Horse chestnut - use in folk medicine. The use of chestnut tincture: medicinal properties and contraindications Why chestnut flowers are useful in folk medicine

Botanical characteristics of horse chestnut

Horse chestnut is a deciduous tree with a spreading crown, which is formed by large, complex, opposite leaves with long petioles, five- or seven-fingered, stipules are absent. An adult plant reaches an average of 25 m in height. May is the time of tree flowering. Bell-shaped, bisexual, irregular flowers may be white or pale pink in color, the petals are fringed along the edge. The flowers are collected in erect large cone-shaped inflorescences with a double flower cover.

Fruits ripen from September to October - three-winged boxes with spikes, round in shape. Each box contains one, rarely two seeds - flattened, shiny, dark brown with a gray spot. Horse chestnut in the wild grows in broad-leaved forests, it is specially grown in parks, squares in the middle zone of the European part of the CIS countries, in the Caucasus, in Central Asia.

Useful properties of horse chestnut

For medicinal purposes, flowers, seeds, bark, leaves are used. Flowers and leaves are harvested in May: carefully cut and dried, constantly turning over and covering from direct sunlight. Seeds begin to be harvested in early September, dried for two to four weeks, scattered in a thin layer. Spring time is suitable for harvesting the bark, it is removed from the branches after pruning trees. The bark cut into pieces is dried under a canopy or in well-ventilated areas.

The seeds contain coumarin glycosides such as esculin, fraxin, escin. There are tannins, starch. The presence of fatty oil, triterpene saponin escin was revealed. The bark is rich in escin, tannins. In addition to esculin and fraxin, it contains vitamin C and thiamine. Horse chestnut leaves are endowed with glycosides, pectins and carotenoids. Flowers can saturate the human body with flavonoids. The effect of mucus, tannins and pectin substances is also useful.

The use of horse chestnut

Traditional medicine has accumulated rich experience in the use of horse chestnut, official medicine also widely uses the beneficial properties of this medicinal plant. Due to the low toxicity and useful esculin, fraxin and excin, the pharmacological properties of the plant have an excellent effect on the body in many ailments. Alcoholic tinctures of seeds and flowers are popular. Chestnut relieves inflammation and.

As a result of the action of horse chestnut, blood clotting slows down, so it is incredibly effective in reducing capillary permeability. Esculin stimulates the production of a substance that prevents the formation of blood clots. A decoction of the bark effectively helps with malaria, diarrhea, diseases of the spleen, normalizes the acidity of gastric juice, is ideal for treating uterine bleeding, removes vasospasm, and copes with violations of the secretory function of the gallbladder. Chestnut bark can also be used to treat acute bronchitis. From the flowers of horse chestnut, a wonderful tincture is obtained, used for rubbing with rheumatoid arthritis, with. A tincture of flowers on vodka or a decoction is a real elixir for disorders of the heart and liver. Well cured, pulmonary tuberculosis, and shortness of breath.

Taking from 20 to 30 drops of fresh juice of chestnut flowers per 1 tablespoon of water 2 times a day, venous blood stasis can be eliminated with varicose veins and trophic ulcers. In the fight against atherosclerosis of the vessels of the extremities, the effect of juice cannot be overestimated.

Horse chestnut is not edible! When it is ingested, you can get poisoning of the body! Horse chestnut and preparations on it are again used only in traditional medicine! Only the fruits of the edible chestnut (sowing, noble) are used for food.

An exception is the dosed use of horse chestnut tincture, which has medicinal properties. But never exceed the indicated dosage! An overdose may cause cramps in the fingers. Horse chestnut is contraindicated in low blood viscosity and hypotension.

horse chestnut tincture

In fact, there are many recipes, they are all different .. Someone advises taking 5 chestnuts, others more by 0.5 liters of vodka. Should I use the upper prickly shell, crush finely or coarsely, should I strain? And, finally, how to use it correctly - rub it into the joints or make compresses? Can it be taken internally and should it be?

The phytotherapist Pechenevsky answers all these questions:

Recipe 1. Preparations made from brownish fruit skins are most effective. To obtain the correct extract, take 50 g crushed to 3-5 mm fruit skins, pour 0.5 liters of vodka and incubate for 2 weeks. Shaking daily. Further filter. Everything!

This tincture relieves inflammation and swelling, reduces viscosity, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, increases their elasticity. During treatment with chestnut preparations, fatty deposits on the walls of arteries and in the liver decrease, pain in the area of inflamed veins and joints decreases.

How to use? The tincture is taken orally first, 30 drops per 30 ml of water 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. A week later, already 4 times, and in the future they switch to a 4-single reception. The duration of treatment varies from one month to one and a half.

If the tincture is also applied externally in the form of gentle rubbing on inflamed veins (thrombophlebitis) 2-3 times a day or compresses are applied to them (the tincture is diluted 1:1 with water) for 1.5-2 hours in the morning and evening, recovery will come faster.

In the pharmacy network you will find a certain number of preparations from chestnut. But folk and medical practice suggests that total extracts (alcohol, water) are more effective, cheap and affordable. Only use raw materials collected from chestnuts outside the city limits.

Recipe 2: Tincture for external use: skip the ripe fruits in a meat grinder along with the peel, pour into a glass container. For 1 liter of infusion, you will need 300 g of twisted chestnut fruits filled with vodka. It is necessary to insist the composition in a dark place for 7 days. It is good to treat sciatica, thrombophlebitis, muscle inflammation and salt deposition with this remedy.

