepared from tree bark. It is taken for diarrhea, cough, bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, inflammation of the liver and spleen, shortness of breath, anemia. Helps with digestive disorders, gastritis with high acidity, hemorrhoids.
Preparation of bark decoction
Before use, strain the decoction. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day after meals. Externally used to treat the throat and sinuses.
Preparation of fruit decoction
Before use you need to strain. This decoction is often used externally in the form of compresses and lotions to treat purulent wounds and ulcers with thrombophlebitis. It is also prescribed for douching for uterine bleeding, sitz baths and enemas for hemorrhoids.
The infusion can be prepared from bark, fruits, flowers, leaves, collected or separately.
Recipe for infusion from fruit peels
This infusion is taken 1 tsp. 3 times a day after meals.
Bark infusion recipe
This infusion is taken before meals - for ? glasses 4 times a day. Helps with internal bleeding, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal diseases.
When the chestnuts are in bloom, you can make fresh juice. To do this, you need to grind the flowers using a meat grinder and squeeze out the juice through cheesecloth. You can drink the juice twice a day, 20–30 drops, diluting them in? glasses of water. This remedy is most effective for varicose veins in the legs and hemorrhoids.
What is the use of horse chestnut tincture? This is an effective medicine for diseases of the joints and muscles. It is used in the form of rubbing for arthrosis, neuralgia, rheumatism, gout.
Chestnut flower tincture
This is an effective pain reliever for joint and muscle pain.
Tincture of chestnut fruits with vodka
Used for rubbing, after the procedure it is recommended to insulate painful areas.
Chestnut oil extract can be purchased at a herbal pharmacy, but you can also prepare it yourself from the flowers and fruits of the tree. To enhance the therapeutic effect, it is recommended to make an extract with grape seed oil. But you can use any other vegetable oil.
How to make horse chestnut oil
It has a venotropic effect and is used externally (rubbed into the skin) in courses of 10 days. It helps not only with varicose veins, but also strengthens the walls of capillaries, eliminates vascular mesh on the face, relieves leg fatigue, muscle and joint pain. Acts as a lymphatic drainage agent, enhances the outflow of lymph, so it is used for cellulite and swelling.
It is known that chestnut is an excellent honey plant. Moreover, horse chestnut and chestnut produce different types of honey, but both are valued as a medicine. What are the features of chestnut honey?
Horse chestnuts are used only for medicinal purposes; they are not suitable for consumption - they are bitter and astringent in taste. Sometimes they are mixed into animal feed in the form of flour. Edible chestnuts include fruits from other tree families. The most famous of them is the sowing chestnut, or true, edible, noble (belongs to the beech family). This tree loves a humid, warm subtropical climate - the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, the Caucasus. In Russia, this tree can be found on the Black Sea coast, more often in the Tuapse region. For example, in France, where they love the roasted fruits of this tree, a separate variety of chestnut was developed - kugurdon. Every year in France, the Chestnut Festival is celebrated in October. In France, these fruits are eaten raw, fried, boiled, baked, and added to meat and vegetable dishes. Delicacies are prepared from them - ice cream, pastries, cakes, sweets.
Horse chestnut is the first remedy for diseases of the cardiovascular system. It is mainly used for varicose veins, including hemorrhoids, and for rheumatic and gouty pain. This is a valuable raw material not only in folk medicine, but also in pharmaceuticals. Medicines are prepared from it in the form of liquid extract, ointments, balms, gels, tablets, rectal suppositories.
This picturesque tree with large leaves, familiar to many, adorns the parks and alleys of many cities. Many of us collected its beautiful shiny fruits in childhood for crafts and just for fun. But how many people know what amazing secrets these cute nuts hide?
Horse chestnut is a tree with recognizable leaves - compound seven-fingered, on long petioles. In April – May, the plant is covered with amazingly beautiful white and pink cone-shaped “candles” of inflorescences and is a valuable honey plant.
Its fruits are spiny capsules covered with a dense green casing, inside of which there are smooth dark brown nuts. Once the shell dries, it cracks and the nuts are released.
The Balkan region and Western Asia are considered the homeland of horse chestnut, but now, due to its decorative qualities and relative cold resistance, it is cultivated throughout the world.
Many of us have heard of roasted chestnuts and may have thought about making them ourselves. It would seem that in the fall you can collect a whole bunch of nuts completely free of charge. But don't rush.
