Horse Chestnut

Horse Chestnut
Aesculus hippocastanum L.
Hippocastanaceae Family

Description of Chestnut

Horse chestnut is a deciduous tree up to 35 m tall with dense, wide, spreading crown and powerful root system (depth up to 6 m). Trunk covered with grayish-brown bark, smooth on young branches, cracked on old. Buds large (up to 2.5 cm), sticky, with leathery scales. Leaves opposite, long-petioled (10–20 cm), palmately compound, 5–9-lobed, up to 25 cm diameter; leaflets sessile, obovate, acuminate, with uneven serrate edge, middle leaflet larger, young leaves reddish-hairy at vein bases. Flowers zygomorphic, white or white-pink, 1–2 cm, gathered in erect pyramidal panicles (20–30 cm); calyx bell-shaped, five-toothed; corolla of 4–5 free petals, two upper larger, bent, with yellow or pinkish spot and fringed edge; stamens 5–7 with red anthers; pistil with three-celled ovary. Fruit egg-shaped-oval three-valved capsule, 4–6 cm, with soft spines, contains 1–3 seeds (chestnuts), 1–4 cm, brown, angular-tuberculate, with leathery shell, gray spot and creamy cotyledons. No odor, taste sweetish-bitter. Flowering May–June, fruiting September–October.

 

Distribution and Ecology of Chestnut

Horse chestnut originates from Balkans (Greece, Albania), Asia Minor and Caucasus. Wild in mountain forests (500–1500 m above sea level) in Balkans and Transcaucasia. Cultivated in temperate zones of Europe, southern Russia, Central Asia, North America as ornamental in parks, gardens, boulevards. Prefers deep, fertile, well-drained soils (pH 5.5–7.0), moderately moist. Requires 6–8 hours sunlight, tolerates partial shade. Optimal growth temperature 15–25 °C, frost resistance to -25 °C. Propagated by seeds (autumn sowing, stratification 2–3 months) or cuttings. Seed yield: 50–100 kg/tree. Care: watering (10–20 L/tree every 7–10 days), organic fertilization (10–15 kg/tree), protection from powdery mildew and chestnut moth. Ecologically enriches soil with organic matter, but fallen leaves and fruits require cleanup due to toxicity. Can be invasive in warm regions with self-seeding.

 

Raw Materials from Chestnut

Raw materials: bark of young branches, leaves, flowers, fruit peel, seeds. Bark harvested spring (March–April) during sap flow, dried at 20–25 °C (yield 45–50%). Leaves collected May–June without petioles, dried in shade layer 2–3 cm (yield 20–22%). Flowers gathered May–June, sun-dried 1 day then shade (yield 15–17%). Fruit peel and seeds collected September–October at maturity, dried at 20–25 °C (yield: peel 10–15%, seeds 45–50%). Quality: bark mold-free, moisture <12%; leaves and flowers no darkening; seeds greening-free, germination ≥80%. Store bark, leaves, flowers in cloth bags (1–2 years), seeds in dry containers (1 year), peel in glass jars (2 years). Raw material faint odor, seeds bitter taste.

 

Chemical Composition of Chestnut

Bark: coumarins (esculin 3%, fraxin, scopolin, esculetin, fraxetin, scopoletin), saponin aescin (up to 5%, aglycone aescigenin), flavonoids (quercitrin, isoquercitrin, quercetin, kaempferol), tiglic acid, allantoin, glucose, tannins (5–7%), fatty oil. Leaves: flavonoids (quercitrin, isoquercitrin, quercetin, rutin, spireoside, astragalin), carotenoids (lutein, violaxanthin), tannins (3–5%). Flowers: flavonoids (quercitrin, isoquercitrin, quercetin, rutin, kaempferol), aescin, choline, purines (adenine, guanine, adenosine, uric acid), pectins. Seeds: aescin (up to 10%, with protoaescin, artrescine, barringtogenol), coumarins (esculin, fraxin), flavonoids (0.9%, bi- and triosides of quercetin and kaempferol, spireoside), starch (up to 62%), fatty oil (8%), proteins (10%), sugars (17%, glucose, xylose), glucuronic acid, organic acids, enzymes, vitamins (C, B, K), minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, selenium), tannins (2%), catechin tannins. Fruit peel: tannins, catechins. Seed caloric value: 130–150 kcal/100 g.