Recipe 3: 20 g of chestnut flowers should be poured into 500 ml of vodka, infused for 14 days and used 2 times a day to rub diseased joints.

How to make a tincture on horse chestnut flowers:

horse chestnut fruit

Unripe fruits are endowed with malic, citric and lactic acids, lecithin, calcium, and iron. They contain globulin and vitamin C. The fleshy nuclei of a medicinal plant have many useful substances, such as zinc, chromium, barium, selenium, nickel, silver, iodine, and boron. The fruits of this wonderful tree give people an energy boost. There are many ways to use this gift of nature. If you just carry 2-3 chestnut fruits in your pocket, then pain in articular rheumatism decreases. You can make applications from ground chestnut kernels with the addition of clay, a warming mass can relieve inflammation of the joints.

How to distinguish an edible chestnut from a horse chestnut? The shell of the edible chestnut is densely covered with thin spines, while that of the horse chestnut is covered with sparse short spines.

Fruit tincture: chestnut fruits cut into four parts should be placed in a jar, pour vodka, filling to the top, close tightly and insist on the sun for three days, then 40 days at room temperature in the room. It is recommended to rub the resulting remedy, apply it to diseased veins.

Chestnut seeds are an excellent diuretic and hemostatic agent for hemoptysis and nosebleeds. A decoction of dried chestnuts acts as a diaphoretic for colds.

horse chestnut extract

Horse chestnut extract contains escin, which relieves swelling and fatigue of the legs in the treatment of varicose veins. The agent contains triterpensaponins, is characterized by capillary protective activity and has an anti-inflammatory effect, increases the tone of the veins. The extract normalizes blood pressure, regulates cholesterol levels in the blood.

horse chestnut leaves

Chestnut leaves differ in the content of glycosides, pectin and tannins, vitamin K. They are used in folk medicine as a raw material for the preparation of decoctions and infusions for internal bleeding. Horse chestnut leaves are harvested from May to September. They are dried, laying out a thin layer in attics or under a canopy. The finished raw material should have a green color and a pleasant smell.

Horse chestnut for varicose veins

Horse chestnut is able to increase the resistance of blood vessels. A striking therapeutic effect is obtained in the treatment of veins that have undergone varicose veins, thrombophlebitis. Traditional medicine recommends taking funds from horse chestnut for the prevention of thrombosis. Medicinal properties show flowers, fruits and leaves of horse chestnut.

Horse chestnut recipes

Infusion of horse chestnut bark: you will need 1 teaspoon of crushed bark to 2 cups (400 ml) of chilled boiled water. The composition should be insisted for 8 hours, then strain and take 2 tablespoons 4 times a day.

Infusion of the bark for external use: you need to take 50 g of bark per 1 liter of boiling water, boil for 15 minutes and leave for 8 hours, and then strain. The resulting remedy is sitz cool baths for hemorrhoidal bleeding for 15 minutes after emptying the intestines.

Infusion of fruits or flowers of chestnut: take 50 g of raw materials per 0.5 l of vodka, insist for two to three weeks, it is necessary to take 3-4 times a day, 30-40 drops each.

Fruit peel decoction: it will require 5 g of peel per glass (200 ml) of boiling water, boil the composition for 15 minutes, take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

A decoction of branches: you will need 50 grams of chestnut branches, 1 liter of water with the addition of water pepper grass. You need to sit in the bath for 5-15 minutes, the water should be at room temperature.

Infusion of fruits: crush 2 fruits of horse chestnut and pour a glass of boiling water in a thermos, leave for 2 hours. Take the medicine 2 tablespoons 5 times a day for chronic and kidney diseases, for inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

horse chestnut flowers

With a therapeutic purpose, horse chestnut flowers are used for many diseases, this is an ideal raw material for the preparation of tinctures and decoctions. Chestnut flowers have unique properties that allow you to achieve excellent results in endarteritis, hemorrhoids, leg ulcers, vein lesions caused by various injuries. Horse chestnut flowers are useful for radiation sickness. Tinctures and decoctions can be used to treat adenoma and prostatitis. The ability of substances contained in flowers to restore the amount of protein in the blood structure favors recovery from cystic-fibrous, brain tumors.

Infusion of chestnut flowers: 1 tablespoon of dried flowers and 200 g of water should be brought to a boil, leave for 6-8 hours. Take the remedy in sips throughout the day. It is necessary to drink from 1 to 1.5 liters per day.

Cream with horse chestnut

Cream with chestnut helps to restore the structure of the skin and strengthens the walls of blood vessels, exhibits the properties of a lymphatic drainage agent. It is a good prevention of varicose veins and serves to maintain skin tone. At home, creams can be prepared on the basis of fatty oils, for example, cream, or olive oil, essential oils and infusions are also suitable. All components of the cream are mixed, such a mixture can be stored for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Ointment based on horse chestnut

Horse chestnut is a real miracle of nature, it is one of the most beautiful trees that gives coolness in summer and heals from all sorts of ailments. From its fruits, flowers and leaves, many different remedies can be prepared. Lubricating sore spots on the skin with a special ointment with horse chestnut, you can quickly remove inflammation and eliminate venous diseases.

Ointment recipe: it is necessary to grind 5 pieces of chestnuts or 5 tablespoons of chestnut flowers, pour 0.5 liters of vegetable oil, boil in a water bath for 1 hour, cool and strain.

Contraindications to the use of horse chestnut

Contraindications are atonic, gastritis with low acidity, poor blood clotting, menstrual irregularities and hypotension, as well as pregnancy and lactation.

When taking funds based on horse chestnut, nausea may occur. Therefore, they should be taken only after visiting a doctor, performing blood prothrombin control.

