Horse Chestnut seed extracts have a long use as a herbal remedy for what is termed venous insufficiency.
The condition, venous insufficiency refers to the medical situation whereby we suffer poor blood flow in the veins of our legs. It is a serious health problem for many as we age. It leads to leg pains, swelling (edema), itchiness and pruritis, hardening of the skin called dermatosclerosis and tiredness.
One assessment of seventeen randomised controlled trials has examined the role of horse chestnut seed extracts (Pittler & Ernst, 2012). The main active is escin.
The trial indicated an improvement in all those symptoms such as oedema, pruritis and leg pains when taken as capsules between two and sixteen seeks.
Few adverse events were recorded and if they were, they were mild and infrequent.
A number of skin lotions use this seed extract for improving blood flow especially to areas which are poorly served or have seen loss of blood vessels.
It is accepted however that larger, more complete studies are required to confirm efficacy for the seed extract in such treatments.
Reference
Cochrane (2012) Horse Chestnut seed Extract For Long-term Or Chronic Venous Insufficiency. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 11 CD003230. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003230.pub4 (Article).
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