Horse Chestnut


Common Horse Chestnut

This genus of 13 species of deciduous trees and shrubs occurs in SE Europe, E Asia, and N America. Horse chestnuts have handsome foliage that turns yellow and gold in autumn, and glossy brown seeds that resemble the eyes of deer; hence the common name "buckeye". The name "horse chestnut" has apparently no connection with the horseshoe-shaped leaf scars visible on the twigs: it may refer to the use of its fruits as fodder and to treat coughs in horses and cattle. Aesculus hippocastanum was introduced to W Europe in the 16th century and rapidly became popular as a fast-growing ornamental and source of "conkers" for children's games.

Widely cultivatedly as large shade and street trees, horse chestnut trees line the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. Their fruit, the bitter, highly astringent horse chestnut, contains tannins, saponins, and flavonoids, which are strong anti-inflammatory substances that some believe will strengthen and tone blood vessel walls. This makes horse chestnut a favorite for treating hemorrhoids, phlebitis, and varicose veins.

Large tree with sticky buds and palmate leaves, divided into 5-7 obovate leaflets, to 30cm (12in) long. White flowers, each with a yellow to pink basal spot, appear in spikes to 30cm (12in) long in late spring, followed by globose, green-brown spiny fruits containing 1-3 shiny, red-brown seeds.


Common Name:
Common Horse Chestnut
Other Names:
Buckeye, Conker Tree, Conqueror Tree, Horse Chestnut, Spanish Chestnut
Botanical Name:
Aesculus hippocastanum
Genus:
Aesculus
Family:
Hippocastanaceae
Native Location:
Balkans to Himalayas
Cultivation:
Fertile, well-drained soil in sun or partial shade.
Propagation:
By seed sown in autumn (species only). The cultivar "Baumannii" is sterile and is propagated only by grafting onto stocks of other species.
Harvest:
Bark and ripe seeds are collected in autumn for use in liquid extracts and decoctions. Seeds are chopped, then roasted before use. Since the active ingredient, escin, is poorly absorbed in its natural state, horse chestnut is processed commercially for better absorption.
Warning:
Seeds are harmful if eaten, causing gastroenteritis, kidney failure, and liver disease.
Height:
25-40m (80-130ft)
Width:
5-8m (15-25ft)
Varieties:
Baumannii
Long-lasting double flowers that do not set seed.

Hampton Court Gold
Yellow new foliage, pink when unfolding.