Education: A diploma in the specialty "Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the University named after N. I. Pirogov (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Moscow University of Peoples' Friendship (2008).

Horse chestnut is a deciduous tree with a well-developed crown. Mature plants reach a height of more than 25 meters. On the entire trunk and branches are large leaves of dark green color. In May, active flowering begins, small flowers have a white or slightly pinkish tint, they are collected in cone-shaped inflorescences. In autumn, around September, the fruits begin to ripen. They are located in a round box covered with sharp spikes. Chestnut seeds are round in shape, they are smooth and have a rich brown color, and a gray spot in the middle. This tree is very common, so it is widely used in traditional and folk medicine. This article will talk in detail about how to use horse chestnut, medicinal properties and contraindications of the plant.

The medicinal properties of the plant

Useful properties of a tree completely depend on its chemical composition. Different parts of the plant contain certain useful components (flowers, bark, fruits). However, everywhere contains flavonoids, which have a positive effect on the body. These active ingredients successfully thin the blood and prevent the formation of blood clots. In this ability, the chestnut has no equal!

The composition of horse chestnut contains such useful components:

esculoside has the properties of vitamin P, so it effectively increases the efficiency of blood vessels;
saponin escin promotes blood thinning;
fatty oils effectively heal wounds and relieve inflammation;
esculin, reduces capillary permeability, stimulates the formation of thrombin, increases blood supply to the veins;
pectin qualitatively restores the work of the heart and blood vessels;
starch is a source for nourishing muscle mass;
quercetin, astragalin, lutein, these substances have a sedative and hypnotic effect;
a variety of vitamins (A, B, C, K) strengthen the immune system and produce hemoglobin;
organic acids contribute to the removal of toxins and toxins;
flavonoids and glycosides, allow the use of this plant for cosmetic purposes.

Due to its rich composition, horse chestnut occupies a worthy place in traditional and folk medicine. Based on it, many medicines are made that are aimed at improving the functionality of the vascular system. Active components have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, so the plant is often used to treat neuritis and neuralgia. Chestnut also has a positive effect on the digestive organs, so it is taken for diarrhea and improper functioning of the gallbladder.

For medicinal purposes, flowers, bark, leaves and fruits of the plant are used. The following are guidelines for when it is best to collect components for the preparation of medicines.

Chestnut bark - medicinal properties. It is best to harvest in early spring. The bark must be carefully cut from young branches. Then it is crushed and dried in the usual way. The bark of the plant is used to make a decoction and tincture. They relieve pain and inflammation. Medicines based on it are recommended for the treatment of gout, rheumatism, as well as for hemorrhoids and respiratory diseases.
Horse chestnut flowers, medicinal properties. Flowers must be collected during the period of active flowering, that is, in May. Having collected the required amount, they must be put in the sun so that they slightly wilted (for 1 day). After that, the chestnut color is dried in the fresh air in the shade or in a room that is well ventilated. Based on the flowers, an alcohol tincture is prepared or juice is squeezed out of the inflorescences. This medicine is used to restore the vascular system, as well as pain in the joints.
Leaves have medicinal properties. Raw materials are best collected in spring or early summer, when the leaves are juicy and have a rich green color. They are washed and dried as usual. From the leaves prepare a tincture based on vodka or alcohol and a decoction of the leaves. The medicine is excellent for inflammatory processes, as well as for various suppurations.
Horse chestnut fruits, medicinal properties and uses. What is the fruit of horse chestnut called? Everything is very simple, it is called chestnut. It is necessary to collect it when the fruits fall, this is around October. Depending on the chosen medicine, the raw materials can be crushed or a healing agent can be prepared on whole fruits. Based on the fruit, you can prepare a decoction or tincture. The medicine helps to restore the functioning of the digestive organs, eliminate joint pain, and also adjust the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.

Important! The collection of medicinal raw materials must be carried out away from the city and highways. It is in these places that the most useful trees grow.

What heals chestnut? Horse chestnut is a unique plant from which high-quality medicines can be prepared. In the pharmacy you can buy drugs made on its basis, they also have useful properties. However, with what unpleasant symptoms and ailments do chestnut-based medicines help:

medicinal properties for varicose veins. The disease provokes pathological changes in the veins, which leads to the formation of nodes. As a rule, the disease affects the legs, but it can also be found in the digestive organs and in the testes. Medicines from chestnut thin the blood, do not allow the formation of blood clots and strengthen the venous and vascular walls;
ENT diseases. With sinusitis, washing the nose with a decoction is considered an effective procedure. Also, a decoction is recommended for the mouth and throat, as it has antiseptic properties;
respiratory system. Preparations or decoctions with chestnut are excellent for ARVI, tracheitis, bronchitis and FLU, it also eliminates cough;
gastrointestinal tract. Treatment with horse chestnut will restore the functioning of the digestive organs, and also eliminates inflammation. These drugs and decoctions are often recommended for ailments of the spleen, liver, pancreas, as well as gastritis with an increased level of acidity;
dysfunction of the heart and blood vessels. Chestnut-based medicine is a panacea for cardiovascular ailments. It is recommended for atherosclerosis, increased cholesterol, high blood pressure, thrombophlebitis, as well as for disorders in the work of the heart;
muscles and joints. Tinctures and infusions are applied externally. The drug is rubbed into diseased areas of the body with arthritis and rheumatism;
for women. The plant effectively promotes clotting, and also stops the blood, so chestnut medicine is recommended for intrauterine bleeding. If the female organs are inflamed, then chestnut baths are recommended;
for men. Preparations and decoctions based on horse chestnut are prescribed for the inflammatory process in the prostate gland, as well as for the diagnosis of varicocele disease.

