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Dietary supplement

Horse-Chestnut Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Village Vitality

Liquid Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Horse-Chestnut is a dietary supplement by Village Vitality with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for chronic venous insufficiency, leg swelling and heaviness, varicose veins.Based on those ingredients, 122 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are certified organic Horsechestnut. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Horse-Chestnut by Village Vitality

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: certified organic horsechestnut seed extract. The liquid formulation also includes grain alcohol and deionized water as inactive ingredients.

Does it work?

Moderate evidence
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Moderate

Some clinical evidence supports this product's ingredients for its stated purpose, but it isn't conclusive.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: circulation and vein health support.
  • We looked for evidence on: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), Hemorrhoids, Postoperative swelling, varicose veins, leg edema, venous congestion.
  • The strongest evidence on file: Horse Chestnut is rated "Possibly Effective" for Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) (Natural Medicines).
  • Also on file: Horse Chestnut is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Hemorrhoids, Postoperative swelling.

Horsechestnut is possibly effective for chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) — a condition in which veins in the legs have trouble returning blood to the heart, often causing swelling and discomfort. The evidence for hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, and kidney stones is insufficient; there isn't enough reliable data to know whether it works for those uses.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Horse Chestnut

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Properly processed horsechestnut seed extract — with the toxic compound esculin removed — is generally well tolerated when taken by mouth. The most common side effects are dizziness, gastrointestinal upset, headache, and itching.

Raw plant parts are toxic and should be avoided. A thorough safety evaluation hasn't been completed, and there is one case report of a serious heart condition (pericardial effusion) in someone who consumed large amounts over weeks; the connection to horsechestnut is uncertain but possible.

Additionally, calf spasms have been reported in patients taking the extract for vein problems. Pregnancy and breastfeeding: There isn't enough safety information, so horsechestnut is best avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about what's appropriate for your situation.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Horse Chestnut

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Horse Chestnut.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs.
  • For scale: 122 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before you take this product, double-check with your pharmacist or doctor if you use any anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications — that includes blood thinners like warfarin and aspirin, or any other drug meant to prevent clots. Horse chestnut may increase bleeding risk when combined with these.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence for its stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

If you have chronic venous insufficiency and aren't on a blood thinner, horsechestnut may be worth considering — the evidence is modest but it's used for this purpose. If you take anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting; the risk of increased bleeding is real.

Pregnant or breastfeeding? The safety data isn't there, so discuss this with your healthcare provider first.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Mar 24, 2020.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Horse-Chestnut, straight from the product label.

Brand Village Vitality
Barcode (UPC) 788332066511
Net contents 1 Fluid Ounce(s); 30 mL
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Mar 24, 2020
DSLD ID 215838
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Liquid
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Women (not pregnant or lactating)
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Horse-Chestnut by Village Vitality, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
0.167 mL
Maximum serving Sizes:
0.5 mL
Servings per container
30
UPC/BARCODE
788332066511
IngredientAmount% DV
certified organic Horsechestnut500 mg--

Other ingredients: Grain Alcohol, deionized Water

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested Use: 5-15 drops in water or juice, 2-3 times daily, or as needed. Shake well before using.

Precautions

Warning: Do not take during pregnancy.

Keep out of the reach of children.

FDA Statement of Identity

Herbal Supplement

See for yourself

Horse-Chestnut by Village Vitality label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Horse-Chestnut by Village Vitality

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size0.167 mL Dosage formLiquid Servings per container30 Amounts shown are per serving.

Certified organic Horsechestnut

Interacts with
122 drugs
500 mg per serving

Horse chestnut seed extract is most often used for chronic venous insufficiency, where standardized products may help reduce leg swelling, pain, and h...

Certified organic Horsechestnut monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Grain Alcohol, Deionized Water. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Horse-Chestnut by Village Vitality Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Horse-Chestnut?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
122Drugs
122 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Horse-Chestnut with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

certified organic Horsechestnut1 drug type · 122 drugs

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Horse chestnut may have antiplatelet effects and may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Horse chestnut contains the constituent esculin which has been shown to have antithrombotic effects. Therefore, horse chestnut might have antiplatelet effects. This has not been shown in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Horse-Chestnut, from the product label.

