Horse Chestnut

The rising cost of drugs and doctor’s bills have driven more than half of the population to seeking alternatives to medication of illnesses. Fortunately, our history and tradition is rich in methods and practices of making full use of our natural environment and resources to treat various illnesses and diseases known to man.

Couple this with the advancement in medical sciences achieved to date, we get a long line of alternatives abundant enough to fill the shelves of a drug store. Among the most popular herbal medicines known today is the bitter herb known as horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum).

What Is Horse Chestnut?

Horse chestnut is a large tree with sticky buds and leaves akin to those of palms. It has white flowers that appear in late spring and bears green – brown spiny fruits containing two to three seeds in each fruit. It is also known as bark bongay, konker tree and buckeye.

How Does It Work Against Hemorrhoids?

The bark and seeds of the horse chestnuts are the one used for medicinal purposes.

The seeds have flavonoids, hydroxycoumarins, tannins, and aescin. These constituents combine to initiate a chain reaction that stops enzyme attacks on walls of the blood vessels, effectively decreasing the tendency of fluid leaking into the surrounding tissues that then cause swelling and inflammation as in the case of hemorrhoids.

The seed extracts also trigger blood vessels walls to regain the normal thickness and firmness necessary for effective and efficient blood flow in the affected area. A good blood flow is a necessary precursor to the eventual healing of hemorrhoids.

While there have been no conclusive studies done on the effectiveness of horse chestnuts in treating hemorrhoids, this has been proven to be very effective in treating varicose veins, a condition very similar to hemorrhoids. Therefore, it can be said that horse chestnuts should also work well with hemorrhoids.

How To Use Horse Chestnuts?

• For hemorrhoids relief, commercial preparations in capsule or tincture form are available. Recommended dosage is 300 milligrams per capsule for two capsules a day, or a total intake of 600 mgs per day.

• Horse chestnut extracts also come in gels and creams and can be used as topical medicine to provide relief from pain and itching, while those that happen to penetrate deep enough into the bloodstreams help in healing hemorrhoids. Extracts can also be mixed in sitz baths commonly used for treating hemorrhoids, and after surgery regimen.

• You also can make a tea out of the powdered bark and apply the tea directly to the affected area. For a more soothing effect, you can mix the powder with essential oils of your choice and make a cream from it. You can then apply the cream directly to your anus.

Whatever kind of hemorrhoid cream you make, make sure that you disinfect and dry the affected area before application. With continuous use, you should be able to see improvements within a few days. These home made creams do not only relieve the itching and pain but promotes healing as well.

Safety Reminders

• While horse chestnuts are generally safe to take and is well tolerated by the digestive system when taken orally, it is important to note that whole seeds of the chestnut have toxic compounds that is not safe for human consumption even at low levels of exposure. Extracts available commercially are already treated to rid it of the toxins. So, never make the mistake of substituting the extracts with a fresh seed or bark of the horse chestnut.

• The product may also lead to a discoloration of the urine when taken for more than 2 days. The reddish discharge is a normal reaction and should not be a cause for worry.

• Ingesting horse chestnut extracts in doses larger than recommended may cause:

- Stomach irritation

- Vomiting

- Dizziness

- Nausea

Should this happen, contact your doctor immediately.

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