What is Horse Chestnut? Benefits, notes when using

Since ancient times, horse chestnut is a plant that has been used to make herbs to protect health. Although not very popular, horse chestnut has many great benefits for disease prevention and treatment.

However, this type of nut also has a lot of potential safety risks if used incorrectly. Here, Tnhelearning.edu.vn gives you more information about horse chestnuts and notes when using them.

What is Horse Chestnut?

Horse chestnut (Horse Chestnut) is known as a native tree of European countries grown in Bulgaria, Greece, … scientific name is Aesculus hippocastanum. Horse chestnut tree has a height of 25-30m, changing leaves annually with pink-white flowers, seeds with green spines.

Horse chestnut

The main ingredient present in horse chestnut is escin . In addition, horse chestnut contains compounds such as: kaempferol, quercetin, proanthocyanidins, sterols.

Similar in appearance to the sweet chestnut tree, the horse chestnut fruit has both a sweet and a bitter taste and is not safe to eat directly. However, in this fruit contains many antioxidants, anti-inflammatory substances, … can make herbal medicine beneficial to health.

Health benefits of horse chestnut

With escin as the main active ingredient, horse chestnut can fight inflammation, protect cells, and aid in healing. Many medicines are extracted from horse chestnut to prevent disease very effectively. The benefits of horse chestnut for human health include:

Reduce symptoms of chronic varicose veins

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) reduces the function of the veins to carry blood back to the heart and produces varicose veins that are dangerous to health.

Reduce symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency

With its ability to protect blood vessels, horse chestnut can help improve symptoms of chronic varicose veins and help them pump blood better . In particular, according to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), horse chestnut extract can relieve the uncomfortable and heaviness of the legs caused by chronic venous insufficiency.

Can help cure infertility in men

Horse chestnut also has excellent anti-inflammatory properties , so this nut can aid in the treatment of male infertility caused by varicocele. However, more research is needed to draw definite conclusions.

Can help cure infertility in men

Anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic

An animal study conducted in 2021 showed that the escin in horse chestnut has a very effective anti-inflammatory effect, in addition to it has a hypoglycemic effect. Medicines from horse chestnut will bring great uses in the treatment of diabetes and inflammation.

Anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic

In addition, a 2022 laboratory study suggested that horse chestnut extracts also aid in wound healing and tumor treatment in skin cancer , however this is uncertain.

Dosage and notes when using horse chestnut

Dosage: According to studies, the permissible dose of escin per day is 100-150mg, of which horse chestnut accounts for 16-20% of escin. Excessive use can cause potential health problems, so use it as directed.

Note:

Use caution and caution when using horse chestnut extracts as they contain aesculin which is not safe to ingest. You can become poisoned, especially when eating unprocessed horse chestnuts with symptoms such as convulsions, paralysis, coma and death.

The aesculin in horse chestnut is not safe to eat

Horse chestnut also has some side effects after use such as stomach upset, dizziness, headache and itching. These symptoms are mild but you should also be careful when using.

Side effects after using horse chestnut

In addition, horse chestnut has some interactions with the following drugs:

• With blood thinners: slow blood clotting and increase the effect of blood thinners.
• With insulin/diabetic drugs: lowers blood sugar and causes blood sugar levels to drop too low if taken together.
• With non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: reduces the absorption of anti-inflammatory drugs.
• With lithium: slows down how quickly the body processes lithium, a drug used to treat mental disorders.
• For people with liver disease, pregnant and lactating women should still not use horse chestnut extract to avoid causing bad reactions to the body and health.

People with liver disease, pregnant women should not use horse chestnut extract

Just now is the information about horse chestnut that Tnhelearning.edu.vn wants to share with you. Hope you will gain useful knowledge about health to protect yourself and your family.

Source: An Khang pharmacy

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