Horse chestnut: botany, virtues and use in phytotherapy
Horse chestnut, the essentials in 3 points:
-Helps maintain good venous circulation in the legs
-Helps relieve hemorrhoids
Contains antioxidants that can protect against free radicals, and is used to protect the skin against UV-induced oxidative damage.
If there’s one tree whose silhouette is particularly impressive, it’s the horse chestnut. Reaching heights of up to 30 meters, this gigantic tree graces gardens, driveways and avenues. In addition to its ornamental character, the elements of this tree are a choice ingredient in phytotherapy.
Botanical characteristics that identify horse chestnut
The horse chestnut is distinguished by its straight, thick trunk. The trunk is covered with brown to grayish bark. Initially completely smooth, the bark flakes off, then peels away from the trunk as the tree matures. The trunk of the horse chestnut bears numerous stems that form a bushy, ovoid, pyramidal crown. At the end of winter, the tree reveals large, shiny buds that are highly viscous due to a resinous substance. It’s these reddish-brown buds that give rise to the horse chestnut’s leaves when spring arrives. Very easy to recognize, these palmate leaves consist of 5 to 7 serrated leaflets. Twenty centimetres long, the leaves provide shade in fine weather. Horse chestnut foliage starts out dark green, but turns yellow or pink as autumn arrives, or even earlier if there’s a drought. The horse chestnut generally blooms between May and June. The flowers are highly fragrant, with white petals tinged with yellow or red. They generally form upright thyrses 20 to 30 cm high. After fertilization, the flowers form ovoid, globular, shiny seeds. 2 to 4 cm in size, they are covered with a dark-brown tegument, marked by a broad, light-colored hilum. The seeds, commonly known as chestnuts, fall to the ground between September and October. They are housed in a spiny monosperm fruit about 6 cm in diameter, which opens with 3 slits.
About horse chestnut habitat and growing conditions
Native to Asia Minor, horse chestnut grows spontaneously in the Balkans and northern Greece. It is also found throughout northern India. The horse chestnut is an undemanding tree. It adapts well to all types of soil, and prefers sunny to slightly shady spots. The horse chestnut, also known as false chestnut, has a lifespan of up to 200 years. The choice of location should therefore be carefully considered. It must be sufficiently spacious to encourage normal growth. In addition, deep soil is necessary for the proper development of its root system. It’s a robust tree with rapid, regular growth. For a healthy tree, it’s best to avoid pruning when young. However, pruning may be essential when the horse chestnut reaches old age, to strengthen it. Today, the horse chestnut is generally found in gardens, parks and public squares. The horse chestnut also adorns the edges of driveways and roads on public estates.
Use of horse chestnut in phytotherapy
In phytotherapy, various elements of the horse chestnut tree are used, including the bark, buds and seeds. All are naturally rich in active compounds. The seeds, for example, contain triterpene saponosides, as well as several flavonoids such as quercetol and kaempferol. As for the bark, it contains æscine, coumarin heterosides and esculoside or esculetol glucoside. Other active ingredients found in horse chestnut bark include vitamin P, polysaccharide and sterol. It also contains antioxidants that can protect against free radicals and help with dietary deficiencies. Antioxidants also protect the skin from the harmful effects of oxidative stress. This can be induced by exposure to UV rays, a polluted environment or excessive alcohol consumption. Rich in active substances, horse chestnut fruit contributes to circulatory health. The active ingredients in this fruit act synergistically to maintain good venous circulation in the legs. Once processed, horse chestnut is now marketed in a wide variety of formats for easy consumption. It is available in capsule, decoction, mother tincture and even gel form. Whatever the product format, compliance with dosage requirements, a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle are always recommended.