Horsetail is a member of the Equisetaceae family; the sole survivor of a line of plants going back three hundred million years. It is a descendant of ancient plants that grew as tall as trees during the carboniferous period of prehistoric times and members of this family gave rise to many of our coal deposits. Since being recommended by the Roman physician Galen, several cultures have employed horsetail as a folk remedy for kidney and bladder troubles, arthritis, bleeding ulcers, and tuberculosis. The Chinese use it to cool fevers and as a remedy for eye inflammations such as conjunctivitis and corneal disorders, dysentery, flu, swellings and haemorrhoids. Because of its content of silica, this plant is recommended when it is necessary for the body to repair bony tissues that are in not well condition, as a result of some traumatism or because of their own corporal decalcification. Silica helps to fix calcium, so that the body can store more quantity of this mineral and it is able to form stronger bones or tendons.