Village Vitality

See all Village Vitality products
Name
Woodstock Apothecary
Street Address
79 Tinker Street
City
Woodstock
State
NY
ZipCode
12498
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Horse-Chestnut by Village Vitality: Common Questions

Does Horse-Chestnut by Village Vitality interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Horse-Chestnut has a known interaction with 122 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Horse-Chestnut contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
What is horsechestnut used for?
Horsechestnut is possibly effective for chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) — a condition where veins in the legs have trouble returning blood, causing swelling and heaviness. For hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, and kidney stones, there isn't enough reliable evidence to say whether it works.
Is this safe to take if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
No. There isn't enough safety information available, so horsechestnut is best avoided during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether it's right for you.
What are the most common side effects?
When taken as a properly processed seed extract, the most common side effects are dizziness, upset stomach, headache, and itching. Calf spasms have also been reported in some people taking it for vein problems. A complete safety review hasn't been done, so other effects may exist.
Does horsechestnut thin the blood?
Horsechestnut contains a compound that may have blood-thinning effects, which is why it shouldn't be combined with anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications without your doctor's approval. This effect hasn't been proven in humans, but it's taken seriously enough to warrant caution.
Can I take this if I'm on aspirin or warfarin?
Not without checking with your doctor or pharmacist first. Horsechestnut may increase bleeding risk when combined with blood thinners or anti-clotting drugs. Use the medication checker on this page to see if your specific medication is a concern, then discuss it with your healthcare provider.
What's in this liquid formulation besides the active ingredient?
The product contains grain alcohol and deionized water as inactive ingredients. The active ingredient is certified organic horsechestnut seed extract.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Horse-Chestnut is safe with your meds?

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Horse-Chestnut label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Horse-Chestnut's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 21 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Horse Chestnut 21 references
  1. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
  2. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
  3. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  4. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  5. Greeske K, Pohlmann BK. Horse chestnut seed extract-an effective therapy principle in general practice. Drug therapy of chronic venous insufficiency. Fortschr Med 1996;114:196-200.
  6. Robbers JE, Tyler VE. Tyler's Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals. New York, NY: The Haworth Herbal Press, 1999.
  7. Takegoshi K, Tohyama T, Okuda K, et al. A case of Venoplant-induced hepatic injury. Gastroenterol Jpn 1986;21:62-5.
  8. Jaspersen-Schib R, Theus L, Guirguis-Oeschger M, et al. [Serious plant poisonings in Switzerland 1966-1994. Case analysis from the Swiss Toxicology Information Center]. Schweiz Med Wochenschr 1996;126:1085-98.
  9. Popp W, Horak F, Jager S, et al. Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) pollen: a frequent cause of allergic sensitization in urban children. Allergy 1992;47:380-3.
  10. Diaz-Perales A, Collada C, Blanco C, et al. Cross-reactions in the latex-fruit syndrome: A relevant role of chitinases but not of complex asparagine-linked glycans. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;104:681-7. PubMed
  11. Blanco C, Diaz-Perales A, Collada C, et al. Class I chitinases as potential panallergens involved in the latex-fruit syndrome. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:507-13. PubMed
  12. Comaish JS, Kersey PJ. Contact dermatitis to extract of horse chestnut (esculin). Contact Dermatitis 1980;6:150-1. PubMed
  13. Pittler MH, Ernst E. Horse chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 3, 2004. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PubMed
  14. Ottillinger, B. and Greeske, K. Rational therapy of chronic venous insufficiency--chances and limits of the therapeutic use of horse-chestnut seeds extract. BMC.Cardiovasc.Disord. 2001;1(1):5. PubMed
  15. Pittler, M. H. and Ernst, E. Horse chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency. Cochrane.Database.Syst.Rev. 2004;(2):CD003230. PubMed
  16. Fang, Y., Zhao, L., Yan, F., Xia, X., Xu, D., and Cui, X. Escin improves sperm quality in male patients with varicocele-associated infertility. Phytomedicine. 2010;17(3-4):192-196. PubMed
  17. De Smet, P. A., Van den Eertwegh, A. J., Lesterhuis, W., and Stricker, B. H. Hepatotoxicity associated with herbal tablets. BMJ 7-13-1996;313(7049):92.
  18. Rehn, D., Unkauf, M., Klein, P., Jost, V., and Lucker, P. W. Comparative clinical efficacy and tolerability of oxerutins and horse chestnut extract in patients with chronic venous insufficiency. Arzneimittelforschung 1996;46(5):483-487.
  19. Edem E, Kahyaoglu B, Çakar MA. Acute Effusive Pericarditis due to Horse Chestnut Consumption. Am J Case Rep. 2016;17:305-8. PubMed
  20. Costa Santos D, Lérias G, Madruga I. Drug-induced Liver Injury Due to a Horse Chestnut Dietary Supplement. Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2021;8(3):002389. PubMed
  21. Yi HY, Lee JY. Poisoning due to consumption of horse chestnut seed. Clin Exp Emerg Med 2021;8(4):333-335. PubMed

See these in context on the Horse Chestnut monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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