Butcher’s Broom Extract

Herb

Butcher’s broom is the common name for the root of the plant Ruscus aculeatus L. It is wildly harvested medicinal plant of the Mediterranean region. Butcher’s Broom consists of the dried, whole or fragmented underground parts of Ruscus aculeatus L. It contains total sapogenins, expressed as ruscogenins (a mixture of neoruscogenin and ruscogenin) and calculated with reference to the dried drug. The material complies with the monograph of the European Pharmacopoeia.

Chemistry

The characteristic constituents of butcher’s broom extract are steroidal saponins based upon ruscogenin and neoruscogenin, such as ruscoside, ruscin, deglucoruscoside and deglucoruscin. Minor constituents include flavonoids, anthraquinones, benzofurans, the coumarin esculin, essential oil (mainly monoterpenes) and sterols.

Indications

Traditional herbal medicinal product to relieve symptoms of discomfort and heaviness of legs related to minor venous circulatory disturbances. Butcher’s broom extract used for symptomatic relief of itching and burning associated with haemorrhoids, after serious conditions have been excluded by a medical doctor.