Fabaceae
Broom Herb
Cytisus scoparius
✗ High Risk
Avoid in Pregnancy
Native to: Europe, Western Asia
Also known as: Scotch Broom, Common Broom, Broomtops
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
Parts Used
FlowerTwig tip
Therapeutic Uses
Cardiac arrhythmias and hypotension (sparteine), circulatory hypotension. REQUIRES PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION — cardiac alkaloids.
Herbal Actions
Cardiac (sparteine — antiarrhythmic, positive inotrope), diuretic, oxytocic, hypertensive
Active Constituents
Alkaloids (sparteine — primary oxytocic/cardiac, lupanine, sarothamine), flavonoids (scoparin, vitexin, sarothamnoside), amines (tyramine — hypertensive)
Preparation Methods
🏺 Tincture
Traditional Preparation Notes
| Herbal Tea | NOT recommended — sparteine variable concentration |
| Tincture | 0.5–2 ml (1:5, 45% ethanol) — LOW DOSE, under professional supervision |
| Notes | Sparteine: used pharmaceutically as antiarrhythmic and to accelerate labour. Narrow therapeutic index. Only under professional supervision. Better safer alternatives available. |
Safety Information
Safety Rating
✗ High Risk
Pregnancy
Avoid in Pregnancy
Drug Interactions
⚠ Known interactions
Contraindications: Pregnancy (strong oxytocic). Hypertension (tyramine). Cardiac medications. MAOIs. Professional guidance only.
Side Effects: Cardiac arrhythmias. Hypertensive crisis (with MAOIs — tyramine). Nausea. Low therapeutic window.