Important! Before starting treatment with chestnut-based medications or using folk recipes with this plant, you should consult a doctor.

Medicinal use

There are many medicines based on chestnut. Below are the most effective recipes that will restore health.

As a rule, a decoction is prepared on the basis of the bark. To prepare it, you need 1 tbsp. bark spoon. It is poured with 250 ml of boiling water and boiled for several minutes, then insisted for an hour. After the time has elapsed, the medicine is filtered and taken 1 tbsp. spoon three times a day.

The decoction is excellent for diarrhea, shortness of breath, anemia, as well as inflammatory processes in the liver and spleen. The medicine is often recommended for coughing, bronchitis, acute respiratory infections, and even pneumonia.

A decoction of the fruits of the plant is usually used as a lotion. The medicine effectively eliminates inflammation from the skin, removes suppuration and promotes wound healing.

For cooking, you need 20 g of crushed fruits. They are poured with 0.5 liters of water, brought to a boil and boiled for 10 minutes. Then insist at least 4 hours. Strain the decoction before use.

Infusion from the bark and fruits of the plant

Infusions can be prepared from any suitable raw material. To do this, it is recommended to take leaves, flowers, bark and fruits. They can be used all together, or you can choose individually.

To prepare the medicine, you will need chopped chestnut peel (1 tablespoon), pour 250 ml of boiling water over it. The mixture is infused for an hour, and then filtered. Take the medicine three times a day for 1 teaspoon.
To prepare the infusion, you need chestnut bark. It must be crushed (1 tablespoon) and pour 250 mg of boiling water. Infuse the mixture for at least 8 hours, then filter. The infusion is taken ¼ cup three times a day, before meals.

During the flowering period of chestnuts, juice can be prepared from the inflorescences. It is excellent for hemorrhoids and varicose veins. For cooking, you need to collect the flowers and pass them through a meat grinder. Then squeeze the juice from the resulting slurry. Take drops should be 15 - 30 drops 2 times a day. The drug is quite bitter, so it must be diluted in 100 ml of water.

Horse chestnut tincture - medicinal properties

Chestnut-based tinctures are used externally for various ailments of the joints and muscles. The drug is well rubbed into the painful areas.

Flower based tincture. To prepare the medicine, you need to take 5 tbsp. spoons of flowers and pour them with 0.5 liters of vodka. Infuse the mixture for 2 weeks, then filter.
Fruit tincture. To prepare the drug, you need to grind 10 chestnuts. Pour them with 0.5 liters of vodka and leave for 2 weeks. After the expiration of time, filter and apply as directed.

Uses of horse chestnut oil

The oil of this plant can be purchased at the pharmacy chestnut extract, or you can cook it yourself at home. For cooking, you will need the following components:

2 tbsp. spoons of crushed fruits;
10 st. tablespoons of grape seed oil.

All ingredients are combined, mixed and infused for 2 weeks. After the time has elapsed, the mixture is filtered. The oil is used externally, the course of therapy is 10 days. It perfectly helps with varicose veins, relieves fatigue from the lower extremities, eliminates the vascular network on the face, removes pain in muscles and joints.

What is the value of horse chestnut? Medicinal properties and contraindications, as well as areas of its application, we will consider here. With the onset of May, snow-white “candles” of chestnuts bloom on our streets or parks. This tree is remarkable not only for its lush beauty, but for its beneficial properties that have already been studied and continue to be successfully used by official, folk medicine. It is also important that not only the fruits of this tree, but leaves, bark, flowers (inflorescences) have healing qualities.

We have two types of chestnuts in the Krasnodar Territory:

horse chestnut (inedible) - grows everywhere,
sowing chestnut (edible) - grows in the subtropical zone.

I really love chestnuts. Any. Horse chestnut is such a positive in the spring when it blooms! When I see flowering chestnut trees, my mood always rises. Light chestnut candles - what could be more beautiful!

There is an opinion that the name "horse" is due to the association of the appearance of the fruit with the color, gloss of the skin of bay horses. It is also called "ordinary" in order to mark, somehow distinguish among other representatives of the horse chestnut family. This luxurious tree blooms by May, continues to bloom for about 25 days.

The ancient Slavs used the power of living trees to restore the health of the entire human body or its individual parts. Healers, healers, healers knew the healing properties of trees that give energy to a person. Chestnut has the ability to take away negative energy from a person.

It is best to treat with chestnut in the early morning, at sunrise. You need to hug the tree, snuggle up to it with your body, ask the tree to take away negative energy from you. The energy of the chestnut is kind, soft. Therefore, it does not heal much, but rather relaxes a person, relieves internal tension, which is associated with the physical state of a person, calms, relieves a constant feeling of discomfort.

From the depths of centuries, information came to us from the druids that each person has his own tree, which endows a person with certain qualities. So, people born from 15.05 to 24.05 or from 12.11 to 21.11 are chestnut people.

Blooming chestnut, photo:

Horse chestnut in the yard of my house - comfort, shade, positive

Procurement of medicinal raw materials, the composition of useful compounds

Approximately by August-early September, the nucleoli of the chestnut tree ripen and become suitable for further use. For the preparation of medicinal potions, the kernels are separated from the peel (pericarp), laid out in an even layer, left to dry for about a month. When a dryer is used for this, a temperature of +60°C is sufficient. A couple of days is enough to achieve the desired state of the fruit. Horse chestnut prepared in this way retains its medicinal qualities for about 2 years.

