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Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link


Botanical Name	:	Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link
English Name	:	Common Broom, Scotch broom
Synonym(s)	:	Spartium scoparium (Linn.), Genista scoparius (Lam.), Sarothamnus scoparius (Koch).
Family	:	Fabaceae

General Info

Description

A large open perennial shrub to 10 feet, often looking tangled. Twig slender, green, angled and grooved, tips often die back; buds very small. Bark greenish brown, smooth but becoming shallowly fissured with lighter strips. Leaves alternate, palmately compound, 3 leaflets, entire leaf 1/2 to 1 inch across, dark green above, paler and fuzzy below. Flowers monoecious; large, 1 inch long, pea-like and bright yellow, appearing in late spring and early summer. Fruits: flat pods 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, fuzzy edges, brown when ripe in late summer.

Herb Effects

Narcotic, cathartic and strongly diuretic (plant); cardiotonic, cathartic, diuretic, emetic and vasoconstrictor (seeds or young herbaceous tips of flowering shoots)

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Chemistry

Active Ingredients

Beta-sitosterol, cytisine, L-DOPA, linoleic acid, lupanine (seed); dopamine, orientin, quercetin, scoparin, sparteine, tyramine (plant); esculetin, genistein, hyperoside, luteolin, tannin, vitexin, xanthophyll (flower)

Chemistry of Active Ingredients

Name

CAS#

IUPAC Name

Formula

Structure

Beta-sitosterol

5779-62-4

17-(5-ethyl-6-methyl
-heptan-2-yl)-10,13-
dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9
,11,12,14, 15,16,17
-dodecahydro-1H-cycl
openta[a]phenanthren
-3-ol

C₂₉H₅₀O

Cytisine

6047-01-4

Not Available

C₁₁H₁₄N₂O

L-DOPA

Not Available

2-amino-3-(3,4-dihyd
roxyphenyl)-propanoi
c acid

C₉H₁₁NO₄

Linoleic acid

8024-22-4

Octadeca-9,12-dienoi
c acid

C₁₈H₃₂O₂

Lupanine

550-90-3

Not Available

C₁₅H₂₄N₂O

Dopamine

62-31-7

4-(2-aminoethyl)benz
ene-1,2-diol

C₈H₁₁NO₂

Orientin

28608-75-5

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-4,7-dihydroxy-8-
[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-
(hydroxyme thyl)oxa
n-2-yl]-chromen-5-on
e

C₂₁H₂₀O₁₁

Quercetin

Not Available

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-3,4,5-trihydroxy
-chromen-7-one

C₁₅H₁₀O₇

Scoparin

301-16-6

5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-h
ydroxy-3-methoxy-phe
nyl)-8-[3,4,5-trihyd
roxy-6-(hydroxymethy
l)oxan-2-yl]chromen-
4-one

C₂₂H₂₂O₁₁

Sparteine

26071-07-8

N,2-dihydroxy-3-meth
yl-benzamide

C₈H₉NO₃

Tyramine

60-19-5

4-(2-aminoethyl)phen
ol

C₈H₁₁NO

Esculetin

Not Available

2,6-dihydroxychromen
-7-one

C₉H₆O₄

Genistein

446-72-0

4,5-dihydroxy-3-(4-h
ydroxyphenyl)-chrome
n-7-one

C₁₅H₁₀O₅

Hyperoside

482-36-0

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-4,5-dihydroxy-3-
[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-
(hydroxyme thyl)oxa
n-2-yl]oxy-chromen-7
-one

C₂₁H₂₀O₁₂

Luteolin

Not Available

2-(3,4-dihydroxyphen
yl)-4,5-dihydroxy-ch
romen-7-one

C₁₅H₁₀O₆

Tannin

1401-55-4

Not Available

C₂₇H₂₂O₁₈

Vitexin

521-33-5

4,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-h
ydroxyphenyl)-8-[3,4
,5-trihydroxy-6-(hyd
roxymethyl )oxan-2-
yl]-chromen-5-one

C₂₁H₂₀O₁₀

Xanthophyll

34445-91-5

4-[18-(4-hydroxy-2,6
,6-trimethyl-1-cyclo
hexenyl)-3,7,12,16-t
etramethyl -octadec
a-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15
,17-nonaenyl]-3,5,5-
trimethyl-cyclohex-2
-e n-1-ol

C₄₀H₅₆O₂

Pharmacology

Medicinal Use

The plant is used internally in the treatment of heart complaints, stimulates urine production and thus countering fluid retention. Since broom causes the muscles of the uterus to contract, it has been used to prevent blood loss after childbirth. A compound decoction of Broom is recommended in herbal medicine as of much benefit in bladder and kidney affections, as well as in chronic dropsy.

Contraindication

When acute renal inflammation is present, it should not be given. This herb should not be prescribed to pregnant women. Also contraindicated in cardiopathy and high blood pressure. Any treatment with this plant should only be carried out under expert supervision.

Reference

James A Duke and Maryl Fulton. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs - 2nd Edition, P: 657-658, CRC Press July 2002.

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