The fact is that horse chestnut is completely unsuitable for food, tasteless and even poisonous. Raw nuts, bark, flowers and leaves - all parts of the tree contain a fairly toxic substance called esculin . So it is not safe to take them into the mouth, and eating the fruits can cause severe poisoning, even death.
How to distinguish an edible chestnut from an inedible horse chestnut? The nuts of the edible chestnut are much smaller, and their green shell is covered with many thin and long “hedgehog” spines, which cannot be confused with the short and sparse spines of their inedible counterpart.
In addition to esculin, horse chestnut contains many useful plant components: triterpene glycosides, glycosidescin, flavonoids (quercitrin, quercetin, isoquercitrin), tannins, and plant sterols.
Horse chestnut is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, vasoprotective, astringent and analgesic properties.
Therefore , herbalists often recommend horse chestnut seed extract to treat:
For centuries, in different countries and cultures, horse chestnut nuts, leaves, bark and flowers have been used as a folk remedy to help with chronic venous insufficiency (when the veins do not efficiently return blood from the extremities to the heart).
This condition is associated with varicose veins, pain, swelling, heaviness, itching and nighttime leg cramps.
Studies have shown that horse chestnut seed extract actually tones and protects blood vessels. Official medicine has appreciated this property, so chestnut-based products can now be found in pharmacies.
Horse chestnut is a source of saponin (aescin) , which helps maintain the tone of the vein walls, thereby improving blood circulation through the veins and promoting the return of blood to the heart.
It also reduces fluid retention by increasing capillary permeability and promoting the reabsorption of excess fluid back into the circulatory system.
Do not use horse chestnut if you observe or suspect any of the following phenomena:
Medicine does not yet know exactly how horse chestnut preparations affect a small child. Therefore, do not use this product if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Stop taking the drug and seek medical attention if signs of an allergic reaction occur (hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat).
The following parts of the tree are used in folk medicine:
Ointments, tinctures and decoctions are made from these raw materials.
Many peoples used various herbs and plants for medicinal purposes. This tradition extends to all continents of the globe. One of these medicinal plants is horse chestnut. Traditionally, the fruits of this beautiful tree have been used to treat varicose veins, male diseases, improve blood circulation and many other health problems. If you are interested in learning more about the medicinal properties of horse chestnut, read on.
The beautiful horse chestnut tree, the medicinal properties and contraindications of which have been known for a long time, is actively used in various fields of human activity. There are no wild chestnuts in Eastern Europe. Places of natural growth are the southern parts of the Balkans (Greece, Bulgaria, Albania). Wild chestnut is cultivated everywhere. It is an ornamental and medicinal plant. It can easily be found in parks and on the streets, where in the spring its snow-white panicle inflorescences line the alleys of cities and towns.
Horse chestnut is a deciduous tree, with an average height of 25 meters, belonging to the Sapindaceae family. The scientific name of the tree is Aesculus. It is also called the stomach.
It prefers well-drained soil and full sun. Tolerates partial shade.
The leaves of the tree are large, complex, palmate on long petioles, which allows it to form a thick, dense crown.
Chestnut flowering begins in May and lasts for more than 2-3 weeks. Bell-shaped flowers of white or light pink color are collected in a cone-shaped inflorescence.
The fruits, called chestnuts, appear in the fall from September to October. Nuts, located in a box with spikes, each of which can contain one or two fruits, are brown and shiny.
The name horse makes it clear that humans should not eat it. Eating horse chestnut will lead to serious poisoning, but the plant is actively used in cattle breeding (horse feed).
According to the second version, it received its name for the similarity of the color and shine of the nut shell with the color of bay horses.
The flowers and fruits of the plant not only decorate the streets and alleys, but also have many medicinal properties. This tree is included in the pharmacopoeia of many countries.
The plant is used in medicine in the form of an extract (chestnut extract) in tablets, dragees, drops, ointments, and in folk medicine - as decoctions, tinctures, ointments. The plant has also found a place for use in cosmetology - shampoos, creams, masks.
Depending on the part of the plant that is used in treatment (horse chestnut seeds, leaves, bark or inflorescences), the quantitative and biochemical composition of beneficial substances may differ. But at the same time, all parts of the plant necessarily contain bioflavonoids (quercetin, quercitrin, isoquercitrin), which exhibit P-vitamin activity.
These bioflavonoids belong to the group of biologically active substances (BAS), the main effect of which is aimed at reducing the fragility and permeability of capillaries and blood vessels. These dietary supplements also prevent the formation of plaques on blood vessels and lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
In addition, bioflavonoids have antioxidant properties, protect cells from free radicals, preventing premature aging.
They relieve swelling, improve blood circulation, normalize blood pressure, have an antibacterial effect, increase immunity, and inhibit the development of cancer cells. Bioflavonoids relieve allergy attacks and have a mild analgesic effect.
Bioflavonoids are not the only beneficial substances found in all parts of the plant. In addition to them, the inflorescences, leaves and bark contain the glycoside esculin) and saponin (escin. These substances help reduce blood viscosity and reduce the likelihood of blood clots forming.
A whole range of medicinal substances are found in other parts of the plant. Chestnut fruits contain:
Tannins (about 13%);
Vitamins C, I1 and K;
Minerals – calcium, selenium, iron, nickel, zinc, boron, iodine and others.
Chestnut seeds also contain glycosides - esculin and fraxin.
The leaves contain chemical compounds such as:
They contain provitamin A in the form of a carotenoid - lutein.
The bark of young chestnut branches contains coumarin substances (esculoside, esculin, fraxin and esculetin). These compounds also have the properties of vitamin P, which is actively involved in improving vascular permeability, promoting vascular resistance.
Mono- and disaccharides;
Vitamins C, B1 and K.
Flowers (inflorescences) contain kaempheroglycoside, rutin and quercitrin, which are classified as bioflavonoids. They contain triterpene saponins (escin, choline), purine derivatives - adenine, guanine, adenosine - compounds that make up the DNA chain.
In addition to these compounds, the inflorescences contain:
Horse chestnut has an anti-inflammatory effect. Thinning the blood, reducing its coagulability and strengthening the walls of blood vessels are the main medicinal properties of horse chestnut, which are still relevant today.
Reduce capillary permeability;
Strengthen the walls of blood vessels and capillaries;
Reduce bad cholesterol levels;
Improve blood circulation;
Have an astringent effect;
Remove salts and water from the body.
It is traditionally used for:
Varicose veins;
Chronic venous insufficiency;
Fluid retention due to varicose veins, in the postoperative period, sports injuries, radiation therapy;
Prostatitis and prostate adenoma;
The fruits of the plant are used for treatment:
Increased blood clotting;
Leaves are used to treat:
Relieving swelling in fractures and sprains;
Joint pain.
The branches are brewed for malaria and dysentery.
The bark is used for:
Inflammation of the veins - phlebitis.
Decoctions of fruit leaves are used for diseases of the liver, gall bladder and spleen. They improve digestion and relieve pain.
To improve digestion and relieve inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, preparations based on chestnut fruits and bark are used.
A special place in use for medicinal purposes is occupied by alcohol or vodka tinctures based on chestnut seeds. It can be used for:
Its active chemicals can very quickly relieve inflammation in the bronchi and improve sputum discharge.
An extract based on horse chestnut helps improve blood circulation in the veins, increases their tone, relieves inflammation and swelling.
After studying the healing properties of chestnut, it becomes clear that its use in medicine has no analogues. Each part of the plant contains a whole range of useful substances, and therefore it is widely used in official medicine and pharmaceuticals. Therapy using horse chestnut preparations for diseases of increased capillary fragility, inflammation of the veins, varicose veins, and thrombophlebitis is very effective.
The presence of biologically active substances in fruits, leaves and inflorescences allows preparations based on horse chestnut to be used in the treatment of neuralgia, since the plant has a calming, hypnotic effect on the body.
The drug promotes tissue nutrition by improving blood circulation in the vessels. A chestnut-based product is used in the treatment of thrombosis that occurs in the postoperative period, inflammation, and thromboembolism.
Pharmacological agents that include this plant are effective for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. They eliminate the symptoms of diarrhea and normalize the processes of bile secretion from the gallbladder. Preparations based on chestnut are used for sore throat, bronchial disease and tonsillitis.
It was experimentally found that the most effective preparation is an alcoholic extract of seeds, which, at the same time, also has the least toxicity. One of the main effects on the body is the glycoside escin, with a pronounced venotropic, anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous effect.
Pharmaceutical preparations for oral use include:
Aqueous-alcoholic extract of Aescusan;
Tablet drug Esflazid;
Anavenol - available in the form of drops or tablets.
For external use, creams and gels containing horse chestnut extract are used: Venitan cream and Dr. Theis, Essaven gels.
The plant is very popular in folk medicine in different countries.
Esculin glycoside, one of the main substances in horse chestnut, helps reduce vascular permeability and plays an important role in stimulating the antithrombotic activity of blood serum, where it enhances the production of plasma protein factor, which inhibits blood coagulation processes. Promotes increased blood flow to the veins.
The content of certain useful substances in different parts of the tree differs. In this regard, the effect on the body that horse chestnut preparations have is also different.
Horse chestnut tincture from the fruit has an anti-inflammatory effect. From the peel of the seeds - analgesic and hemostatic.
Infusions from the bark, along with the listed actions, have an astringent and anticonvulsant effect.
Chestnut bark decoction is used as an internal and external remedy for intestinal problems, hemorrhoids, ARVI, malaria, uterine bleeding, rheumatism and other diseases.
The rich content of bioflavonoids and glycosides in cosmetic products for facial and body skin care has a tonic, rejuvenating and moisturizing effect. If you use the decoction for washing at least every other day, it will improve your complexion, smooth out fine wrinkles, and change the tone of your facial skin.
Through experiments, it has been proven that cosmetics based on chestnut extract help protect the skin from the oxidative effects of free radicals, slow down the aging process of the skin, strengthen the walls of the skin capillaries, normalize microcirculation in the capillaries and vessels of the face, and soothe the skin. In addition, shampoos based on chestnut extract affect the condition of the hair follicles and dermis of the scalp, helping to strengthen hair and prevent hair loss.
Horse chestnut has UV protection and a moisturizing effect and is therefore used as a component in tanning creams. There are many anti-cellulite body wraps available as it improves blood circulation.
Some foot creams contain a plant extract, which is necessary to combat varicose veins and relieve swelling.
It is important to remember that cosmetics containing chestnut should be stored in tightly closed containers and in a cool place.
Any drug or traditional medicine has contraindications for use. Horse chestnut preparations were no exception.
In case of overdose, symptoms such as nausea, feeling of heat, allergic skin rashes, heartbeat disturbances, and tachycardia are possible.
The drug is not recommended for use:
For menstrual irregularities;
Carrying a child and breastfeeding;
Hypotension (low blood pressure);
Gastritis with low acidity;
Disorders of the blood clotting process;
Some liver and heart diseases;
Allergies to latex.
It is prohibited to treat children with any medicines based on it without consulting a doctor.
It should be borne in mind that any self-medication without consultation with a specialist can be fraught with a deterioration in health. There should be moderation in everything; you should not increase the dosage of drugs in order to quickly recover, as this can harm your health and aggravate the development of the disease.
To take drugs based on horse chestnut, you should take blood tests for prothrombin - a complex protein or blood clotting factor (PTI in a blood test).
While taking drugs based on it, you should periodically donate blood for prothrombin. If the analysis shows figures below the norm (the norm is 78-142% according to Quick), then taking the medication should be stopped immediately. Otherwise, their further use may lead to severe bleeding.
Side effects during treatment may include:
Allergic reactions: rash, itchy skin, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat;
You should immediately stop taking the medicine if you experience:
Severe redness of the skin;
Common side effects may include:
Horse chestnut products may interact with some medications. Avoid using raw fruits, leaves, bark, flowers internally. They are far from safe and can cause serious side effects. If they are accidentally ingested, immediately contact a medical facility and rinse the stomach.
Its drugs may interact with other drugs:
To reduce blood sugar;
Taking alpha lipoic acid;
Additives with chromium;
Avoid using horse chestnut with herbal or health supplements that may also affect blood clotting:
Do not take horse chestnut without medical advice if you are also taking:
and some others. This list is not complete. There may be other drugs that may interact with horse chestnut, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Horse chestnut as a medicinal plant has powerful healing properties. But we must not forget about its contraindications and side effects. Although in general it is considered safe for treatment, you need to treat it wisely and then it will help you improve your health and get rid of health problems.
Horse medicinal properties of preparations from horse chestnut