Botanical Index No. 914

Scotch Broom

cytisus scoparius

Medicinal Actions

Anaesthetic, Antiarrhythmic, Antihemorrhagic, Bradycardic, Cardiodepressant, Cardiotonic, Depurative, Diuretic, Emetic, Euphoric, Hypertensive, Hypotensive, Laxative, Negative Chronotropic, Negative Inotropic, Oxytocic, Sympathomimetic, Tachycardic, Tonic, Uterotonic, Climacteric

Primary Conditions Treated

Abortifacient Anuria Poison Vasoconstrictor Abscess Ague Albuminuria Anasarca Angina Arrhythmia Arthrosis Ascites Bite Bleeding Bright’s Disease Bronchosis Cancer spleen Cardiopathy Childbirth Circulosis Congestion Cystosis Diphtheria Dropsy Dysmenorrhea Eczema Edema Gallstone Gingirrhagia Gout Gravel Headache Heart Hemophilia Hepatosis Herpes High Blood Pressure Hypotension Hypertony Jaundice Kidney Stone Low Blood Pressure Metrorrhagia Myalgia Nephrosis Neurosis Pain Palpitation Psoriasis Rheumatism Sciatica Scrofula Snakebite Splenomegaly Splenosis Sterility Swelling Tachycardia Toothache Tumor Water Retention

General Dosage

Level tsp chopped flower shoot/cup water 3–4 ×/day; 1–2 g dry tops as tea; 1–2 ml liquid top extract; 0.5–2 ml top tincture; 1–1.5 g dry herb; 2–4 ml liquid shoot extract; 4–8 ml concentrated shoot infusion; 8–15 ml concentrated shoot decoction.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2b, 3. Abortifacient. Bravely, Commission E says no known side effects or contraindications. A rather heroic herb I do not recommend, like CAN which says, “broom is not suitable for self medication.” Containing tyramine, it should not be used with MAOIs. Commission E reports flower contains only low level of alkaloids, so that toxic alkaloidal effects should not be expected. Contraindications: hypertension; Interactions: MAOIs. And as early as 1938, it was contraindicated in acute nephropathy. Sparteine was reported as a cardiac depressant. Also contraindicated in cardiopathy and high blood pressure. Contraindicated during pregnancy. Because sparteine is oxytocic, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. Here I see the oft-repeated anomaly, a low dose may have the opposite effect of high doses. Sparteine is more quinidine-like than digitalic, a powerful oxytocic once used to stimulate uterine constrictions. Sparteine sulphate can produce respiratory arrest. Sparteine is a negative chronotropic and a negative inotropic. Doses corresponding to >300 mg sparteine. May induce dizziness, headache, ocular palsy, palpitations, prickly sensations in the extremities, profuse sweating, sleepiness, and weakness of the legs. Flowers may contain 2% tyramine, a hypotensive, sympathomimetic, and vasoconstrictor. German experts consider broom on par with quinidine for arrhythmia. Madaus mentioned, as early as 1938, that genistein and sarothamnine’s activities were little know at that time. Ironically, Commission E approves this poisonous herb for functional heart and circulatory disorders, whereas the PDR indicates Commission E approval of the herb for hypertension, while contraindicating the herb and flower in high blood pressure. So, it even contradicts itself.

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