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Aesculus hippocastanum

Toxic🐾

Gewöhnliche Rosskastanie · (Aesculus hippocastanum)

Soapberry family (Sapindaceae)

Description

Large, fan-shaped palmate leaves and upright, candle-like clusters of white to pale pink flowers characterise this deciduous tree from the soapberry family, a familiar sight along avenues and in parks across Central Europe. In autumn, spiny fruit capsules split open to reveal glossy brown seeds — the well-known conkers. These contain aescin, a mixture of triterpene glycosides that the EMA recognises as 'well-established use' in standardised extracts for the symptomatic treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. In folk practice, bark tinctures were also applied externally to swollen legs. WARNING: raw seeds, bark, leaves and roots are toxic and must never be self-extracted — only standardised commercial preparations are suitable for use; conkers are also toxic to dogs.

  • TinctureSeedInternalEMA well-established

    Standardised horse chestnut seed extract (EMA well-established use) for symptomatic treatment of chronic venous insufficiency — lead compound aescin.

    Preparation & dosage

    STANDARDISED SEED EXTRACT (EMA well-established use): Standardised dry extracts of horse chestnut seed, calculated as 16–20 % triterpene glycosides (aescin) (e.g. AESCORIN forte, Venostasin retard, horse chestnut extract capsules), DER 4–7:1. Daily dose 100 mg aescin, split into 2 doses (morning and evening), preferably with meals and sufficient fluid. Sustained-release formulations preferred over immediate-release (better tolerability). Indication: symptomatic treatment of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) — leg oedema, heaviness, pain, pruritus, nocturnal calf cramps. Effect onset after 4–8 weeks of regular use. CAUTION: Raw seeds are toxic — use only standardised finished preparations, NEVER self-extract.

    Liquid amount
    1–3 ml
    Doses per day
    2×
    Max duration
    12 weeks

    ⚠ Age restriction: ≥ 18 years — Per EMA, adults only — insufficient safety data for children/adolescents under 18.

    Sources: [1] [2] [3]

  • CompressSeedExternalTraditional use

    Topical aescin gel or bark compress for venous insufficiency, leg oedema and tired, heavy legs.

    Preparation & dosage

    TOPICAL APPLICATION (standardised gel/cream): Finished vein gels or creams with 2 % aescin applied 2–3× daily to affected leg areas (lower leg, ankle), massaged gently towards the heart. Do not apply to open wounds or mucous membranes. Traditionally also as a compress with boiled, cooled bark decoction (1:20, simmer 10 min) on swollen, tired legs — soak cloth in liquid, apply for 15–20 min. Regular use over several weeks is recommended.

    Sources: [1] [3] [4]

  • TinctureBarkExternalFolk medicine

    Folk bark tincture for topical application to swollen legs and varicosities; internal use not recommended.

    Preparation & dosage

    BARK TINCTURE (folk, external only): Young branch bark strips (spring, before leaves fully open) macerated 1:5 in 40–60 % ethanol for 2–4 weeks, filtered. Apply undiluted to tired, swollen legs 2× daily as a rub. Traditionally used for haemorrhoids as salve or suppository base. Internal use of bark tincture NOT recommended — insufficient standardisation, no safety data, potentially toxic.

    Liquid amount
    2–5 ml
    Doses per day
    2×
    Max duration
    4 weeks

    Sources: [5] [6] [7]

  • BathSeedExternalTraditional use

    Traditional foot or full bath from chestnut decoction for varicose veins, venous congestion and tired, swollen legs.

    Preparation & dosage

    FOOT BATH / FULL BATH (traditional): For a footbath, simmer 4–6 crushed raw or dried horse chestnuts (shells removed) in 1 L water for 20 minutes (decoction), strain, add to footbath tub and fill to ~10 L with warm water (38–40 °C). Foot soak for 15–20 min. For a full bath, scale decoction from 20–30 chestnuts. Traditionally for varicose veins, tired legs, haemorrhoids (sitz bath). Traditional use — not a substitute for standardised extract. Discard chestnuts after bathing, do not process or eat them.

    Sources: [4] [5] [6]

  • SalveSeedExternalCommission E

    Aescin-containing vein creams and gels (Kommission E, positive) for topical treatment of CVI, haemorrhoids and bruising.

    Preparation & dosage

    AESCIN SALVE / VEIN OIL (Kommission E): Finished preparations containing 2 % aescin (gel, cream, lotion) applied 2–3× daily to the affected skin area. Massage gently — direction from distal to proximal (ankle → knee → thigh) to support lymph and venous return. Use adjunctively with compression stockings (additive effect on oedema reduction). Own preparation: 1–2 % aescin dry extract in shea butter/beeswax base — only with PHARMACEUTICAL-GRADE aescin, never self-extract from raw chestnuts.

    Sources: [1] [2] [3]

  • CompressFlowerExternalFolk medicine

    Folk flower compress for swollen joints, bruising and overexerted muscles.

    Preparation & dosage

    FLOWER COMPRESS (folk): 2–3 tbsp fresh or dried horse chestnut flowers in 500 ml hot water, steep 15 min, strain, cool to skin temperature. Soak a clean cloth and apply as a wet compress on swollen joints or bruises (20–30 min). Folk use also for muscle soreness after physical exertion. Evidence purely empirical — no clinical studies on flower compresses.

    Sources: [5] [6]

Historical documentation only — do NOT use

These internal applications are historically documented. This plant is highly toxic — self-treatment can cause severe poisoning or death. For documentation only, explicitly NOT a recommendation.

  • TeaLeafInternalFolk medicine

    Folk leaf tea for cold complaints, fever and as spring tonic — no standardised medical application.

    Preparation & dosage

    LEAF TEA (folk): 1–2 tsp dried finely cut horse chestnut leaves in 250 ml boiling water, steep covered 10 min, strain. Up to 2 cups daily. Folk use for fever, catarrh, cold complaints and as 'blood-purifying' spring tea. NO adequate scientific evidence — adjunctive folk use only. Leaves contain coumarins and flavonoids but are not standardised for therapeutic purposes. For persistent complaints beyond 2 weeks: medical evaluation.

    Dry amount
    1–2 g
    Doses per day
    2×
    Max duration
    2 weeks

    Sources: [5] [6] [7]

  • TinctureSeedInternalTraditional use

    Phytotherapeutic seed liquid extracts as finished preparation for CVI — standardised products only, no self-extraction.

    Preparation & dosage

    PHYTOTHERAPEUTIC TINCTURE (finished preparation only!): Liquid extracts and tinctures of horse chestnut seed (e.g. Aesculuforce, Arkocaps) as finished products with defined aescin content (typically 1.5–3 mg aescin/ml). 1–2 ml 3× daily with water. Self-made seed tinctures are NOT safe — aescin content and toxicity uncontrollable. Use in adults only, after exclusion of deep vein thrombosis. No continuous use beyond 8 weeks without medical supervision.

    Liquid amount
    1–2 ml
    Doses per day
    3×
    Max duration
    8 weeks

    ⚠ Age restriction: ≥ 18 years — Adults only. Not recommended for children under 18 per EMA.

    Sources: [1] [3] [4]

Distribution in Europe

DEENFRESBG