Chestnut tincture: medicinal properties and contraindications

The benefits and harms of horse chestnut tincture are of interest to modern science. The effective use of the tree's fruits in alternative medicine has aroused curiosity among scientists. Today, chestnut seeds are effectively used to prepare medications and are prescribed for therapeutic purposes to treat pathologies of various body systems.

The benefits and harms of chestnut tincture

The ability of horse chestnut to have a positive effect on body systems is due to its structure. The seeds of the tree contain a high concentration of saponins (escin), tannins, vitamin composition (C, K, B1, A), pectins, glycosides, fraxin.All parts of a plant are valuable. Flowers are also rich in rutin and pectin.

The medicinal properties of horse chestnut are used for varicose veins in conservative medicine. Based on the extract of the plant’s fruits, pharmacological agents are prepared that restore venous vessels, tonic, and eliminate inflammatory processes. Horse chestnut in medicinal forms is widely used by vascular surgeons to obtain venoprotective, antithrombic effects that improve blood circulation in small veins.

Alternative medicine has been drawing on the invaluable properties of horse chestnut for many centuries, as it has the power to:

  • tone the veins, accelerate the movement of blood in the bloodstream;
  • prevent the formation of blood clots, make the blood less thick and viscous;
  • eliminate pain;
  • regenerate tissue in lesions;
  • have a bactericidal effect;
  • have a diuretic effect, relieve swelling;
  • eliminate fever, have a diaphoretic effect;
  • stop the development of atherosclerosis, remove “bad” cholesterol, dissolve cholesterol plugs;
  • have an antioxidant effect, cleanse from toxic compounds;
  • reduce capillary permeability, stop bleeding;
  • normalize the acidity of gastric juice, improve digestion;
  • have an astringent effect;
  • reduce blood pressure;
  • get rid of purulent foci, accelerate the process of tissue regeneration in case of burns and frostbite.

Horse chestnut tincture and other medicinal forms have been used effectively since the 18th century to treat malaria, fevers, and dysentery. They cured varicose veins and gout.The German doctor Hufeland recommended using chestnut bark to eliminate diarrhea, hemorrhoids, and gynecological diseases. Kneipp used the seeds of the plant to treat veins, the digestive system, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Horse chestnut tincture began to appear in official medicine in 1866 and had a wide spectrum of action.

Today, pharmaceutical companies produce medicines in the form of tinctures, ointments, drops, tablets, injections, suppositories, based on bark, leaves, inflorescences, and seeds. Homeopathic remedies from horse chestnut are prescribed for the treatment of trophic ulcers, nasopharyngeal catarrh, and hemorrhoids.

What does chestnut tincture help with?

Correct use of horse chestnut tincture makes it possible to feel the effect in various pathologies.

The drug is effective for the following vascular diseases:

  • varicose veins;
  • venostasis;
  • thrombophlebitis;
  • vascular sclerosis;
  • blood viscosity;
  • the likelihood of blood clots.

Applicable for the following joint conditions:

  • inflammatory processes;
  • soreness and swelling;
  • rheumatism;
  • arthritis;
  • arthrosis

Helps with the following pathologies of the heart and blood vessels:

  • high blood viscosity;
  • high levels of “bad” cholesterol;
  • angina pectoris;
  • risk of heart attack;
  • arterial hypertension.

The compositions are also effective for diseases of the digestive system, hemorrhoids, and gynecological diseases.

The benefits of horse chestnut tincture have been noted in the treatment of lesions with Koch's bacillus, cancerous tumors, and leukemia.

Important! The medicinal substance cannot be used as a primary substance. It is included in therapeutic treatment regimens as an auxiliary drug if the doctor considers it appropriate.

How to prepare horse chestnut tincture

There are many ways to prepare horse chestnut tincture. Recipes may vary depending on the purpose of the product. The most popular is chestnut tincture with vodka and alcohol; mixes with additional inclusions are also allowed.

Horse chestnut tincture with vodka

Horse chestnut infused with vodka does not process the main component, therefore, all useful substances are preserved in full. The recipe for preparing the dosage form is not difficult, and the result is a composition that can be used internally and externally.

