Chestnut horse - aesculus hippocastanum l.

Botanical characteristics. The family is conkokastanovye. A beautiful sprawling tree up to 30 m high. Leaves opposite, long-petioled, palchatosyllabic, rounded. Beautiful whitish pink flowers are collected in large pyramidal panicles. Blossoms in May-June. Fruits - globular capsules, covered with spines, contain 2-3 pcs. Large seeds.

Spread. Originally from Iran. As an ornamental tree is widely bred in the cities of our country.

Used parts of the plant. Flowers, leaves, seeds, bark of trunks and branches.
The chestnut bark contains glycosides of fractin, esculin, triterpene saponin escin, tannins and fatty oil.
Flavone compounds (quercitrin, iso-quercitin and quercetin), rutin, spearozide, aspralgin and carotenoids have been found in the leaves. In the flowers of the chestnut flavone compounds, rutin and some other substances were found. Bi-and tri-ozidi of quercetin and kaempferol, saponin escin, artrescin, fatty oil (6.45%), starch (49.5%) and tannins (0.9%) were isolated from the seeds.

Application. Applied with hypertension, heart and vascular disease, atherosclerosis for the treatment and prevention of thrombosis and embolism. Traditional medicine recommends chestnut with articular rheumatism, liver disease, and most importantly - for the treatment of varicose veins and ulcers of the lower leg, hemorrhoids, thrombophlebitis, some gynecological diseases associated with stagnation of blood in the small pelvis. On the recommendations of MA. Nosal, I.M. Nosal "alcoholic infusion of dried chestnut flowers (40.0 g per 1 liter of alcohol) are rubbed into the joints for rheumatism and arthritis."

Preparation. Infusion: 2 tablespoons of flowers per half-liter thermos - daily dose. Tincture: 1 part of the juice of chestnut flowers is bred in 2 parts of alcohol, take 1 teaspoon 3-4 times a day (with water).
In pharmacies are sold preparations from the fruits of horse chestnut. Among them - the escusin, it is prescribed as a venotonic and antithrombotic agent for hemorrhoids, thrombophlebitis and ulcers of the shins. Take 10-20 drops 3 times daily before meals. Treatment is carried out under the control of blood coagulability.

It is used in homeopathy Aesculus 3x, 3, 6 with blood stasis in the portal vein system, pelvic organs and in the lower limbs; For the treatment of hemorrhoids, thrombophlebitis, obstructive constipation with hard knobby feces. Characteristic symptoms: deterioration of well-being during sleep and after a hot bath.