In folk practice, the medicinal properties of horse chestnut have been known for a long time, and modern medicine also does not lag behind it, using it in the manufacture of certain drugs. This article will discuss what useful properties this tree has, how to properly collect and harvest raw materials, from which it will be possible to independently make various medicinal preparations.
Where does chestnut grow
In the wild, at the moment it can be found in India, in southern Europe, in the east of Asia and in North America. For this tree, a temperate climate is most preferable, as well as deep, loose and fertile soil.
According to one version, the plant came to Europe thanks to the Turkish soldiers who once fought on these lands. They used its fruits as food for their horses. Therefore, in order not to confuse edible nuts with animal feed, they called it horse.
Active substances
It is thanks to them that the field of medical use of horse chestnut is quite extensive. The seeds of the plant include flavonoids - triosides and biosides of kempferol and quercetin, escin saponin, tannins (not more than 0.9%), oil (6.45% fat), starch (about 50%), various protein compounds, arthrescin, vitamins B, C and K.
Isocvercitrin, quercetrin and rutin are found in chestnut flowers. The bark of both branches and the trunk of the tree includes glycosides. This is again a fatty oil and tannins, as well as saponin escin triterpene and esculin.
The leaves of the plant contain quercetin, isocvercitrin, which belong to flavone compounds. In addition, they have carotenoids - violaxanthin and lutein, as well as spireoside, rutin and astragaline.
How can a plant be useful?
An extract, tincture or decoction with its use will help alleviate the condition of the patient. These drugs may:
- lower blood pressure;
- help reduce capillary permeability;
- eliminate spasms of blood vessels;
- improve heart and liver function;
- remove cholesterol from the body;
- normalize the secretory work of the gallbladder;
- prevent the formation of stasis in the capillaries;
- remove harmful substances, including radionuclides and toxins;
- remove various inflammations and swelling;
- increase the production of antithrombin in the vascular system itself;
- contribute to a decrease in blood viscosity;
- increase the tone of all venous vessels;
- normalize digestion;
- normalize the acidity of gastric juice;
- accelerate venous blood flow;
- help slow blood coagulation;
- relieve joint pain;
- dilate blood vessels;
- remove excess salt from the body;
- prevent the formation of blood clots.
Collection and subsequent storage
The flowering of the chestnut tree lasts from May to June, and after its completion, green cocoons begin to appear among the fan-shaped leaves, completely covered with long and sharp spikes. In them are hidden fruits (seeds), similar to nuts, which have healing qualities. The healing properties of horse chestnut have been known for a very long time. Since time immemorial, folk healers have used not only its fruits, but also the bark, roots, flowers and leaves of this tree. We will talk about how to properly collect and store them later in the article.
First, the fruits (seeds) of the chestnut must be cleaned of pericarp and dried. To do this, they are laid out on some flat surface with a layer of no higher than 5 cm. So the raw materials will be dried for three or four weeks. In order to speed up this process, you can use a special dryer, setting the temperature in it to 40-60 ° C. In this case, it will be possible to reduce it to two or three days. With the right technology for drying fruits, their shelf life is extended to two years. At the same time, they should have a shiny surface, rich brown color (except for a gray spot on the side), as well as an astringent taste.
Horse chestnut foliage can be harvested all season, starting in May and ending in September. The main thing is to have time to collect it before it starts to turn yellow. If foliage is collected from one tree, then this can be done at the end of summer. Experts recommend using only young trees that have grown no more than 2-3 meters in height for these purposes. Loss of 1/3 of all the foliage on it will not do any harm to the plant.
Raw materials must be dried under a canopy or in a room with good ventilation. It should be spread out in a layer whose thickness does not exceed 10 cm. In order to reduce the drying time, in the first days the foliage must be turned over twice a day. It can be stored for one year, provided that everything was done correctly. It is very simple to check by taking a leaf and bending its petiole. It should break easily, and the raw material itself should remain green and have a pleasant, barely perceptible aroma.
Horse chestnut bark is harvested in spring, when the pruning of trees has already been completed. It is removed from branches whose age is from 3 to 5 years. You can dry it either in the attic or in a well-ventilated area. It is recommended to store bark no more than one year.
How to plant a tree
To collect raw materials, it is best to have your own plant. For planting, a one- or two-year-old tree is suitable. It is necessary to dig a hole with a depth and width of not more than half a meter. The removed earth needs to be mixed with sand and humus. You can also add a little nitrogen fertilizer and slaked lime to it.
