| Common Name: |
Horse Chestnut |
| Other Names: |
Buckeye, Common Horse Chestnut, Conqueror Tree, 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 |
| 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. |
| Practical Uses: |
The timber of the horse chestnut is not used much but the living tree is highly ornamental, hence it is planted in parks and avenues all around the northern temperate zone. The nuts are rich in saponins and in the past were used for making soap. They are poisonous to humans if eaten raw. The flower buds make an effective substitute for hops in the brewing of beer. |
| 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. |
| Natural Healing: |
Early pioneers in the United States carried an Ohio buckeye seed in their pockets to ward of rheumatism.
Creams, ointments and tincture of the seeds of the horse chestnut are an important remedy for the treatment of varicose veins and hemorrhoids. They appear to work by supporting the microcirculation and by decreasing capillary permeability, while also having an astringent and anti-inflammatory effect. Traditionally the horse chestnut was used to relieve congestion in the veins. It has also been reported to reduce symptoms of leg pain, edema and itching. Recent research suggests that aescin, a chemical that can be extracted from the nuts, is a good remedy for sprains and bruises - exactly the ailments for which the Turks treated their horses with the fruits (See Culture, Myth and Symbol below). The tree essence of horse chestnut eases an agitated mind, enhancing clarity of thought and intuition. |
| 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). |
| 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.
|
| Culture, Myth and Symbol: |
In Britain horse chestnut seeds are known popularly as "Conkers" and since the late 18th century children have used them to play a game of the same name. They pierce the nut through the middle and thread it onto a long piece of string knotted at the end. Two children then take turns in swinging their conker to hit the opponent's, which has to be held still, dangling on its string - until one of the contestants wins by breaking their opponent's nut to pieces.
There are no ancient traditions concerning the horse chestnut. This is because, like all trees, the species retreated south in order to survive the last Ice Age; however, as the climate slowly warmed up again, the horse chestnut found itself stuck in a remote valley in eastern Europe. While birch seeds can travel fast on the wind, and rowan and other berried migrate with the birds that eat them, the large horse chestnut fruits did not succeed in crossing the mountain ridges for about 10,000 years.
However, eventually their turn came. In the 16th Century, Ogier Ghislain de Busteq, Flemish ambassador to Turkey from 1556 to 1562, visited the court of Suleman the Magnificent and saw Turkish soldiers feeding the fruit to their horses - hence the name "horse" chestnut. They are also so-called because, after the leaves fall, the leave scars on the twigs in the shape of a horse-shoe. Busteq tracked down the trees that produced the fruit the Turkish soldiers fed to the horses and sent a young specimen to the Botanical Gardens in Paris. In 1576 the first horse chestnuts were planted in Vienna, and from there this tree spread quickly all over Europe and North America. |
| Symbolism: |
Patience |
| Astrological Association: |
Jupiter |
| Historical Spotlight: |
The fruits contain aescin, which is poisonous if eaten raw. However, during rationing in World War II, many civilians roasted and ground horse chestnut fruit or "conkers" to make a rather bitter substitute for coffee. |
| 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 Meaning of Trees by Fred Hageneder Copyright©2005 Duncan Baird Publishing. pp26-29 |
