How does horse chestnut work?
The dried seeds of the horse chestnut and extracts made from them are used medicinally. The main active ingredient is β-escin, but it also contains flavonoids, fatty oil and starch.
What is horse chestnut used for?
Thanks to these mechanisms of action, standardized extracts of horse chestnut seeds are medically recognized for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). This causes symptoms such as
- Swelling in the legs
- varicose veins
- heavy, aching and tired legs
- itching and tightness in the calves
- nightly calf cramps
In addition, the bark of horse chestnut is traditionally used as a remedy:
- internally for the treatment of complaints due to venous circulatory disorders such as a feeling of heaviness in the legs
- externally against the burning and itching of hemorrhoids
Home remedies based on medicinal plants have their limitations. If your discomfort persists for a long period of time, does not improve or even worsens despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
Taken internally, preparations containing horse chestnut may cause itching, nausea and stomach complaints in some cases. In such cases, switch to preparations with delayed release of the active ingredient (retarded preparations).
Itching sometimes occurs with external application.
How is horse chestnut used?
For dosage and use of the preparations, please read the respective package insert and ask your doctor or pharmacist.
The duration of treatment for chronic venous insufficiency should be at least three months.
What you should bear in mind when using horse chestnut
Preparations of horse chestnut for external use should only be applied to intact skin. This applies especially to ointments, emulsions and creams.
Note: The unprocessed seeds, leaves, flowers and bark of horse chestnut contain the toxic aesculin. Among other things, it can increase the risk of bleeding. Therefore, avoid it!
How to obtain horse chestnut and its products
A variety of ready-to-use medicinal products containing horse chestnut, such as capsules, tablets, ointments or creams, as well as drops, are available in pharmacies. Occasionally, well-stocked drugstores also offer products with horse chestnut.
Interesting facts about the horse chestnut
The common horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) is a deciduous tree up to 30 meters high, which forms a stately tree crown in spring with its large, five- to seven-fingered leaves and conspicuous white to pink flower corollas.
The home of the horse chestnut extends from Central Asia to Eastern Europe. Today, the tree can be found planted throughout Europe in parks, avenues and gardens, as well as growing wild, for example on forest edges.
The ground seeds as well as extracts from the seeds have long been used as a detergent, as they have a soap-like effect. The whole seeds of horse chestnut are also used as feed for pigs and sheep, in fish farming and game feeding.
