Does horse chestnut extract help patients with venous reflux disease?
Absolutely yes. Horse chestnut extract, taken as 300 mg doses twice daily has been shown to be as effective as wearing compression venous stockings in eliminating symptoms associated with this condition. Conservative therapy of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) consists largely of compression treatment with stocking garments. However, this often causes discomfort and has been associated with poor compliance. Therefore, oral drug treatment is an attractive option and researchers in the Cochrane Group have looked at the utility of using horse chestnut extract as an alternative. According to the Cochrane Group, “there appeared to be an improvement in chronic venous insufficiency, also known as venous reflux disease related signs and symptoms with the use of horse chestnut extract when compared with placebo”. The evidence presented implies that horse chestnut extract is an efficacious and safe short-term treatment for chronic venous reflux disease. More definitive treatment includes endov
