General Description
The horse chestnut (also known as Spanish chestnut or buckeye) is
a deciduous tree native to southeastern Europe and commonly cultivated
in the U.S. and Canada. The tree grows from 40 to 80 feet in height,
and is covered with rough brown bark. Horse chestnut has compound
leaves that feature 5 to 7 large, serrated, wedge-shaped leaflets.
The tree flowers from May to June, bearing small white, yellow,
or red colored blossoms. The fruit is a spiny, spherical capsule
that contains 1 to 6 shiny brown seeds. The seeds are used for medicinal
purposes.
Health applications
- Chronic venous insufficiency
- Edema (water retention)
- Circulatory health
- Varicose veins
History and traditional use
Traditionally, the leaves, bark, and seeds of the tree were used
for medicinal purposes ranging from cold and fever remedies to poultices
for skin lesions. More recently, extracts from horse chestnut seeds
have gained popularity as tonics for the venous system.
Chemical composition
The principal ingredient in horse chestnut seed extract is aescin
(or escin), which is a mixture of triterpene glycosides. The seeds
also contain flavonoids and sterols. Horse chestnut extracts are
commonly standardized to provide consistent (16 to 20 percent)
aescin concentration.
Chronic venous insufficiency
In Germany, standardized horse chestnut extracts (16 to 20 percent
aescin) are approved for the treatment of pathological conditions
of the veins of the legs (such as chronic venous insufficiency),
heaviness and swelling in the legs, and nocturnal cramps in the
calves.1 Numerous human studies have shown
horse chestnut extract to improve edema and other symptoms of
chronic venous insufficiency.2-7 In vitro
research indicates aescin may help improve the structural tone
of blood vessels,8 which may be helpful for
varicose veins and other circulatory problems.
Dosage/toxicity
For chronic venous insufficiency, Germany's Commission E Monographs
recommends divided doses of standardized horse chestnut extract
providing the equivalent of 100 mg of aescin per day.1
Topical preparations may be applied liberally 3 to 4 times per
day. The herb appears to be well tolerated at this dosage range,
although minor side effects such as nausea and other gastric complaints
have been reported in isolated cases. Topical preparations may
cause allergic skin reactions in some individuals. |