 

Uses and Benefits of Chestnut

Esculin and fraxin have anticoagulant properties (weaker than dicoumarol), increase antithrombin production. Aescin reduces blood viscosity, improves venous flow, decreases capillary permeability, has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Preparations from bark, leaves, flowers, seeds and peel used for varicose veins (including pregnancy), thrombophlebitis, thromboses (incl. retinal), hemorrhoids, venous stasis, trophic ulcers, atherosclerosis, arteritis, thromboembolism, arthritis, gout, rheumatism, neuralgia, myalgia. Bark improves digestion, astringent for diarrhea, gastritis, suppresses intestinal inflammatory secretion. Leaf (10%) and flower infusions help with uterine bleeding, gallbladder diseases, intestinal inflammations. Bark decoction antipyretic, wound-healing, used for baths in hemorrhoids and bandaging purulent wounds. Seed (Escuzan) and flower tinctures treat venous stasis, thrombophlebitis, hemorrhoids. Externally seed powder with camphor oil or fresh leaves for sciatica, neuralgia, rheumatism, skin inflammation. Homeopathic tinctures and ointments (10%) for same purposes.

 

Precautions for Using Chestnut

Tinctures and decoctions (>50 ml/day) may cause nausea, diarrhea due to aescin. Seeds in large doses (>10 g/day) toxic due to saponins, causing vomiting, convulsions. External tincture application requires dilution (1:1 with water) for sensitive skin. Give to children under 12 ≤10 ml/day preparations. Prolonged use (>2 months) may impair blood clotting due to esculin. Store seeds in dark (2–5 °C) to prevent spoilage. Do not combine preparations with anticoagulants (aspirin, warfarin) without doctor consultation.

 

Contraindications for Using Chestnut

Contraindicated in: hypotension, thrombocytopenia, peptic ulcer, pregnancy (I trimester), lactation, children under 3, allergy to Hippocastanaceae, renal or hepatic failure. External application prohibited on open wounds, eczema, psoriasis. Raw seeds and peel toxic due to aescin and coumarins. Do not combine with aspirin or warfarin.

 

Medicinal Recipes with Chestnut

1. Bark powder for diarrhea. Take 0.4–0.8 g powder every 2 hours for 5 days.
   
2. Bark infusion for diarrhea. Infuse 1 tsp bark in 400 ml boiled water 8 h, drink 50 ml 4 times daily for 5 days.
   
3. Bark decoction for thrombophlebitis. Boil 20 g bark in 200 ml water 10 min, drink 2 tbsp 3 times daily for 7 days.
   
4. Leaves and flowers decoction for hemorrhoids. Boil 10 g leaves or flowers in 200 ml water 10 min, use for baths (15 min) once daily for 7 days.
   
5. Flower juice for varicose. Take 25–30 drops juice in 1 tbsp water twice daily for 2 weeks.
   
6. Flower tincture for thrombophlebitis. Infuse 20 g flowers in 500 ml 40% ethanol 14 days, take 5–10 ml 3 times daily for 2–3 weeks.
   
7. Peel tincture for bleeding. Boil 15 g peel in 300 ml water 10 min, drink 50 ml twice daily for 7 days.
   
8. Seed tincture for arthritis. Infuse 50 g seeds in 500 ml 50% ethanol 15 days, take 30–40 drops 3 times daily for 3–4 weeks.
   
9. Compress for sciatica. Mix 5 g seed powder with 10 ml camphor oil, apply to cloth, hold 4 h for 5 days.
   
10. Mixture infusion for arthritis and gout. Infuse 15 g bark, 45 g linden and elder flowers in 200 ml boiling water 1 h, drink 200 ml twice daily for 2 weeks.
    

 

Cosmetic Uses of Chestnut

Used in cosmetology for aescin and flavonoids strengthening vessels and improving skin circulation.

1. Face mask. Mix 10 g seed powder with 1 tbsp honey, apply to face 15 min, rinse. Use once weekly.
   
2. Vascular toner. Infuse 20 g flowers in 200 ml boiling water 4 h, wipe skin twice daily for 2 weeks.
   
3. Compress for edema. Boil 15 g crushed bark in 300 ml water 10 min, soak gauze, apply 20 min for 5 days.
   
4. Massage oil. Infuse 30 g seeds in 100 ml olive oil 2 weeks, use for varicose massage once daily.
   

 

Culinary Uses of Chestnut

Horse chestnut seeds toxic raw, but edible cultivars (marrons, up to 20 g) edible after processing. Consumed boiled, fried, candied, in flour, coffee drinks, alcohol. Bread with 6% chestnut flour has red crust and pleasant taste. Store short (1–2 months at 0–5 °C).

1. Roasted chestnuts. Roast 200 g peeled marrons on dry pan 15 min, serve with honey.
   
2. Chestnut flour. Grind 300 g dried marrons, mix with 200 g wheat flour, bake bread at 180 °C 40 min.
   
3. Chestnut puree. Boil 250 g marrons 20 min, mash with 50 ml cream, serve as side.
   
4. Chestnut soup. Boil 200 g marrons, 1 carrot, 1 onion in 1 L broth 25 min, puree, add salt.
   

 

Other Properties of Chestnut

Ornamental for parks and landscaping. Bark and seeds used in dyeing and food industry (Europe, Transcaucasia). Fallen fruits and leaves toxic to animals.