Family Name: Sapindaceae
Botanical Name(s): Aesculus hippocastanum
Popular Name(s): Hippocastanum vulgare, Common Horse-chestnut
Parts Used: Bark and fruit
Habitat: Horse Chestnut is found in Europe and Asia.
Description: Horse Chestnut is a large deciduous tree with a
grayish-green bark and grows to a height of 36 m. Its leaves are
opposite; palmately compound, with 5-7 leaflets, each having a length of
10-25 cm. Its flowers are mostly white, with a reddish tinge and the
fruits are in the form of green, softly spiky capsule which, generally,
contain one nut-like seeds called horse chestnuts.
Uses: Horse Chestnut bark has narcotic and febrifuge properties.
It is used in intermittent fevers and externally applied to ulcers. The
fruits are used in rheumatism, neuralgia and haemorrhoids.