For preparation you will need:

  • plant seeds – 50 g;
  • vodka - half a liter.

Algorithm of actions:

  1. All fruits are crushed without removing the brown rind and placed in a glass container.
  2. Vodka is poured into the chestnut mass.
  3. Keep in a dark room for about two weeks, shake periodically.
  4. The treatment course is recommended to last 21 days, orally (three times a day).
Important! Horse chestnut tincture is not classified as alcoholic beverages. It is intended for therapeutic use only after consultation with a leading professional. It is worth noting that all components of the plant are used to prepare infusions: leaves, flowers, bark, peel, seeds.

Chestnut tincture with alcohol

Having prepared the medicine with alcohol, there is no doubt that the medicinal properties will remain for a long time. For preparation you will need:

  • seeds - 10 pieces;
  • alcohol 250 ml.

Algorithm of actions:

  1. Whole chestnut seeds are selected and placed in a glass container.
  2. Fill with alcohol.
  3. Set aside in a cool, dark place.
  4. Keep for 14 days.
  5. Pour into a dark glass container.

The tincture is most often used externally, but sometimes it is indicated for internal use. To do this, dilute 20 drops of the finished product in 30 ml of water, mix and take half an hour before meals. The course of therapy is designed for 3 weeks of daily use three times a day.

Alcohol tincture of chestnut with burdock juice

For childhood rheumatism, prepare a tincture with burdock extract for rubbing. For preparation you will need:

  • plant seeds - 1 cup:
  • burdock juice - 1 glass;
  • alcohol (40%) - 1 glass.

Algorithm of actions:

  1. Place chestnuts in a glass container and add burdock juice.
  2. Alcohol is poured in.
  3. Keep for 3 months in a cool, dark place.

In addition to eliminating rheumatic pain, the liquid relieves swelling and improves myocardial and vascular function. She can cope with gastritis, liver diseases, and gout.

How to take chestnut tincture

Horse chestnut tincture is used depending on the problem. This can be used internally or externally. Also, good results and quick action can be achieved by simultaneous application of the composition to the lesions and oral administration.

Using chestnut tincture with alcohol for joints

Joint pathologies cause pain, hyperemic areas and swelling appear. Some diseases cannot be completely cured, but annoying symptoms can be eliminated or significantly smoothed out without resorting to medications.

Chestnut tincture with vodka for joints is prepared as follows:

  1. Fresh chestnut seeds are cut into 4 parts.
  2. Pour alcohol so that all the fruits are covered.
  3. Keep it in the sun for 3 days.
  4. Insist for 40 days without access to light, in a cool place.

The result will not be long in coming if you rub your joints 2-3 times a day; it is also recommended to apply compresses for 2-3 hours. In addition to external use, you can add internal use - 35 drops, before meals.

Chestnut tincture for varicose veins

The use of tincture reduces the permeability of vessel walls, thins the blood, and prevents the development of blood clots. The main direction in therapy is varicose veins, but it is effectively used for the following pathologies:

  • venostasis;
  • thrombophlebitis;
  • vascular sclerotic changes;
  • retinal vein thrombosis.

To get the effect of the horse chestnut tincture prepared according to the recipe for varicose veins, you must use the product correctly. Soak a compress in the tincture and apply it to painful areas overnight. A simple manipulation quickly relieves pain. Duration of therapy is a week, break is 3 months. As a result, it is possible to get rid of the blue tint of the skin, pain, and swelling.

It is also recommended to use compresses simultaneously with the internal use of horse chestnut tincture.

Important! The medicine is used daily, 35 drops before meals.

To relieve tension in the legs, smooth out the feeling of heaviness, and improve the condition of the veins, it is recommended to feel the healing properties of horse chestnut for varicose veins by consuming 30 drops of the tincture before each meal, daily. At the same time, it will be useful to apply the composition to the affected areas.

Important! Intensive rubbing when using alcohol tincture is not allowed.

With regular use, they notice an improvement in blood circulation and the condition of the venous walls.