For medicinal purposes, the bark is harvested in the spring - it should be removed from branches that are at least 3 years old. The bark is dried in a well-ventilated room, so it retains its healing properties for about a year. As for the inflorescences, they are collected during flowering. Immediately after collection, the flowers are laid out on a clean surface, in a sunny place, after which the rest of the time they are dried in the shade. Leaves, like flowers, can be harvested from May to September - they can be stored for no more than one year.

All of the above parts of the tree contain flavonoids, vitamins, acids, enzymes, and other useful components.

Let's consider them in more detail:

Glucosides help to cope with problems of the central nervous system, work to dilate blood vessels.
Organic acids contribute to the removal of toxins from the body, and also optimize the state of blood vessels.
Fatty oils help speedy healing of wounds, stop inflammation.
Vitamins of groups "A", "B", "C", "K" help to strengthen the immune system, provoke the production of hemoglobin. The presence of vitamin "A" helps to fight cancer, "turns on" the regenerative processes in the body.
Coumarins thin the blood.
Tannins help fight inflammation.
Pectins help treat cardiovascular diseases.
Flavonoids help reduce pressure (arterial, ocular).
Starch, in which the initial component is A-glucose, works as an energy source for muscles (especially for the heart muscle).

In addition to the above substances, chestnut kernels contain chromium, iodine, calcium, iron, and bromine.

Horse chestnut, medicinal properties and the use of its components

What chestnut has no competition in is the ability to lower blood density and prevent the formation of blood clots. These qualities are successfully used to treat varicose veins, fragility of capillaries, manifestations of thrombophlebitis.

Horse chestnut for varicose veins, tincture recipe: take 50 g of horse chestnut flowers, pour 500 ml of vodka. Keep the tincture in the dark for two weeks. During this time, you should periodically shake the infusion. Then strain everything. Tincture is advised to take 30 drops 3 times a day for half an hour before meals. The duration of treatment is 3-4 weeks.

Freshly squeezed juice from flowers helps with varicose veins on the legs, as well as in the treatment of a very unpleasant ailment - hemorrhoids. To do this, the juice is diluted with water (25 drops + one tablespoon of water), taken orally in the morning and evening. Chestnut bark sitz baths also work well for these delicate problems. 50 g of raw materials are taken per liter of water, after boiling they are left to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, cooled to an acceptable temperature, used for baths.

Chestnut flowers are a good adjuvant treatment for blood diseases (especially leukemia). One tablespoon of dried chestnut color is poured into 250 g of cold water, brought to a boil, then removed from heat, insisted for about 7 hours. After straining, the infusion should be taken orally one tablespoon all day (as often as possible). The amount of medicinal decoction is determined taking into account the individual needs of the person or the degree of the disease. Treatment is carried out in courses: three weeks, a break for 10 days, then again for three weeks.

A similar prescription, dosage is used during treatment, the rehabilitation period for brain tumors.

Horse chestnut, photo:

The shell of the chestnut fruit is widely used by traditional medicine for the treatment of male problems such as adenoma, prostatitis. To do this, the dried peel is ground to a powder, mixed with medical alcohol (1:10), 70% or 40% alcohol can be used. For 70%, two weeks of infusion is enough, for vodka - a month. Take the drug should be 10 drops 15-20 minutes before meals, once a day (preferably in the afternoon). To achieve a stable therapeutic effect, a course (3 weeks / 10 days / 3 weeks) is also required.

Brown chestnut peel contains a powerful hemostatic substance, its decoction (15 g + 300 g of water, boil for 10 minutes) is a good remedy for uterine bleeding not caused by malignant abnormalities. Such douching is best done twice a day.

For the treatment of uterine fibroids, brewed powder made from roasted chestnut kernels helps well. It is prepared like coffee - 1 teaspoon + 250 g of boiling water. The resulting dose should be divided into three times, ingesting a third of the drink three times throughout the day. With mastopathy, it is recommended to brew dried flowers (5 tablespoons per liter of water). Raw materials are poured with water in the evening, brought to a boil, removed from heat, insisted all night, and in the morning they drink several sips (with a difference of 1 hour between doses).

A decoction is also prepared from the leaves (1 tablespoon + 0.5 l of water). The raw materials are boiled in a water bath or over low heat for 20 minutes, after which they cool, take 100 g before eating. Such a decoction helps to alleviate the manifestations of gout, rheumatism, gastrointestinal dysfunction, biliary disease, the effects of tuberculosis (rehabilitation period), bronchitis.

Contraindications to the use of drugs from chestnut are:

Hypotension - preparations based on chestnut lower blood pressure.
Violation of the cycle, pregnancy.
Diabetes mellitus - chestnut thins the blood, with poor clotting, you should not use medicines based on it.
The presence of internal bleeding or suspicion of them.

In addition, you should not collect fruits, flowers, leaves from trees growing near roads, in the city center, on the territory, around factories where there is an unfavorable environment.

Medicinal tinctures based on horse chestnut

As practice shows, folk experience, it is chestnut fruit tinctures that have the most effective therapeutic effect. Among the many recipes for decoctions, alcohol tincture confidently takes first place in popularity. This is a truly powerful tool that is literally under our feet.

Chestnut fruits, tinctures, how to make, what to use for? Alcohol tincture successfully treats rheumatism, gout, helps fight inflammation of the joints, and relieves pain. With such dangerous diseases as leukemia or a brain tumor, horse chestnut provides effective support to the body, contributes to a speedy recovery along with taking the main drugs.

