Sweet Chestnut
Castanea sativa · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (539 studies) · ★★★★★
Sweet Chestnut, scientifically known as Castanea sativa, is a versatile deciduous tree celebrated for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Renowned for its antioxidant-rich kernels and tannin-heavy bark, it has been traditionally used to support digestive health, promote skin healing, and reduce inflammation, offering a rich legacy in herbal medicine.
Names
Common Names
- Spanish Chestnut
- Sweet Chestnut
- European chestnut
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Regoldonas
- Regoldana
- castaño común
- castañeiro
- castaño macho
- castaño silvestre
- castaño molar
- Castanea vulgaris
- castaño real
- molso
- castaño regoldo
- Castano bravo
- castaño
- castaño regueldo
- castañar
- castaño bravo
- Castano silvestre
- castañal
- concho
- castañal bravo
- Morso
- Castaño salvaje
- castaño regoldano
- castaño salvaje
- castaño europeo
- morso
- castañu
- castaño común
- regoldo
- Castaño
- Castaño europeo
German:
- Edelkastanie
- Maronen
- Eßkastanie
- Ess-Kastanie
- Echte Kastanie
- Marroni
- Esskastanien
- Keschtn
- Esskastanie
- Edel-Kastanie
- Kastanie
- Edel-Kastanie
- Eßkastanie
- Marone
- Ess-Kastanie
- Edelkastanie
French:
- châtaignier commun
- Châtaignier européen
- Châtaignier commun
- châtaignier
- châtaignier commun
- Chataignier cultive
- Châtaignier
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Castanea sativaSynonyms
- Castanea sativa var. asplenifolia
- Fagus castanea var. variegata
- Castanea sativa f. asplenifolia
- Castanea sativa f. variegata
- Castanea sativa var. prolifera
- Castanea vesca var. subalpina
- Castanea sativa pyramidalis
- Castanea vesca var. variegata
- Castanea sativa var. pyramidalis
- Castanea vesca var. oblonga
- Castanea sativa f. pyramidalis
- Castanea sativa f. aureovariegata
- Castanea sativa f. fastigiata
- Castanea vesca var. domestica
- Castanea fastigiata
- Castanea vesca var. sativa
- Castanea sativa var. purpurea
- Castanea vesca var. media
- Castanea sativa f. purpurea
- Castanea sativa var. fastigiata
- Castanea vesca var. computensis
- Castanea vesca var. argentata
- Fagus castanea
- Castanea vesca var. dubia
- Castanea vesca var. vesubiana
- Castanea prolifera
- Castanea vesca var. rubra
- Castanea vesca var. garelia
- Castanea sativa f. discolor
- Castanea vesca var. nigra
- Castanea sativa var. hamulata
- Castanea vesca var. thyrsoidea
- Castanea sativa var. microcarpa
- Castanea vesca var. pilosa
- Castanea sativa f. prolifera
- Castanea vesca var. triangularis
- Castanea sativa var. spicata
- Castanea vesca var. hyacintha
- Castanea vesca var. christ
- Castanea vesca var. latissima
- Castanea vesca var. praecox
- Castanea vesca var. delserei
- Castanea vesca var. strictifolia
- Castanea vesca var. laciniata
- Castanea vesca var. parvifolia
- Castanea vesca var. elongata
- Castanea vesca var. albida
- Castanea vesca var. variabilis
- Castanea vesca var. echinata
- Castanea vesca var. lutea
- Castanea vesca var. aurata
- Castanea vesca var. tristis
- Castanea vesca var. siria
- Castanea vesca var. lineata
- Castanea vesca var. rufa
- Castanea vesca var. serotina
- Castanea vesca var. fructifera
- Castanea vesca var. corticata
- Castanea vesca var. marrona
- Castanea vesca var. affinis
- Castanea vesca var. fauraut
- Castanea vesca var. maxima
- Castanea vesca var. aureovirgata
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fagales and the family Fagaceae, it is classified under the genus Castanea.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fagales | WCVP |
| Family | Fagaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Castanea | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant, known as Castanea sativa, exhibits a specific presence across several regions in Northern Europe. Its geographical range includes the coastal and inland areas of Denmark. Furthermore, the species can be found growing throughout Great Britain and Ireland. It also extends its reach into the northern territories of Norway. Finally, its distribution encompasses the various landscapes of Sweden.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as the sweet chestnut, offers various therapeutic components derived from its different structures. The wood is highly valued not only for its durability in construction but also for its traditional use in medicinal preparations, such as decoctions used to treat certain inflammatory conditions. Additionally, the leaves contain bioactive compounds like tannins and flavonoids, which are frequently utilized in topical applications or infusions to aid in treating skin ailments and digestive issues.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | Recent patents on biotechnology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Castanea sativa has 65 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include cystine, ellagic acid, methionine, 4-O-Methylglucuronic acid, Ash.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| cystine | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ellagic acid | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methionine | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 4-O-Methylglucuronic acid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ash | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Betulin | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CALCIUM | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| COPPER | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Carotenoids | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Castalagin | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
cystine
- Dr. Duke
- Allergologia et immunopathologia
ellagic acid
- Dr. Duke
- Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
methionine
- Dr. Duke
- Allergologia et immunopathologia
4-O-Methylglucuronic acid
- Journal of natural products
Ash
- Dr. Duke
Betulin
- Dr. Duke
CALCIUM
- Dr. Duke
COPPER
- Dr. Duke
Carotenoids
- Journal of food biochemistry
Castalagin
- Dr. Duke
Activities
Castanea sativa has 450 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antioxidant, Hypoglycemic, Neuroprotective, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Hypoglycemic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Neuroprotective | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 11B-HSD-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ACE-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ATPase-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Abortifacient | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Absorbent | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Castanea sativa has 7 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include AIDS, Staphylococcus aureus, bacterial infections, cow's milk allergy, epidermoid carcinoma.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| AIDS | Planta medica (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Recent patents on biotechnology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bacterial infections | Recent patents on biotechnology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cow's milk allergy | Allergologia et immunopathologia (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| epidermoid carcinoma | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glioblastoma | Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lactose intolerance | Allergologia et immunopathologia (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| 224C extract | Recent patents on biotechnology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 224C-F2 | Recent patents on biotechnology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| crude methanol extracts called extracts 224 from the ground leaves | Recent patents on biotechnology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| delignified holocellulose alkaline extract | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| extracts | Die Pharmazie (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| wood extract | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |