Want to learn how to make horse chestnut tincture and how to use it medicinally? Continue reading and find out.
The therapeutic qualities of horse chestnuts have been confirmed by modern scientists. Laboratory analysis of horse chestnuts revealed a fascinating array of healing compounds, including saponins, escin, tannins, afrodicin, and several bitter principles. In the early 1990s, French scientists discovered that escin found in chestnuts protects collagen and elastin, the main proteins in the structure of blood vessels.
This explains their beneficial effects on the circulatory system: they tone and repair damaged veins and capillaries, improve blood flow, and enhance the functioning of the heart and brain. But before we jump to the recipe, here is how to harvest horse chestnut first.
In This Article You Will Find:
How to Harvest Horse Chestnuts
Autumn is the season for harvesting horse chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum). Simply pick them up from the ground, but be sure to select only healthy ones, avoiding any that are bruised or soft. After removing their green husks, spread the chestnuts in a thick 10-15 cm layer in a well-ventilated space to dry for three weeks. During this time, turn them occasionally to prevent mold. You can also dry them artificially in the oven. Keep them at 40°C for one hour, then increase the temperature to 60°C to finish drying. Once they’re dry and crumbly, store them in cloth or paper bags, or prepare them for immediate use.
Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), should not be confused with the red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), whose seeds are toxic due to their hydrocyanic acid content. The difference between the two species is easy to recognize: as the name suggests, the flowers of the red buckeye chestnut are red, and its green fruits lack the spiky husks tipical to the horse chestnut.
How to Make Horse Chestnut Tincture
This is the most effective remedy made from horse chestnuts. To prepare the tincture, place 20 g of coarsely ground chestnuts into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and add 100 ml of 70-proof food-grade alcohol. Seal the jar and let the mixture macerate for 10 days, shaking it 3-4 times a day. After this period, strain the mixture and allow it to settle in the refrigerator for another 6 days. Finally, filter it again, and transfer the resulting tincture into amber glass bottles.
How to Use Horse Chestnut Tincture
- Varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, hemorrhoids, skin rashes – the recommended dosage is 20-30 drops dissolved in water, taken 2-3 times a day before each meal. The treatment should last for two or three weeks, and if necessary, it can be repeated after a 7-day break. The tincture is recommended for treating both internal and external hemorrhoids, reducing varicose veins, and has remarkable effects in cases of chronic venous insufficiency. It is also an adjuvant for gout, rheumatism, and sciatica.
- Thrombophlebitis, thrombosis – put 40 freshly picked well-crushed (with the shells included) horse chestnuts into a jar. Pour 80-proof food-grade alcohol over them until covered, leaving a 2-3 finger-width layer of liquid above them. Seal the jar and let the tincture macerate for 20 days, then strain it. The dosage is one teaspoon four times a day for one month.
- Prostate hypertrophy – macerate 50 g of ground horse chestnut bark or finely chopped horse chestnut shells in 150 ml of concentrated food alcohol for 10 days. Shake several times a day. Strain the tincture, transfer it into an amber glass bottle, and seal it. The dosage is 10 drops daily.
- Hemorrhoids and varicose veins (topical) – combine 20 g of horse chestnut tincture with pork lard to create an ointment, and applied directly to the affected area on the external hemorrhoids. For varicose veins, combine 20 g of horse chestnut tincture with 60 g of lanolin to create an ointment. Apply it to the affected areas, massaging gently for best results.
- Relieve pain caused by varicose ulcers, frostbite, fractures, and sprains – first, prepare a horse chestnut extraction by heating 100 ml of horse chestnut tincture in a double boiler until the liquid reduces to about one-third of the original volume (25-30 ml). Mix this concentrated tincture with medicinal clay to form a thin paste. Spread the paste on a piece of gauze and apply it to the affected area without wrapping tightly. For best results, keep the poultice on for 30 minutes.
Horse chestnut tincture is a highly effective natural remedy for muscle cramps or spasms caused by poor blood circulation, that happen especially at night. They become less frequent and may even go away by taking 20-40 drops of horse chestnut tincture before bedtime.
Horse Chestnut Safety and Contraindications
Internal use of horse chestnut preparations is not recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding and for people suffering from liver or kidney problems.
More Horse Chestnut Recipes:
Decoction
Flour
Salve
Syrup
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