Now you can lower the roots of the tree into the pit, cover the soil prepared with the method described above, forming a mound, and pour plenty of warm water on it. If the seedling is small and thin, it can be strengthened next to it with an stuck stick. The first inflorescence in a chestnut usually appears by 4-5 years.
What and what diseases is used
In the dry form, the fruits (seeds) of the tree are used as an effective diaphoretic and diuretic for colds. They are also indicated for atherosclerosis, varicose veins, diarrhea and thrombophlebitis. Fresh fruits can be used, for example, for malaria or chronic diarrhea, and when fried, for bleeding.
Chestnut foliage is used as an anti-inflammatory and painkiller for inflammation of the veins on the arms and legs, as well as for uterine bleeding.
Tree bark is used in the treatment of neuralgia and various rheumatic diseases. In addition, it is part of astringents and antipyretic drugs.
The flowers of the plant can be useful in the treatment of ulcers, hemorrhoids, prostate adenoma, endarteritis and radiation sickness. Also, this part of the tree can be used as grinding for rheumatism.
Is it possible to eat fruit
In the south of Europe, real chestnut grows, the nuts of which can be eaten boiled, fried and even raw. Their dried fruits are added to various pastries and sweets. It can also become a worthy substitute for natural coffee.
As for horse chestnut, its fruits have only an outward resemblance to real ones. Even the name given to him eloquently suggests that these nuts should not be eaten by people. Where it grows, its fruits are fed exclusively to domestic animals, and even then it is preliminarily ground into flour.
Properties of horse chestnut
They are well known and there are quite a lot of them:
- antithrombotic;
- anti-sclerotic;
- antioxidant;
- bactericidal;
- astringent;
- venotonic;
- antipyretic;
- hemostatic;
- diuretic;
- painkiller;
- antitumor;
- anti-inflammatory;
- sweatshops;
- decongestant;
- wound healing.
What drugs can be purchased at the pharmacy
Horse chestnut, as mentioned above, is part of not only folk remedies, but also medicines recognized and widely used in modern official medicine. They are freely sold in pharmacies without a prescription. But, despite this, before starting treatment with such medications, you must always consult a specialist.
In a pharmacy, horse chestnut can be sold in the form of drops, tablets, ointments, infusions, gels, extracts and balms. Most often, such drugs consist of several main components at once. For example, in the ointment, in addition to chestnut, there are also grape leaves, mint and products of the relict ginkgo tree. All these plants are designed to increase the healing effect of the main biocomponent. The ointment is used to treat both thrombosis, varicose veins and edema, and after injuries.
Horse chestnut extract is attributed to patients suffering from venous insufficiency, as well as muscle pain, cramps and hemorrhoids. In addition, the drug can be used as a prophylactic. Doctors recommend it to their patients with thrombophlebitis, stroke and atherosclerosis. The drug has the name "Aescusan." By the way, it can be sold in various pharmaceutical forms.
Gel and ointment based on horse chestnut, the price of which is currently about 180-220 rubles, can be purchased at almost any pharmacy. In the form of tablets (40 pieces), the drug will cost from 100 to 160 rubles. A bottle with drops of 20 milliliters will cost 100-140 rubles. Drug prices may vary depending on the size of the trade margin and the location of the pharmacy.
Traditional medicine recipes
Here are just a few of them:
- Chestnut tincture. To prepare it, you will need 20 g of raw materials, which are poured with half a liter of vodka. Insist 14 days. Apply with diseased joints, rubbing them with the resulting composition 2 times a day.
- A decoction of chestnut bark. To prepare it, take one tablespoon of raw material and pour 200-250 ml of freshly boiled water into it. Put on fire and cook no more than a minute, after which they cover and leave for one hour. The broth must be filtered before use. It is taken with a cough caused by diseases such as bronchitis, tuberculosis and pneumonia. With SARS, such a decoction gargles and rinses the nose.
- Horse chestnut tincture applied externally. To do this, you need already ripened fruits along with the peel. To prepare one liter of tincture, you need to twist in a meat grinder 300 g of nuts, and then transfer them to a glass container and pour vodka. The resulting mixture is put in a dark place for a period of 7 days. This tool helps with the deposition of salts, thrombophlebitis, muscle inflammation and radiculitis.
