Aesculus Hippocastanum

Specific Indications. - Vascular engorgement, with dull, aching pain and fullness, throbbing of the vessels, and general malaise; visceral neuralgia; disturbances reflex from vascular congestion of the rectum.

Action and Therapy. - It is a remedy for congestion and engorgement, and not for active conditions. Uneasy and throbbing sensations, with dull, aching pain in any part of the body, but especially in the hepatic region, is an indication for it. It may be used for non-bleeding piles when full, purple and painful, with a feeling as if a foreign body is in the rectum; there may also be itching and heat, or simply a sense of uneasiness or discomfort.

The Eclectic Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics by Harvey Wickes Felter, M.D. (1922)

Side Effects and Cautions

Homemade preparations of horse chestnut should not be used. Raw horse chestnut seeds, leaves, bark, and flowers contain esculin, which is poisonous.

When properly processed, horse chestnut seed extract contains little or no esculin and is considered generally safe. However, the extract can cause some side effects, including itching, nausea, or gastrointestinal upset.

Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.