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What are the characteristics of horse chestnut?

Its Latin name hippocastanum means "horse chestnut", because the Turks administered it as a stimulant to their sluggish horses; they recognized in the fruit of the chestnut tree the property of curing premature baldness. This tree was imported from Constantinople to France in 1615 by Dr Bachelier for his botanical curiosity, thus relegating it to the rank of ornamental trees. It was then introduced throughout Europe. In the eighteenth century, its bark is famous against fevers, it is used when cinchona is lacking. At the beginning of the following century, it was found that the bark had little febrifuge action but that it was astringent and therefore found an indication in diarrhea, by the oral route, and as an antiseptic in local application on ulcers and gangrenous wounds. In folk medicine, medicinal use is well documented. Alcoholic extracts have been used for their venotonic effects since the beginning of the 1900s, in particular in the insufficiencies of the microcirculation of the viscera such as varicose veins of the esophagus, pelvis or hemorrhoids. Externally, the seed is used for bruises and non-penetrating wounds.

Latin name :

  • Aesculus hippocastanum L.

Botanical family :

  • Hippocastanaceae

Producing organ :

  • Seeds

Known or suspected mode of action :

  • Action of escin on lysosomal enzymes

Precautions for use :

  • Avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding, in case of diabetes, latex allergy, do not use before surgery (risk of bleeding)
  • Possibility of interaction with plants and anticoagulant drugs and hypoglycemic agents
  • Nephrotoxicity at high doses therefore contraindication in renal failure
  • For oral use only and contraindicated in children under 12 years of age for cutaneous use

Main components of the plant :

  • Seed cotyledon:
    • Starch 40-50%, lipids 6-8%, flavonols, cyclitols
    • Total saponins, up to 10% (escin, mixture of heterosides derived from two genins, protoescigenin and baringtogenol): escin Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, IIIa
  • Seed teguments:
    • Proanthocyanidols (procyanidol B-2), aesculitannins, cinnamtanins
  • Bark of the trunk:
    • Coumarins (esculoside or aesculoside, esculetol, 4-methylsculetol)
    • Allantoin

Stabilized horse chestnut tincture is listed in the French Pharmacopoeia. The seed and bark, dispensed in pharmacies, have a community monograph from the EMA and are included on the list of medicinal plants of the French Pharmacopoeia. They are authorized as ingredients in food supplements in France.