Laciniata
Narrow, irregularly cut leaves and is slower growing

Wisselink
White-marbled leaves.
Hardiness:
Z3-8
History:
Long before horse chestnut was prescribed medicinally for humans, it was used to treat coughs in horses (hence its common name) and to feed cattle. Although some scholars believe that horse chestnut's genus name Aesculus, appears to be from an ancient Greek word esca, for "food", fresh horse chestnut is not only inedible, its toxic. The treated herb, however, has considerable therapeutic properties. By the 1600s, British and German herbalists were prescribing horse chestnut as a general tonic and for fevers and circulatory problems. On the other side of the ocean, Native Americans used the mashed seeds of the horse chestnut to cure hemorrhoids. Today, there is keen scientific interest in horse chestnut—despite the caution with which it must be used—because the herb's major chemical ingredient, aesculin, is a potent vascular healing agent. Aesculin strengthens veins and arteries and inhibits blood-clot formation. Both actions make horse chestnut and important weapon against heart disease and stroke.
Parts Used:
Bark, seeds, Leaf, Flower
Properties:
A bitter, astringent herb that lowers fevers and reduces capillary permeability and local edema. It is diuretic and anti-inflammatory. The main constituent is escin, a complex mixture of saponins, that has a poten anti-inflammatory effect.
Medicinal Uses:
Internally for disorders of the circulatory system, including hardening of the arteries, stroke, heart attack, circulatory insufficiency, varicose veins, phlebitis, chilblains, hemorrhoids, and swelling following severe trauma; injected for swollen joints and fractures.
Horse chestnut leaf is used to treat leg pain, varicose veins, eczema, hemorrhoids, coughs, arthritis, and rheumatism. Horse chestnut seeds are used to treat sprains, bruises, rheumatism, and varicose veins. Germany's Commission E has approved the use of horse chestnut seeds to treat chronic venous insufficiency.
Horse chestnut has anti-inflammatory, astringent, diuretic, expectorant, fever-reducing, stimulant, and tonic properties. The herb also strengthens veins and arteries and inhibits the formation of blood clots. Horse chestnut is taken internally to help prevent heart attack and stroke and to treat atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), congestion, diarrhea, fevers, hemorrhoids, joint inflammation, neuralgia, phlebitis (inflammation of the veins), poor blood circulation, rheumatism, and varicose veins. It is used externally—in baths and liquid extracts—to treat hemorrhoids, poor blood circulation, and varicose veins.
Preparation:
Horse chestnut is available as powdered bark and crushed seeds and in liquid extracts and tinctures. Horse chestnut should be obtained from and taken under the supervision of a qualified medical practitioner only. To make a tea, follow your practitioner's directions.
Typical Dose:
A typical daily dose of horse chestnut leaf is approximately 1 tsp of finely cut leaves steeped in 150 ml of boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes, then strained and taken as a tea. A typical daily dose of horse chestnut seed in extract form may range from 40 to 120 mg of aescin (its active ingredient).
Caution:
Never use fresh horse chestnut. In their natural state, horse chestnut's fruits (nuts) and seeds are not only inedible, they are toxic. The medicinal components of the fruits and seeds (called "conkers") are extracted through a careful chemical process that eliminates toxins. In folk medicine, horse chestnut leaves were used to make a narcotic tea for treating insomnia; we do not recommend horse chestnut for this use.
Possible Side Effects:
Horse chestnut's side effects include headache, dizziness, nausea, and gastrointestinal irritation.
Drug Interactions:
Taking horse chestnut with these drugs may increase the risk of bleeding or bruising:
Abciximab, (ReoPro)
Alteplase, (Activase, Cathflo Activase)
Aminosalicylic Acid, (Nemasol Sodium, Paser)
Antithrombin III, (Thrombate III)
Argatroban, (Argatroban)
Aspirin, (Bufferin, Ecotrin)
Aspirin and Dipyridamole, (Aggrenox)
Bivalirudin, (Angiomax)
Celecoxib, (Celebrex)
Choline Magnesium Trisalicylate, (Trilisate)
Choline Salicylate, (Teejel)
Clopidogrel, (Plavix)
Dalteparin, (Fragmin)
Danaparoid, (Orgaran)
Diclofenac, (Cataflam, Voltaren)
Diflunisal, (Apo-Diflunisal, Dolobid)
Dipyridamole, (Novo-Dipiradol, Persantine)
Drotrecogin Alfa, (Xigris)
Enoxaparin, (Lovenox)
Eptifibatide, (Integrillin)
Etodolac, (Lodine, Utradol)
Fenoprofen, (Nalfon)
Flurbiprofen, (Ansaid, Ocufen)
Fondaparinux, (Arixtra)
Heparin, (Hepalean, Hep-Lock)
Hydrocodone and Aspirin, (Damason-P)
Hydrocodone and Ibuprofen, (Vicoprofen)
Ibritumomab, (Zevalin)
Ibuprofen, (Advil, Motrin)
Indobufen, (Ibustrin)
Indomethacin, (Indocin, Novo-Methacin)
Ketoprofen, (Orudis, Rhodis)
Ketorolac, (Acular, Toradol)
Lepirudin, (Refludan)
Meloxicam, (MOBIC, Mobicox)
Nabumetone, (Apo-Nabumetone, Relefan)
Nadroparin, (Fraxiparine)
Naproxyn, (Aleve, Naprosyn)
Oxaprozin, (Apo-Oxaprozin, Daypro)
Piroxicam, (Feldene, Nu-Pirox)
Reteplase, (Retavase)
Rofecoxib, (Vioxx)
Salsalate, (Amgesic, Salflex)
Streptokinase, (Streptase)
Sulindac, (Clinoril, Nu-Sundac)
Tenecteplase, (TNKase)
Tiaprofenic Acid, (Dom-Tiaprofenic, Surgam)
Ticlopidine, (Alti-Ticlopidine, Ticlid)
Tinzaparin, (Innohep)
Tirofiban, (Aggrastat)
Tolmetin, (Tolectin)
Urokinase, (Abbokinase)
Valdecoxib, (Bextra)
Warfarin, (Coumadin, Jantoven)
Taking horse chestnut with these drugs may increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar):
Acarbose, (Prandase, Precose)
Acetohexamide, (Acetohexamide)
Chlorpropamide, (Diabinese, Novo-Propamide)
Gliclazide, (Diamicron, Novo-Gliclazide)
Glimepiride, (Amaryl)
Glipizide, (Glucotrol)
Glipizide and Metformin, (Metaglip)
Gliquidone, (Beglynor, Glurenorm)
Glyburide, (DiaBeta, Micronase)
Glyburide and Metformin, (Glucovance)
Insulin, (Humulin, Novolin R)
Metformin, (Glucophage, Riomet)
Miglitol, (Glyset)
Nateglinide, (Starlix)
Pioglitazone, (Actos)
Repaglinide, (GlucoNorm, Prandin)
Rosiglitazone, (Avandia)
Rosiglitazone and Metformin, (Avandamet)
Tolazamide, (Tolinase)
Tolbutamide, (Apo-Tolbutamide, Tol-Tab)
Taking horse chestnut (in the form of tea) with these drugs may interfere with absorption of the drug:
Ferric Gluconate, (Ferrlecit)
Ferrous Fumarate, (Femiron, Feostat)
Ferrous Gluconate, (Fergon, Novo-Ferrogluc)
Ferrous Sulfate, (Feratab, Fer-Iron)
Ferrous Sulfate and Ascorbic Acid, (FeroGrad 500, Vitelle Irospan)
Iron-Dextran Complex, (Dexferrum, INFeD)
Polysaccharide-Iron Complex, (Hytinic, Niferex)
Disease Effects:
  • May interfere with blood sugar control in diabetes.
  • May worsen cases of inflammatory or infectious gastrointestinal diseases by irritating the gastrointestinal tract.
  • May damage the kidneys.
Supplement Interactions:
  • Increased risk of bleeding when used with herbs and supplements that might affect platelet aggregation, such as Angelica, Danshen, Garlic, Ginger, Ginkgo Biloba, Red Clover, Turmeric, White Willow, and others.
  • May increase blood glucose-lowering effects and risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) when used with herbs and supplements that lower glucose levels, such as alpha-lipoic acid, chromium, Devil's Claw, Panax Ginseng, and Psyllium.
  • The tannins in horse chestnut may cause the alkaloids in certain other herbs to separate and settle, increasing the risk of toxic reactions.
Economic Uses:
Used in cosmetics and hair products.
Bibliography:
Encyclopedia of Herbs by Deni Brown Copyright © 1995, 2001 Dorling Kindersley Limited. Pp 104-105
The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide by Geo. T. Grossberg,MD and Barry Fox,PhD Copyright©2007 Barry Fox,PhD. Pp.274-276
The Modern Herbal Primer by Nancy Burke Copyright©2000 Yankee Publishing, Inc. pp. 143-144