Bitterroot Restoration

Aesculus hippocastanum L. is a large deciduous tree. It is a flowering plant which native to a small area in the mountains of the Balkans in southeast Europe, in small areas in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Bulgaria (Pindus Mountains mixed forests and Balkan mixed forests).

Other common names: Hippocastanum, bongay, Horse-chestnut, Conker tree, etc.

Medicinal Uses

• Aesculus hippocastanum is an astringent, anti-inflammatory herb that helps to tone the vein walls which, when slack or distended, may become varicose, haemorrhoidal or otherwise problematic.
• This plant is potentially toxic if ingested and should not be used internally without professional supervision.
• This plant can reduces fluid retention by increasing the permeability of the capillaries and allowing the re-absorption of excess fluid back into the circulatory system.
• The bark of this plant is anti-inflammatory, astringent, diuretic, febrifuge, narcotic, tonic and vasoconstrictive. It is harvested in the spring and dried for later use.
• The plant is taken in small doses internally for the treatment of a wide range of venous diseases, including hardening of the arteries, leg ulcers, haemorrhoids, varicose veins, phlebitis, and frostbite.
• The pericarp is peripherally vasoconstrictive.
• The seeds are decongestant, expectorant and tonic. They have been used in the treatment of rheumatism, neuralgia and haemorrhoids. They are said to be narcotic and that 10 grains of the nut are equal to 3 grains of opium.
• It is also made into a lotion or gel for external application.
• A tea made from the bark is used in the treatment of malaria and dysentery, externally in the treatment of lupus and skin ulcers. A tea made from the leaves is tonic and is used in the treatment of fevers and whooping cough.
• An oil extracted from the seeds has been used externally as a treatment for rheumatism.
• A compound of the powdered roots is analgesic and has been used to treat chest pains.