There are many ways to treat venous insufficiency . This is also known as varicose veins. Horse chestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum) is used to treat vascular system problems. Chestnuts during the holiday time are edible but Horse Chestnuts are NOT edible . The seeds of horse chestnut are slightly poisonous and NOT recommended to be eaten The poison called esculin.
In addition to the venous insufficiency issues, Horse chestnut has other uses. Horse chestnut leaf is used for eczema, menstrual pain, soft tissue swelling from bone fracture and sprains, cough , and arthritis
Horse chestnut branch bark is used for malaraia and dysentery. I would recommend Wormwood or Artesmesia species for malaria
Some people apply horse chestnut branch bark to the skin in a patient with systemic lupus