Venastat

Venastat is a plant also known as Aescin, Aesculus hippocastanum, Buckeye, Castaño de Indias, Châtaignier de Mer, Châtaignier des Chevaux, Escine, Faux-Châtaignier, Hippocastani, Hippocastanum Vulgare Gaertn, Marron Europeen, Marronnier, Spanish Chestnut, Venostasin Retard, Venostat, White Chestnut, and other names.

Venastat has been used in alternative medicine and is likely effective in treating some symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency (decreased blood flow return from the feet and legs back to the heart). These symptoms include leg pain or tenderness, varicose veins, itching or swelling in the legs, and fluid retention (puffy or swollen ankles or feet).

Other uses that have not been proven by research include fever, cough, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, enlarged prostate, menstrual cramps, and swelling caused by arthritis, sprains, or bone fractures.

It is not certain whether Venastat is effective in treating any medical condition. The FDA has not approved the medicinal use of this product. This medicine should not be used instead of medication prescribed by your doctor.

Venastat is often sold as an herbal supplement. There are no regulated manufacturing standards for many herbal products, and some supplements on the market have been found to contain toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be bought from a trustworthy source to reduce the risk of contamination.

Venastat may also be used for purposes not listed in this product guide.

When thinking about using herbal supplements, talk to your doctor. You may also want to consult someone who is trained in herbal/health supplements.

If you decide to use Venastat, follow the directions on the package or those given by your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider. Do not take more of this product than what is recommended on the label.

The usual dose of horse chestnut in capsule form is 1 capsule every 12 hours before a meal.

Take the capsule with a full glass of water.

Do not crush, chew, break, or open a Venastat capsule. Swallow it whole.

It is best to use a Venastat product that contains the exact amount of the labeled chemical. Check the label to ensure your product does not contain a harmful substance called "esculin."

It may take up to 4 weeks for your symptoms to improve. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not get better or if they worsen while using Venastat.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

Follow all directions on the product label and package.

Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

Before using Venastat, talk to your healthcare provider. You may not be able to use this medicine if you have certain medical conditions, such as:

• a bleeding or blood clotting disorder (Venastat can thin your blood);
• diabetes (Venastat may cause low blood sugar);
• kidney disease;
• liver disease;
• a stomach or intestinal disorder;
• congestive heart disease;
• epilepsy;
• asthma;
• migraine headaches; or
• if you are allergic to latex.

It is not known whether Venastat will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this product if you are pregnant.

Horse chestnut may pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this product if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without medical advice.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Although not all side effects are known, Venastat is thought to be possibly safe when taken for a short period of time.

Stop using Venastat and call your healthcare provider at once if you have:

• severe skin redness, swelling, itching, or rash.

Common side effects of Venastat may include:

• upset stomach;
• headache, dizziness; or
• itching.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Skip the missed dose if it is nearly time for your next dose. Do not take extra Venastat to compensate for the missed dose.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. The use of raw Venastat (seeds, flowers, stems, leaves) can cause fatal poisoning.

Signs of horse chestnut poisoning may include weakness, depressed mood, loss of coordination, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, little or no urinating, muscle twitching, or loss of movement in any part of the body.

Avoid the use of raw Venastat seed, bark, flower, or leaves. These items are not safe to take by mouth and may cause fatal side effects.

Avoid using Venastat together with other herbal/health supplements that can lower blood sugar, such as alpha-lipoic acid, chromium, devil's claw, fenugreek, garlic, guar gum, Panax ginseng, psyllium, Siberian ginseng, and others.

Avoid using Venastat together with herbal/health supplements that can also affect blood-clotting. This includes angelica (dong quai), capsicum, clove, danshen, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, panax ginseng, poplar, red clover, turmeric, and willow.

Do not take Venastat without medical advice if you are using any of the following medications:

• insulin or oral diabetes medicine;
• medicines to prevent blood clots--clopidogrel (Plavix), dalteparin, enoxaparin, heparin, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), and others; or
• an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug)--aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib, diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, and others.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with horse chestnut, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and Herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this product guide.