Alternative Medicinal Use of Horse Chestnut

Aesculus hippocastanum is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is a large deciduous, synoecious (hermaphroditic-flowered) tree, commonly known as horse-chestnut or conker tree. Horse chestnut is a tree. Its seed, bark, flower, and leaves are used to make medicine. Horse chestnut contains significant amounts of a poison called esculin and can cause death if eaten raw.

Horse chestnut seed extracts are most commonly taken by mouth to treat varicose veins and other circulatory problems that can cause the legs to swell. There is currently no good scientific research to support the use of horse chestnut for other conditions.

Horse chestnut contains a substance that thins the blood. It also makes it harder for fluid to leak out of veins and capillaries and weakly promotes fluid loss through the urine to help prevent water retention. Horse chestnut seed extract may improve venous tone by improving blood flow in your legs. Additionally, it may help decrease leg swelling and pain associated with varicose veins.

Benefits

Horse chestnut has been used in alternative medicine and is likely effective in treating some symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency (decreased blood flow return from the feet and legs back to the heart). These symptoms include leg pain or tenderness, varicose veins, itching or swelling in the legs, and fluid retention (puffy or swollen ankles or feet).

Other uses not proven with research have included fever, cough, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, enlarged prostate, menstrual cramps, and swelling caused by arthritis, sprains, or bone fractures. It is not certain whether horse chestnut is effective in treating any medical condition. Medicinal use of this product has not been approved by the FDA. Horse chestnut should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor.

Horse chestnut is often sold as an herbal supplement. There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.

Side Effects

Unprocessed horse chestnut seeds contain a compound called aesculin, which is considered unsafe to ingest by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Signs of poisoning include depression, muscle twitching, paralysis, coma, and death. For this reason, avoid ingesting unprocessed horse chestnut seeds.

Reported side effects of horse chestnut seed extract are mild and include digestion issues, upset stomach, dizziness, headache, and itching. Additionally, there have been reports of allergic reactions when horse chestnut extract was applied to the skin.

Horse chestnut extract may interact with the following medications: Blood thinners: Horse chestnut may slow blood clotting and increase the effects of blood thinners like Coumadin, Insulin or oral diabetes medicine: Horse chestnut may lower blood sugar and cause levels to become too low if taken with diabetes medication. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Horse chestnut may reduce the absorption of NSAIDs, which are drugs used to treat inflammation and Lithium: Horse chestnut may have a diuretic effect, which could delay how fast your body processes lithium, a medication used to treat psychiatric disorders.

Medicinal Use of Marsh Mallow

Althaea officinalis, or marsh-mallow, is a perennial species indigenous to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, which is used in herbalism and as an ornamental plant. A confection made from the root since ancient Egyptian times evolved into today's marshmallow treat, but most modern marshmallow treats no longer contain any marsh-mallow root.

Marshmallow is a type of confectionery that is typically made from sugar, water and gelatin whipped to a squishy consistency. It is used as a filling in baking, or commonly molded into shapes and coated with corn starch. This is the modern version of a medicinal confection made from Althaea officinalis, the marshmallow plant.

The marshmallow plant has a history of use in herbal medicine. The ancient Greeks were the first to write about the medicinal properties of the herb, which has been used to treat wounds, reduce inflammation, cure toothaches and soothe sore throats by many cultures throughout history. It has also been relied on as a food source during times of famine, even though the plant itself did not taste like candy.

However, when mixed with something sweet, the sap of the plant made for a natural ingredient in making confections. The ancient Egyptians mixed the sap with honey and nuts, a treat they reserved for the nobility. But something resembling the marshmallows we eat today came much later, in 1850s France, when sugar was more accessible.

Uses

Marshmallow leaf and root are commonly used by mouth to treat stomach ulcers, diarrhea, swelling of the stomach lining, pain and swelling of the mucous membranes that line the respiratory tract and constipation. But there is limited scientific evidence to support these and other uses. They are also used in the treatment of sores, skin inflammation, burns, wounds, insect bites, chapped skin, diarrhea, constipation, stomach and intestinal ulcers, irritation of the mouth and throat, dry cough and other conditions.

The common mallow is frequently called "marshmallow" in colloquial terms, but the true marshmallow is distinguished from all the other mallows growing in Great Britain by the numerous divisions of the outer calyx (six to nine cleft), by the hoary down which thickly clothes the stems and foliage, and by the numerous panicles of blush-coloured flowers, paler than the common mallow. The roots are perennial, thick, long and tapering, very tough and pliant, whitish yellow outside, white and fibrous within.

Medicinal use

The leaves, flowers and the root of A. officinalis (marshmallow) have been used in traditional herbal medicine. This use is reflected in the name of the genus, which comes from the Greek word (althein), meaning "to heal”. Marshmallow was traditionally used as relief for irritation of mucous membranes, including use as a gargle for mouth and throat ulcers and gastric ulcers. In Russia, the root syrup is sold without a prescription by pharmacies, with intent to treat minor respiratory ailments.

Side Effects

Marshmallow is likely safe for most people when taken by mouth. In some people, it might cause low blood sugar levels. Marshmallow is possibly safe when applied directly to the skin. Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of marshmallow during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

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