Chestnut tincture, photo:

The so-called classic chestnut tincture is done as follows: we take 20 fruits, peel them, cut them into small pieces, grind them in a meat grinder. Pour the resulting slurry with 1 liter of vodka, put it in a dark place (10 days), and then filter it through gauze. A more concentrated infusion is also prepared, only a glass (250 g) of strong vodka is taken for 8 chestnut kernels.

From the chestnut color, you can also make an alcohol tincture. To do this, the flowers are separated from the stem, 50 g of raw materials are taken, poured with half a liter of vodka, after which the container is removed in a dark place for two weeks. Thus, you get an excellent remedy for varicose veins of the lower extremities, which can be taken internally or externally. Inside - 30 drops per tablespoon of water three times a day (20 minutes before meals). External use does not imply contraindications, restrictions.
Chestnut flowers, tincture, photo:

Beautiful, useful horse chestnut, medicinal properties and contraindications to its use must be taken into account. Despite the fact that there are much more positive qualities in chestnut-based preparations than warnings, they should be treated without fanaticism. Excessive use of the undoubtedly valuable chestnut tincture can cause skin irritation, provoke an allergic reaction. As the sage said: “the spoon contains medicine, and the cup contains poison”, everything should be in moderation. Use this natural healing potion. Be healthy!

The medicinal properties of chestnut are due to its bioflavonoids. These substances are present in the bark, leaves and in the nuts themselves. For people who intend to use horse chestnut for medicinal purposes, it is useful to know not only about contraindications, but also that the plant is effective as a vasoconstrictor, venotonic and angioprotective agent.

What it looks like and where it grows

Common horse chestnut (English name Horse Chestnut) belongs to the Sapindaceae family. Its homeland is considered to be the southern territories of the Balkans. Horse chestnut also grows in Russia, where, in the form of wild plants, it is adjacent to ash, linden and other trees. It is distributed mainly in the temperate climate zone. Many of its species are widely bred in parks. The favorite is the red horse chestnut.

The biological description of horse chestnut (also called horse chestnut) is as follows:

A large deciduous tree reaching a height of 35 meters.
It has a powerful root system and a spherical or broadly ovoid spreading crown.
Trunk of the correct cylindrical shape.
The leaves are large, palmately complex, up to 30 cm long.
Inflorescences in the form of erect panicles, formed by 20-50 white-yellow flowers.
Fruits of a chestnut of spherical form with numerous thorns. Inside them are 3 flattened seeds up to 2-4 cm in diameter. Ripens in early autumn.

When growing a tree, you need to be patient. This is a very lengthy process. It takes about 20-40 years for the horse chestnut tree to grow and reach its maximum height.

Why is chestnut called horse chestnut

Since the genus Chestnut includes over 10 different plants, horse, according to one version, was named so as to distinguish it as a fodder species grown for the treatment of horses. The people called the tree a chestnut for its striking resemblance to the fruits of an edible chestnut, and only connoisseurs can find differences. There is another version, according to which the plant is called so because of the presence of horseshoe-like scars on the shoots after leaf fall.

The fruits of this plant are inedible, so the answer to the question of whether it is possible to eat horse chestnut is sharply negative. All parts of it contain the toxic substance esculin. Eating nuts can cause irreparable harm to the body. However, horse chestnut also has useful properties, thanks to which it won its place in the pharmacopoeia.

plant benefits

Horse chestnut, medicinal properties and contraindications of which are due to its unique composition, is used:

As a hemostatic, diuretic, wound healing, analgesic, antioxidant;
With varicose veins, disturbed water-salt balance, for the treatment of edema and inflammation;
To lower blood pressure and cholesterol in the blood;
To normalize the acidity of gastric juice.

The horse chestnut bark contains a large amount of vitamins C, B1, tannins, due to which it is often used as an antipyretic and astringent.

The peeled fruits of chestnut, which is also called horse chestnut, contain starch and tannins, are rich in coumarins (esculin, fraxin, aescin). Fresh kernels are used for prolonged diarrhea, and fried kernels are used in case of bleeding. Dried fruits are good for colds as a diuretic and diaphoretic.

The leaves of the common chestnut are rich in pectins, carotenoids and glycosides. As part of folk remedies, it has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

Wild chestnut flowers contain mucous and pectin compounds, secrete flavonoids. Used for local rubbing in the treatment of joint pain. Flower-based infusions are used in complex therapy in the fight against hemorrhoids, skin diseases, prostatitis and radiation sickness.

Application for industrial purposes

Wild chestnut wood has properties similar to linden. It has not received wide commercial distribution in Russia as a raw material. However, it is used for the production of doors and furniture elements, since it accepts and holds various fasteners in the form of bolts, screws, etc. well. Specially treated wood has a long service life.

In cosmetology

Antioxidant properties allow the use of chestnut parts in the production of anti-aging cosmetics. Such products improve the skin due to the production of collagen. Horse chestnut fruits are part of anti-cellulite products, due to their effect, puffiness is reduced, the skin is smoothed and acquires tone.

