Tag Archives: anticoagulant

aesculus_hippocastanum_paint
Medicinal Plant

Aesculus hippocastanum

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Name

The name “Aesculus” (from esca, food) is the latin name for tree with edible acorns. The specific name “Hippocastanum” is compound from greek “hippo” (horse) and latin “castanea” (chestnut) because in old times the fruit was used to feed horses and other domestic animals or, more probably, it was used to cure short-winded horses.

Also Known as

  • horse-chestnut
  • conker tree
  • buckeye
  • seven leaves tree

 

 

Identification Keys

  • large deciduous tree
  • opposite leaves
  • leaves is palmately compound with 5-9 leaflets
  • leaflets spread like the fingers of a hand
  • leaflet is 10-30 cm long
  • leaf scars left on twigs after the leaves have fallen have a distinctive horseshoe shape, complete with seven “nails”
  • leaflet has darker shades of green on their upper surface than on his underside
  • height: up to 35 m
  • erect racemes of flowers with a yellow or reddish spot at the base of the white petals. height: 30 cm width: 13 cm
  • fruit is a green pod with sort bumpy spikes containing up to three shiny, reddish-brown seeds with a light-colored scar at the bottom
  • bark is smooth with a grayish-green color
  • large winter buds up to 35 mm; extremely sticky

Bloom Time

  • May

Habitat

  • temperate zones
  • grows at altitudes up to 1200 m
  • prefers shady, moist sites
  • streets, parks

Look-alikes

You can confuse horse-chestnut with other trees:

  • Castanea vesca (sweet chestnut)
  • Fagus spp. (beech)

 

 

Medicine Uses

Parts Used

Seeds, bark, leaves and flowers

Actions

astringent, anti-inflammatory, febrifuge, anticoagulant, expectorant

Systems

Digestion

  • bark is useful for treating diarrhea, because rich in astringent tannins

Circulation

  • strengthens blood vessels and enhances their elasticity
  • improves blood flow and venous  return
  • prevents pooling of blood causing piles and varicose veins
  • reduces oedema, cramps and pain and tension in the legs
  • reduces inflammation in blood vessels
  • relieves pressure on the heart and high blood pressure
  • anticoagulant properties reduce blood clotting

Immune system

  • helps in easing joint pain
  • hot decoction reduces fever
  • treats malaria and intermittent fevers

Externally

  • contracts blood vessels
  • reduces swelling around areas of trauma
  • excellent for treating varicose veins and ulcers, phlebitis and haemorrhoids, cellulite
  • relieves the pain of arthritis, neuralgia, sunburn, bruises and sprains

Caution

  • all part are toxic when raw
  • avoid in pregnancy, lactation and children
  • avoid with anticoagulants and salicylates

 

Harvesting

  • harvest seeds in autumn when the ripe fruits fall.
  • collects leaves during the flowering period, tearing or cutting off them without stem.
  • gather the flowers by cutting the entire stem.
  • dry them out of direct sunlight with a good ventilation, laying on a thin layer of paper or fabric.