Horse chestnut

Generic name: Horse Chestnut
Brand names: Venastat
Dosage form: oral capsule (300 mg)
Drug class: Herbal products

Usage of Horse chestnut

Horse chestnut is a plant also known as Aescin, Aesculus hippocastanum, Buckeye, Castaño de Indias, Châtaignier de Mer, Châtaignier des Chevaux, Escine, Faux-Châtaignier, Hippocastani, Hippocastanum Vulgare Gaertn, Marron Europeen, Marronnier, Spanish Chestnut, Venostasin Retard, Venostat, White Chestnut, and other names.

Horse chestnut has been used in alternative medicine and is likely effective in treating some symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency (decreased blood flow return from the feet and legs back to the heart). These symptoms include leg pain or tenderness, varicose veins, itching or swelling in the legs, and fluid retention (puffy or swollen ankles or feet).

Other uses not proven with research have included fever, cough, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, enlarged prostate, menstrual cramps, and swelling caused by arthritis, sprains, or bone fractures.

It is not certain whether horse chestnut is effective in treating any medical condition. Medicinal use of this product has not been approved by the FDA. Horse chestnut should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor.

Horse chestnut is often sold as an herbal supplement. There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.

Horse chestnut may also be used for purposes not listed in this product guide.

Horse chestnut side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Although not all side effects are known, horse chestnut is thought to be possibly safe when taken for a short period of time.

Stop using horse chestnut and call your healthcare provider at once if you have:

severe skin redness, swelling, itching, or rash.

Common side effects of horse chestnut may include:

upset stomach;

headache, dizziness; or

itching

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Horse chestnut

Before using horse chestnut, talk to your healthcare provider. You may not be able to use horse chestnut if you have certain medical conditions, such as:

a bleeding or blood clotting disorder (horse chestnut can thin your blood);

diabetes (horse chestnut may cause low blood sugar);

kidney disease;

liver disease;

a stomach or intestinal disorder;

congestive heart disease;

epilepsy;

asthma;

migraine headaches; or

if you are allergic to latex.

It is not known whether horse chestnut will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this product if you are pregnant.

Horse chestnut may pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this product if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without medical advice.

Relate drugs

Warnings

Follow all directions on the product label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

What other drugs will affect Horse chestnut

Do not take horse chestnut without medical advice if you are using any of the following medications:

insulin or oral diabetes medicine;

medicines to prevent blood clots--clopidogrel (Plavix), dalteparin, Enoxaparin, heparin, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), and others; or

an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug)--aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), Celecoxib, diclofenac, Indomethacin, Meloxicam, and others.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with horse chestnut, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this product guide.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.