In medicine

Horse chestnut has also been used in medicine. Preparations based on it are widely sold in pharmacies in Russia. These include:

Aescusan drops. Due to the beneficial properties of the incoming components, the drug actively fights venous circulation disorders. Drops with horse chestnut are prescribed for hemorrhoids, initial forms of varicose veins, leg ulcers, cramps and swelling in the calf muscles. Aescusan should be taken according to the instructions - three times a day, 15 drops before meals. There are no specific contraindications. In rare cases, allergic reactions caused by hypersensitivity to the components of the drug are possible.
Esflazid is an analogue of Aescusan, but in a more convenient tablet form. The main indications are hemorrhoids, thrombophlebitis. The dosage is determined by the doctor individually. According to the instructions, in the first two days the drug is taken 1 tablet 1-2 times a day, then 3-4 times.
Wild chestnut extract is rich in active compounds that are good for puffiness, varicose veins and restless legs syndrome. The tool normalizes blood pressure and regulates the level of cholesterol in the blood, making it effective in the treatment of hypertension, atherosclerosis and thrombosis.
Ointments are effective for skin and varicose diseases. For their production at home, horse chestnut flowers are used. 5 st. l. dry raw materials are poured with half a liter of vegetable oil, then boiled for an hour in a water bath. The finished mixture is cooled, filtered and used for its intended purpose. Horse chestnut has a strong decongestant and venotonic effect. In combination with troxerutin gives a quick result.
Tinctures based on horse chestnut fruits are aimed at combating prostatitis, thrombosis, varicose veins and hemorrhoids. The finished product can be bought at a pharmacy, or you can make it yourself. To do this, you need to grind 10 gr. horse nuts and pour 100 ml of vodka. Infuse the mixture for a week in complete darkness, periodically shaking the solution. According to the instructions, the finished tincture is taken 30 drops three times a day. The drug can be used for rubbing and as phytoapplications for rheumatism and sciatica.
Common chestnut oil improves blood circulation, reduces capillary permeability, relieves leg fatigue and muscle tension. It is applied with massaging movements on the lower limbs in the direction from the feet to the knees. The oil also improves complexion, soothes and tones. To achieve this effect, the skin must be wiped twice a day.

Before using drugs, a doctor's consultation is necessary.

Folk recipes

For the preparation of medicinal infusions, flowers, fruits and their peel are used. These parts contain the greatest amount of substances useful for the circulatory system. For the preparation of medicines using chestnut, it is recommended to use the following recipes:

Infusion of chestnut flowers. 1 st. l. dry raw materials and 200 ml of water bring to a boil. Leave for 7 hours. Take sips throughout the day. You can drink 1-1.5 liters per day. Useful for brain tumors, mastopathy, endarteritis, hemorrhoids, lesions of venous vessels caused by various injuries.
Flower tincture. Pour vegetable raw materials with vodka in a ratio of 1 to 10. Remove the container in a dark place. Insist 2-3 weeks, periodically shaking the contents. Strain the finished medicine. Take 30 drops 3-4 times a day.
A decoction of the peel. Pour the green shells from two chestnut fruits with 250 ml of hot water. Put on low heat and cook for 10 minutes. Cool to a comfortable temperature and drink to improve potency 100 ml twice a day (in the morning and evening).
Horse chestnut tincture. The main indications are gout, arthritis, rheumatism and osteochondrosis. For cooking, you should take 1 kg of nuts (or more). Grind in any convenient way (blender, meat grinder). Pour into a jar and pour 1 liter of vodka. Clean in a dark place and leave for 2 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain the prepared tincture and store in a cool place. Take orally after meals 40 drops diluted in water. The same medicine can rub problem joints.

Collection and preparation

For medicinal purposes, all parts of the trees are used, including horse chestnut flowers. The following are recommendations for when it is best to collect raw materials for the manufacture of medicines:

Bark. Harvesting is done in March. The bark is carefully cut from young branches. After it is crushed and dried. Decoctions and infusions are prepared from the bark, which relieve pain and inflammation. Medicines from it are effective in the treatment of gout, hemorrhoids, rheumatism and respiratory diseases.
Horse chestnut flowers are harvested during active flowering (in May). After they are laid out in the sun for 1 day, so that they wither a little. Then they clean it in a well-ventilated room, or dry it in the fresh air in the shade. The flowers are usually infused with alcohol, taken to restore the vascular system and as an anesthetic for the joints.
Leaves are harvested in spring or early summer. They should be juicy and rich green. In the process of harvesting, they are washed and dried. Alcohol tinctures and decoctions are prepared from the leaves. Such medicines are used for inflammation and suppuration.
Horse chestnut fruits fall in October, at which time their collection begins. In the manufacture of medicines, whole and crushed fruits are used. On their basis, medicinal tinctures and decoctions are prepared. Chestnut fruits have found application in restoring the functions of the digestive system, relieving joint pain, normalizing the work of the heart and blood vessels.

It is better to collect medicinal raw materials in places remote from the city and highways. This is where the most useful trees grow.

Indications for use

Given the beneficial properties of horse chestnut, medicines based on it are used for the following diseases and conditions:

Varicose veins. The disease provokes abnormal changes in the veins, which leads to the appearance of nodes. Pathology most often affects the lower extremities, but the gastrointestinal tract and testes are also affected. The composition of horse chestnut helps to thin the blood, prevents the formation of blood clots, strengthens the walls of blood vessels and veins.
Diseases of the ENT organs and the respiratory system. With sinusitis, the procedure for washing the nose is effective. The decoction has a pronounced antiseptic property, due to which it is also recommended for gargling the throat and mouth. Horse chestnut eliminates cough, makes breathing easier with influenza and SARS.
Diseases of the digestive tract. Thanks to its unique composition, horse chestnut restores the functioning of the digestive system, relieves inflammation. Decoctions are effective for problems with the spleen, liver, pancreas, as well as gastritis with a high level of acidity.
Dysfunctions of the cardiovascular system. Horse chestnut is a part of drugs intended to combat atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, cholesterol, thrombophlebitis, and cardiac disorders.
Sore muscles and joints. In this case, dosage forms for external use are used. Infusions and tinctures are rubbed into problem areas for arthritis and rheumatism.
Women's problems. The plant improves blood clotting and stops bleeding. In case of inflammation in the intimate area, chestnut baths are recommended.
Male diseases. Decoctions and medicines based on horse chestnut help with inflammation in the prostate gland, as well as with varicocele.

