- Botanical Name(s): Aesculus hippocastanum
- Popular Name(s): Hippocastanum vulgare, Common Horse-chestnut
- Habitat: Horse Chestnut is found in Europe and Asia.
Description: Horse Chestnut is a large deciduous tree with a grayish-green bark and grows to a height of 36 m. Its leaves are opposite; palmately compound, with 5-7 leaflets, each having a length of 10-25 cm. Its flowers are mostly white, with a reddish tinge and the fruits are in the form of green, softly spiky capsule which, generally, contain one nut-like seeds called horse chestnuts.
Uses: Horse Chestnut bark has narcotic and febrifuge properties. It is used in intermittent fevers and externally applied to ulcers. The fruits are used in rheumatism, neuralgia and haemorrhoids.
Horse chestnut herbal remedies are utilized in traditional folk medicine, for the treatment of diarrhea and other disorders of the digestive system caused by infective agents. In fact, herbal teas made from the horse chestnut are traditionally used all over the world for the treatment of many different conditions, which includes disorders such as arthritis and also to treat rheumatic pains and coughs. Topical ointments are also prepared from the herb, and the tea itself is often applied directly on to the skin as a treatment for some kinds of sores and rashes affecting a person. Sunscreens manufactured in the continent of Europe often have a chemical component of the bark-called aesculin, as a vital ingredient, however, at this time, this effective phyto medicine is rarely used for any topical applications.
The horse chestnut extract is often standardized and this form of the herbal remedy is considered to be an extremely valuable aid in the treatment of disorders such as varicose veins in different individuals. The presence of this extract inhibits the action of the enzyme hyaluronidase in the body and decreases the permeability of the veins and as a result venous fragility is lowered. The flow of blood in the blood vessels and the muscular tone of the veins are also beneficially improved by the horse chestnut herb. The ability of the herbal remedies made from the horse chestnut to reduce cases of eczema was observed from the results of various scientific studies - which included a randomized double-blind and placebo-controlled stage - in this topical role, the horse chestnut is a wonderful herb for the treatment of such external skin conditions. At the same time, another clinical study compared the effects of the horse chestnut extract to those induced by compression stockings and to the placebo use during a trial treatment for varicose veins in groups of patients. Edema in the lower legs was significantly reduced by both the herbal medicine and the stockings significantly when the results were compared to the placebo effect. The horse chestnut herbal extract is beneficial in treating feelings of physical tiredness and heaviness in the body, it is also very effective against all types of physical pain, and rapidly alleviates swelling in the legs, when such results are compared to the effects induced by a placebo. The anti-inflammatory effects of the horse chestnut extract have also been reported to be beneficial on patients and the horse chestnut may indeed possess very significant anti-inflammatory properties.
At the same time, the horse chestnut also has very powerful and effective astringent properties, it is also an anti-inflammatory herb, and can aid in toning the muscular walls of the vein. These muscles in the venous walls can often become very slack or distended in time, and may turn varicose; they can become hemorrhoidal, or otherwise cause different problems for the person. The permeability of the capillaries is also increased by the horse chestnut which directly reduces the fluid retention levels in such vessels and thus permits the re-absorption of all excess body fluid back into the main circulatory system of the body. Horse chestnut bark remedies can be used as an herbal remedy to reduce the elevated temperatures during a fever. Consumption of the horse chestnut in small to moderate doses has also been advised to treat certain types of leg ulcers, to treat cases of hemorrhoids, and in the treatment of frostbite. The herbal remedy can also be applied topically as an herbal lotion, as an herbal ointment, or in the form of a gel based extract for the treatment of various external conditions afflicting the skin of the patients. The oil extracted from the seeds of the horse chestnut plant has been extensively used in France for the treatment of rheumatism and as an external treatment for various skin disorders. The herbal decoction made from horse chestnut leaves have also been used in the US, as a topical decoction given for the treatment of whooping cough and related respiratory illnesses.
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