Chestnut tincture with alcohol for thrombophlebitis

With thrombophlebitis, blood concentration is disrupted, it becomes viscous and thick. Subsequently, this phenomenon leads to the formation of blood clots. A tincture for the treatment of thrombophlebitis is prepared as follows:

  1. The seeds are crushed using any available method.
  2. The pulp is transferred to a glass container.
  3. For 300 g of substance, add 1 liter of vodka.
  4. Leave for a week without access to light.

All non-traditional methods of treatment have a cumulative effect, so the result from using the product will be more reliable if you use the tincture regularly.

The use of chestnut tincture with vodka for gastrointestinal diseases

The structure of horse chestnut contains a lot of useful substances that help improve digestion and stop pathological processes. It alleviates the symptoms of gastritis, cholecystitis, and regulates intestinal function better than medications.

Tincture of horse chestnut fruits for diseases of the cardiovascular system

By making capillary walls stronger, lowering blood concentrations, and reducing levels of “bad” cholesterol, the tincture improves heart function and relieves angina. It is an excellent preventive measure that prevents heart attack and hypertension.

Precautionary measures

The seeds of the plant are saturated with potent components. This was mainly the reason why chestnut was excluded from food products. The fruits are unsuitable for food, as they are excessively bitter and astringent, and can cause intoxication. Ingestion of fruits is possible only in the form of decoctions and tinctures.

When using horse chestnut tincture for the first time, it is important to carefully monitor changes in sensations and local reactions to the substance.

Important! Individual immunity is a reason to refuse treatment with drugs that include chestnuts.

Taking a course of therapy with this drug against the background of concomitant pathologies may well provoke complications. Unconventional methods of treatment often suppress or enhance the effect of the active substance of pharmaceutical drugs.

Important! The use of horse chestnut tinctures should be discussed with your doctor for additional recommendations.

Contraindications to horse chestnut infusion

Horse chestnut tincture at home, prepared with alcohol or vodka, as well as industrial preparations with an identical composition, have a number of contraindications that should be taken into account so as not to aggravate the existing situation. The remedy is unacceptable in the following cases:

  • period of bearing a child;
  • lactation;
  • atonic constipation;
  • low pressure;
  • gastritis in acute hypocidal form;
  • poor blood clotting, decreased prothrombin;
  • children under 16 years of age;
  • alcoholism;
  • heavy bleeding during menstruation.

People who take horse chestnut tincture for a long time should inform their doctor about this, and also periodically conduct blood tests for prothrombin. The medicinal properties of horse chestnut tincture are varied and contraindications cannot be compared, but they should be taken into account and, if necessary, the chosen treatment tactics should be cancelled.

Terms and conditions of storage

Horse chestnut tincture is prepared with alcohol or vodka, which significantly extends the shelf life. If the product is stored in cool, dry conditions, there are no restrictions on the use of the remedy.If the room is exposed to sunlight and the temperature is not maintained, the tincture should be consumed within two years.

Reviews of horse chestnut tincture

Igor Vladimirovich, 57 years old, Mariupol.
After 40 years, my joints began to bother me. Since I am not a fan of treatment with tablets, I began to prepare a vodka tincture from the skins of the fruits. A neighbor recommended a recipe for chestnut tincture for joints, for which I am grateful to him. During exacerbations in the spring and autumn-winter period, I rub my legs and elbow joints, shoulders - the result is felt in 10 minutes.
Vera, 24 years old, Orel.
A tincture of chestnuts with vodka for joints appeared in our family when my mother’s gout worsened. I use it to rub muscles with severe fever. This way you can get rid of aching pain and improve your quality of life after intense physical activity.
Leonid, 59 years old, Tver.
I got varicose veins from professional weightlifting. I eliminate any concerns that the blood vessels create for me with fruit-based products. Externally I prefer to use ointments, internally - a tincture based on the plant. A very good alternative to chemicals of questionable effect.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of chestnut tincture are incommensurable, but require a careful approach to treatment and health. Distant ancestors knew about the effectiveness of the plant, but contraindications cannot be ignored. The best decision before starting a course of treatment is to consult a doctor. Deviations from the norm in the general condition are a reason to consult a specialist.

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