Aesculus Hippo

The horse chestnut tree, whose conkers are traditionally used in homoeopathy for piles with low backache and for sluggish, congested veins.

Aesculus hippocastanum is the horse chestnut, a large shade tree native to the Balkans and widely planted in parks. It carries upright candles of white flowers in spring and spiny green cases holding glossy brown seeds, or conkers. The raw seeds are poisonous; homoeopathy uses them only in specially prepared form.

Its traditional sphere is congested veins, especially of the lower bowel. Homoeopaths turn to it for piles that ache more than they bleed, a rectum that feels dry and full, as if of small sticks, and a dull ache in the low back and hips that makes walking tiring. Varicose veins also fall within its range.

• Piles
• Low backache
• Varicose veins
• Rectal fullness