Horse chestnut, which is also known as Aesculus hippocastanum or Venastat, is an herb that strengthens and increases the tone of the walls of the veins of the body, it also reduces swelling in the legs.

Although this herb is very popular in Europe, it is yet to be officially approved for use by the FDA in the USA, however not withstanding this fact, many hemorrhoid sufferers that have used this drug have found it to be very useful in relieving their symptoms.

European studies on horse chestnut found that it increased blood flow in veins and strengthened connective tissue. Aescin, which is the major ingredient of horse chestnut helps to strengthens venal walls, reduce inflammation, and improve blood circulation.

How can you use horse chestnut?

– It can be taken orally in capsular forms of 50- 300 mg twice daily or 600 mg of chestnut extract daily.

– It can be applied as horse chestnut cream topically to the hemorrhoid swelling.

You should never consume or use the raw nut form of horse chestnut, it is very poisonous. The most common form is horse chestnut seed extract standardized at 16-20% aescin.

What are the precautions you must take when you are using this herb?

1 – You should not consume the raw forms of horse chestnuts. The seeds, flowers, leaves, and bark contain a poisonous ingredient called esculin. This highly toxic form of horse chestnuts can lead to poisoning and death.

These are the symptoms of horse chestnut poisoning that you must watch out for: vomiting, diarrhea, headache, paralysis, coma, confusion and coordination problems, muscle twitching.

2 – This herb should not be taken with drugs that increase the risk of bleeding, for example, aspirin ibuprofen, and other blood thinners as the raw horse chestnut further increases the risk of excessive bleeding.

3 – Do not give this herb to children under the age of 18 years, some children have died after eating raw horse chestnut seeds or tea made from horse chestnut leaves and twigs.

4 – Do not give the herb to pregnant women, do not give the herb to women with a history of infertility.

5 – Do not use the herb when you are breast feeding.

6 – Horse chestnut has also been associated with liver and kidney toxicity. If you suffer from any kind of blood disorder, or are prone to bleeding, don\’t take this herb without the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional.

7 – If you suffer from diabetes, hypoglycemia, or other low-blood-sugar related conditions, don\’t take horse chestnut without the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider

8 – When properly processed, horse chestnut seed extract contains little or no esculin. Only take high-quality, or a standardized grade, horse chestnut seed extract purchased from a reputable health supplements supplier. Then, read the directions on the label and follow them. Don\’t exceed the recommended dosage.

Because of the many precautions and the potential side effects associated with taking horse chestnut seed extract, it is highly advisable that you discuss with your healthcare provider before you use it. Even the properly processed and standardized extract can result in side effects, such as itching or nausea, it can also cause allergic reactions characterized by dizziness, difficulty in breathing, itchy rash, or swelling.

Although the use of horse chestnut is very good natural piles remedy, it should be used the right way to prevent further worsening of the condition of the sufferer.

So are there other safer and effective natural cures for piles?

Author Bio: Yes there are, and you are invited to www.hemroidsolution.blogspot.com to discover safer and more effective natural hemorrhoid remedies. Finally click here to download a free book on natural hemorrhoid cures.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
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