* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
The bark of the Horse Chestnut contains fraxin, tannin and above all esculin. The aqaueous solution of this last principle is somewhat fluorescent much more so than quinine sulphate. Odourless, bitter tasting, esculin has been prescribed as a substitute for quinine in intermittent fevers. But it is above all used to treat periodic neuralgia. The bark itself has been used as a febrifuge and antiseptic. The root is regarded in America as poisonous, hence, the name poison-root. The seed contains an oil used externally for rheumatic and gouty complaints.
Name
Aesculus hippocastaflum, L. (Hippocastaflaceae), commonly called the Horse Chestnut or Conker tree seed in English. In French, it is Marronier d'inde; in German, Rosskastiensamen or Rosskastanie.
Source
Remedies are made from the horse chestnut seed, supplied whole or in powdered form. Horse chestnut probably came from India originally, but it is now grown in most temperate climates. Large amounts are produced in Eastern Europe.
History
The naming of this plant is a bit confusing, because Aesculus is the word the Greeks used to describe oak trees. The name horse chestnut probably derives from the fact that during the Middle Ages, fruits of this tree were used to feed cattle and horses. One of the components of the plant, cyclamin, is particularly toxic to fish. In India, fishermen used to put horse chestnut extracts into the water in order to paralyze the fish and make them easier to catch. During the 1500s, horse chestnut made its way from India to Europe where herbalists used the fruits to treat hemorrhoids.
Traditional Claims
In addition to treating hemorrhoids, tea from the fruit was used for arthritis. Fluid extracts of horse chestnut were used to protect the skin from prolonged sun exposure - the first sun block. Before quinine became widely available, horse chestnut extracts were used to treat fevers. Today, it is mostly recommended as a treatment for venous insufficiency and for treating prostate disease. In Germany, it is the agent most widely used to treat swelling of the legs from venous disease.
Commission E Recommendations
Horse chestnut is used for itching, leg cramps, post-operative or post-traumatic swelling and varicose veins.
Proven Effects
Horse Chestnut's beneficial effects are thought to derive from a group of chemical compounds called saponins - a name given to a group of molecules that resemble steroids, except that they have a sugar molecule attached. Saponins have soap-like effects; when mixed with water, they produce a lather. The saponins contained in horse chestnut are collectively called escins (Ia, Ib, IIa, and IIb). It is not clear whether all the escins, or just one of the subtypes, is medically effective, but horse chestnut extract clearly reduces the swelling seen in the legs of patients with chronic venous insufficiency. The effectiveness of this remedy has been proven in multiple European clinical trials.
How to Use the Herb
The daily dose is 100 milligrams of aescin, corresponding to 250-312.5 milligrams of extract. Take it twice per day in delayed-release form.
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Directions
Take 1 capsule, 3 times daily, with meals.
Cautions
Discontinue use if you experience itching or nausea.
Concerns
Saponins can be irritating to the stomach. When taken in full therapeutic doses, gastrointestinal upset is likely to result, and some people report itching when large doses are taken. Some recent animal studies suggest that taking too much extract could cause blood sugar concentrations to drop, but such an occurrence has never been reported in humans.
Warnings
The first-line treatment for leg swelling is compression - wearing surgical stockings to prevent fluid from accumulating, and to force accumulated fluid back into the circulatory system. If horse chestnut is to be used for leg swelling, it should only be used in conjunction with surgical stockings.
Drug Testing
Nothing in horse chestnut extract should interfere with standard workplace urine drug screening tests.
Additional Information
TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium-quality, natural source products that use only the finest, purest and most potent ingredients found around the world. TerraVita is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All of our products are prepared with the highest elements of quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the bottles or bags are sealed for freshness and shipped out to you. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.
TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.
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ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to Simona Heather at 905-494-1785.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
