Horse chestnut - medicinal properties and contraindications

A horse chestnut tree can be seen long before approaching it - it is so spreading and deciduous. Chestnut is widespread in central Russia - trees can be found in almost any forest-park zone, grove, near water bodies. The origin of the name "Horse" is not so clear. According to one version, horse chestnut was called just because it served as feed for horses. Another version claims that people gave a similar name to chestnut to distinguish fruit from another, edible chestnut. Still others claim that the name of the chestnut owes its sparkling and rich brown color, which resembles the side of a bay horse.

Anyway, the horse chestnut has densely entered our life, we often see chestnut trees and fruits. But many of us do not even realize how much chestnut can be useful.From it prepare tinctures and decoctions, make lotions and compresses, get rid of various ailments. Today we talk about the medicinal properties and contraindications of horse chestnut.

Horse chestnut has a rich composition. It contains vitamin A, B, C and K, organic acids, coumarin, fats, starch, flavonoids, pectin, tannins, calcium, iron, chromium, iodine, All chestnut nutrients are dispersed throughout the tree - not only fruits themselves, but also seeds, tree bark, leaves, inflorescences, etc. For the impact on each organ of a person using different parts of the tree.

How to collect raw materials for drugs

Horse chestnut is one of the strongest, but at the same time contradictory fruits. If you collect the medicinal raw materials correctly, it can get rid of many serious health problems, not worse than expensive drugs. If, however, it is illiterate to do this, the medicine may be useless or even be poison.

Collect fruits, bark, leaves and inflorescences of horse chestnut need to be away from the city, highways and large populated areas. A tree that grows in a forest, in the mountains, away from roads and industrial plants is best suited. The first thing you need to collect inflorescences, when chestnut blooms - in May.Flowers should be picked, laid out in direct sunlight and dried in a ventilated and warm place for a couple of days. Store in a canvas bag. The bark is also collected in the spring, when the first juices begin to gather under it. It is better to cut the bark from young branches, and then carefully dry it in the sun. The bark is stored no more than a year, then it gradually loses its useful properties. Leaves can be collected at almost any time - from the appearance of young leaves and until they turn yellow. But the fruits are suitable only ripe - as soon as they begin to fall to the ground. The green, unripe chestnut fruit can be dangerous.

Useful properties and use of horse chestnut

Horse chestnut has many different properties. When properly applied, it removes excess water from the body, anesthetizes, stops and dilutes the blood, lowers the temperature, and disinfects wounds. From chestnut can make a lot of useful drugs that will relieve from various diseases.

1. Phlebeurysm. Most often chestnuts are used to prepare drugs specifically for this disease.A decoction of fruits and inflorescences perfectly dilutes the blood, protects against the formation of blood clots, increases the elasticity of blood vessels. Due to this, the veins begin to work better, the blood in the legs does not stagnate. With regular use of horse chestnut-based medication, you can get rid of spider veins and significantly improve the condition of the veins. In the fight against varicose veins, the juice of fresh inflorescences is used, and a decoction of crushed chestnut fruits - both externally in the form of lotions, and inwards to thin the blood.
2. Antiseptic properties. Since chestnut is a powerful bactericidal plant, antiseptic decoctions are prepared from its parts. Best of all for such solutions are suitable fruits and leaves of chestnut. They need to pour boiling water and let it brew for about two hours. Then the broth must be drained and used to treat wounds, abrasions, ulcers, boils. With a solution you can rinse the mouth with diseases of the ENT organs. Pure broth can be dripped into the ear and even into the eyes to get rid of inflammation. Stomatitis, gingivitis - all this can be cured with the help of horse chestnut decoction.
3. Sinusitis Horse chestnut has one remarkable property - it pulls out the stagnant mucus and pus. And it is so necessary for sinusitis.From young chestnuts need to cut small turundochku size nostrils in the form of peanuts. Dampen the carved figurines in honey and plug both nostrils. After some time, the patient begins to sneeze strongly, the entire contents of the maxillary sinuses will begin to go outside. You need to do this procedure once a day. After 3-4 days, the patient's condition will significantly improve, and in a week the sinusitis will be completely cured.
4. Cough. Horse chestnut is excellent for the respiratory system. It gently liquefies phlegm, takes it out, suppresses and soothes a dry barking cough. Used in the fight against tracheitis, bronchitis, whooping cough and even pneumonia. To do this, three times a day to take a decoction of the fruit or bark of chestnut in half a glass inside. A decoction of chestnut can be used as inhalation. A chest can be spread with chestnut-based ointment. Fruits for the preparation of ointments need to grind, mix with camphor oil and pork fat. Before going to bed, grease the sternum with the prepared composition - this will help to warm up and the cough will recede. This ointment is also very effective against neuralgia.
5. Digestive organs. Horse chestnut decoction is effective for diarrhea and various problems with the removal of bile. It is used to treat the liver and pancreas.
6. For muscles and joints. Horse chestnut perfectly warms and relaxes muscles, joints. It is effective in rheumatism, arthritis, various injuries.
7. For women's health. Since chestnut has a hemostatic effect, drugs based on it allow you to more quickly cope with intrauterine bleeding. Several centuries ago, a chestnut decoction was necessarily given to women after childbirth to protect it from heavy bleeding. Chestnut perfectly relieves inflammation, so it can be used for external use - to do vaginal douching, etc. Horse chestnut is very effective in mastopathy - tincture and decoction eliminate inflammation, dissolve the tumor, normalize hormones, restore blood circulation and the outflow of lymphoid fluid in the mammary glands. In case of mastopathy, horse chestnut based medications should be taken both inside and outside.
8. For men's health. Horse chestnut is very useful for men's health.Its regular consumption can protect a strong half of humanity from varicocele disease - varicose veins of the spermatic cord and testicles. In addition, horse chestnut suppresses inflammation of the prostate gland, stops an increase in prostate adenoma.