Contraindications and possible harm

It will be useful for everyone to know not only about the benefits of the plant, but also about the contraindications of horse chestnut. Medicines and folk remedies have certain restrictions on admission. They are not recommended for:

reduced blood viscosity;
severe disorders in the liver and kidneys;
arterial hypotension;
inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract in the acute phase;
during pregnancy and lactation;
children.

External use of drugs based on chestnut is contraindicated in the presence of hypersensitivity to this product, as well as if there are open, infected and suppurating wounds that are not amenable to medical treatment.

Before using horse chestnut as a remedy, you should consult your doctor. Wearing compression stockings and doing therapeutic exercises will help to enhance the therapeutic effect. At the time of treatment, it is advisable to refrain from drinking alcohol, smoking, eating fatty and spicy foods.

The use of horse chestnut can cause heartburn or nausea. If side effects occur, treatment should be stopped and blood prothrombin should be monitored.

The benefits of such a plant are great, but it can be harmful to health if treated thoughtlessly. After all, despite the fact that its nuts look like the fruits of a sowing chestnut, they are not eaten in their pure form. To prevent the development of negative consequences, it is necessary to consult an experienced doctor. Treatment should be comprehensive and balanced, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient.

Summing up

Horse chestnut is effective in diseases of the heart and blood vessels. It is used for varicose veins, hemorrhoids, gout and rheumatism. This raw material is in demand not only in traditional medicine, but also in pharmaceuticals. Medicines are produced from it in the form of drops, ointments, hemorrhoidal suppositories, liquid extract and tablets.

Chestnut flowers have a healing effect on blood vessels and joints

Beautiful chestnuts blossomed. Immediately there was an idea that it is necessary to dry the flowers. Before, when I didn’t know about its properties, everyone thought - what beautiful candles on a tree. And the pink flowers of the chestnuts were especially surprising, in comparison with the white flowering branches, they seemed exotic. There was a passion for herbal medicine, and now I look at each plant in a completely different way - as a source of health.

Chestnut flowers are the health of blood vessels and joints

So, let's get acquainted together with medicinal chestnut flowers, which in Latin are called Flores Aesculi hippocastani. Phytotherapy studied their composition - flavonoids were found in flowers - derivatives of kaempferol and quercetin; admitted that the infusion of chestnut flowers has medicinal anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, but did not apply. Chestnut fruits containing the venotonic substance escin turned out to be very curative; dozens of preparations in the world for the treatment of hemorrhoids have been created on their basis.

chestnut flower juice

Traditional medicine has well studied the healing properties of chestnut flowers. She widely uses their juice - for the heart, blood vessels and the treatment of diseases of the joints. To get juice, you need to pick the inflorescences (I call them affectionately - candles :-), wash, scroll through a meat grinder and squeeze the juice itself through cheesecloth. Drink it 30-40 drops per 1 tbsp. water 3 times a day to get rid of atherosclerosis and strengthen blood vessels; for the treatment of varicose veins, thrombophlebitis and hemorrhoids. Treatment should last at least a month. If there is no improvement, then the course of treatment can be repeated by taking a month break. In general, the juice of chestnut flowers is a very effective remedy for varicose veins. You can preserve the juice of flowers with alcohol and use this remedy all year round. Tincture of chestnut flowers in alcohol is used for rubbing with rheumatic, gouty and arthritic pains. For internal use, the tincture is prepared as follows: for 10 g of chestnut flowers, take 100 ml of vodka. Insist for 10-20 days, and then drink 30-40 drops 3 times a day for the treatment of varicose veins and hemorrhoids.

Dry chestnut flowers

Handsome pink chestnuts also have medicinal properties.

Chestnut flowers should be harvested in May, the first day is dried in the sun, then in the shade. A tincture of dried chestnut flowers (40 g of raw materials per 1 liter of alcohol) is used for rubbing joints with rheumatism, gout and arthritis.
Decoction: 2 tbsp dried chestnut flowers per 200 g of water, boil over low heat for 20 minutes. You need to drink with hemorrhoids 1 glass 2 times a day. The same decoction can be used for microclysters with hemorrhoids: take 1 dessert spoon for 1 cup of boiling water.
For pain in the heart and arthritis, this tincture of chestnut flowers is used. For 2 parts of raw materials, take 1 part of alcohol, insist 15 days, filter and store in the refrigerator. Take 3-5 drops 2-3 times a day.

Folk healer V. Tishchenko believes that chestnut flowers are an ideal remedy for protection against radiation. To do this, pour 3 freshly picked inflorescences into 0.5 liters of boiling water and insist in a thermos for 3 hours. Dry chestnut flowers (2 tablespoons) are poured with 1 cup of boiling water and infused in a thermos for 3-6 hours. 1.5 l, drink like water.

Nature has created all herbs beautiful and medicinal. It seems that by attracting us with the unusual beauty of their candle flowers, chestnuts want to give a person a chance to restore health. It's May now, and we can take advantage of this offer 🙂 Make juice from fresh chestnut flowers, dry them for the winter. In the following articles, I will certainly tell you about the healing properties of chestnut leaves and fruits 🙂