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Sabinsa
Corporation is proud to introduce Venocin™, Sabinsa’s
proprietary name for Horse chestnut extract. Two different
grades of Venocin™ are available: an oral grade
standardized to contain a minimum of 20% escin (for oral
administration) and a cosmetic grade standardized to contain
a minimum of 90% escin (for topical application). Both
extracts are obtained from the seeds of the Horse chestnut
(Aesculus hippocastanum L.) tree.
The Horse chestnut tree, indigenous to Asia and northern
Greece, is now cultivated in many areas of Europe and
North America. The fruit is made up of a spiny capsule
containing one to three large seeds. Traditionally,
the seeds, leaves, and bark, were used in medicinal
preparations. More recently, horse chestnut extract
(HCSE) is valued as a nutritional supplement beneficial
to circulatory health. Horse chestnut seed extract is
the traditional remedy for "chronic venous insufficiency"
(CVI), varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and phlebitis (inflammation
of the veins) in Europe, where the extract has been
subjected to a number of clinical trials.1
The principal biologically active component of HCSE
extract is escin, a triterpenic saponin mixture. It
is known to help maintain healthy blood circulation
and strengthen the capillaries and veins. HCSE is clinically
proven to be beneficial to people suffering from varicose
veins, spider veins, hemorrhoids and related circulatory
problems or "chronic venous insufficiency".
A healthy circulatory system is important to general
health maintenance. Thousands of tiny capillaries converging
into veins and arteries wind their way through the human
body carrying blood that transports vital oxygen, nutrients,
enzymes, hormones and other biological essentials. If
the walls of these blood vessels are damaged due to
oxidative deterioration, a sedentary lifestyle, or factors
such as over or under nutrition, the individual develops
dilated and swollen veins.
In the United States, varicose veins are reported to
affect over 50% of middle-aged adults.2
In literature, several causative factors are reported
for CVI, varicose veins, spider veins and hemorrhoids2,3:
- Weakness of the veins or venous valves due to genetic
factors,
- Excessive venous pressure due to straining during
defecation (often induced by a low fiber diet),
- Long periods of standing, and/or heavy lifting leading
to strain in the limbs,
- Damage to the veins or venous valves due to inflammation,
- Weakness of the vascular walls due to loss of structural
integrity of the connective tissues.
European researchers have conducted a number of clinical
studies over the past few decades. Pittler and Ernst4,5
summarized these studies in a literature review to evaluate
the evidence for or against the use of HCSE and isolated
escin in the management of venous insufficiency.
Placebo-controlled trials suggest that treatment of
CVI with Horse chestnut seed extract was effective in
decreasing lower-leg volume and calf and ankle circumference
in the subjects and offered protection against edema.
The capillary filtration rate in patients who received
HSCE was enhanced by 22% in one study. All five of the
randomized control trials demonstrated the effectiveness
of HCSE in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency.
Evidence of the efficacy and safety of various formulations
of topical escin has been obtained in preclinical and
clinical studies. Over thirteen clinical studies were
performed in Europe.6-8
Sources:
- Blumenthal M., Busse W.R., Goldberg A., et al, eds.
(1998) The Complete Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic
Guide to Herbal Medicines. Boston, MA: Integrative
Medicine Communications, 148-149.
- Murray, M.T. (1999) Medicine Online, July. http://www.nat-med.com/
- Vanhoutte, P.M., et al. (1997) Angiology 48(7):559-67.
- Pittler, M.H. and Ernst, E. (1998) Arch. Dermatol.,
134:1356-60.
- Apgar, B. (1999) American Family Physician, March
15, pp. 1623.
- Calabrese, C. and Preston, P. (1993) Planta Medica
59:394-397.
- Rehr, D. et al. (1996) Arzneim-Forsch/Drug Res.
46(1):483-487.
- Bombardelli, E., et al. (1989) Fitoterapia 60,
Supplemento al n. 1, 39.
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