The use of horse chestnut is very, very diverse. Even in ancient times, it was observed that crushed chestnut powder has a calming effect. If you add it to milk or tea with honey, sleep will be strong, long and fruitful. Regular consumption of small amounts of chestnut will allow you to improve your performance, concentrate, be less nervous and distracted.

In the 18th century, chestnut tincture was used in the fight against malaria and dysentery. Chestnut perfectly stops diarrhea, relieves inflammation, suppresses a colony of pathogens. Moreover, the decoction of chestnut leaves perfectly relieves fever. Already at that time, the useful properties of chestnut against varicose veins were known, open trophic ulcers were sprinkled with ground chestnut - they healed much faster.Gout patients made baths with chestnut decoction or tincture - this made it possible to quickly and effectively get rid of the symptoms of the disease.

Today, pharmaceutical companies provide consumers with ready-made and purified horse chestnut products in the form of ointments, tablets, and even solution for injections. As a rule, they are all indicated for use in diseases of the veins, blood vessels, thrombophlebitis, etc. The use of chestnut is also effective in hemorrhoids - it is prescribed a comprehensive (internal and local) treatment.

Horse chestnut tincture

If you want to get high-quality medicine that will be stored for a long time and will always be in ready-made form at your fingertips, prepare a tincture of chestnut fruit rind. Chestnuts need to be cleaned, and the peel to shift into a bottle of dark glass. Fill with raw materials to the top, and then pour with alcohol or vodka. Keep at least two weeks in a dark and cool place. Periodically shake the bottle to make the tincture more saturated. After a specified time, the composition must be filtered and put into the refrigerator. This tincture is stored for about a year.It is much more concentrated than decoction or juice of flowers. Take for varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, vascular diseases and hemorrhoids, 10 drops with water in the morning and evening.

Horse chestnut to treat hair and skin

Chestnut has taken its rightful place in cosmetology. It is part of many creams, gels and shampoos. Horse chestnut shampoos and shampoos make hair strong, strong, shiny and elastic. The shampoo is quite light, quickly washed off, promotes accelerated hair growth. Horse chestnut creams are also very popular. The drug has a beneficial effect on the capillaries and blood vessels, which allows you to get rid of spider veins, hematomas and dark circles under the eyes. The sucking effect of chestnut is used in the fight against cellulite - it perfectly removes fluid from the lymphoid tissues. Cream and masks based on horse chestnut rejuvenate and tone up the skin, making it more elastic and resilient, with constant use of the oval face tightened. Chestnut has bactericidal properties, so it is effectively used in the fight against acne, and even fungal skin of the scalp.Perfectly relieves dandruff and protects against hair loss.

Contraindications

Many wonder what kind of chestnut can you eat? No horse chestnut is eaten. Eat another type of chestnut - edible.Besides the fact that horse chestnut is bitter enough, it can even be poisonous. In the course you can put only the medicine prepared on its basis - tincture, extract, decoction, ointment, etc. Heal chestnut, be healthy and beautiful!

Video: How to make horse chestnut tincture