Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

196 Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link.
C
is a different drug, equated with
Zingiber officinale Rosc.)
Siddha ◮ Korai-kilangu (Tamil).
Folk ◮ Naagara-mothaa.
Action ◮ Essential oil—hypotensive,
anti-inflammatory, CNS stimulant,
antimicrobial. Rhizome—stomachic,
cordial, antidiarrhoeal and
diuretic.
See C. rotundus.
Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link.
Synonym ◮ Sarothamnus scoparius
(L.) Koch.
Family ◮ Papilionaceae, Fabaceae.
Habitat ◮ Mild climatic regions of
south and central Europe, north
Africa and West Asia. C. scoparius
is fairly common in and around
Oatacmund (Nilgiris) and is found
wild as a garden escape. It grows also
in Simla and neighbouring places.
An allied species, C. monspessulanus
Linn., White Broom, also occurs in
the Nilgiri hills.
English ◮ Broom, Scotch Broom,
Yellow Broom.
Folk ◮ Broom.
Action ◮ Green twigs of the plant,
collected before flowering, either
fresh or after drying, are used as
diuretic and cathartic. Emetic in
large doses. The seeds are also used
similarly. The herb is used chiefly in
the form of sulphate in tachycardia
and functional palpitation. (The
action of the whole plant is stated
to be different from that of isolated
alkaloids.) The whole herb has been
used to treat tumours.
Key application ◮ For functional
heart and circulatory disorders.
Aqueous-ethanolic extracts are
used internally. Simultaneous
administration of MAO-inhibitors
contraindicated due to the tyramine
content. (German Commission E.)
The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia
reported antiarrhythmic and
diuretic action of the herb.
The herb contains quinolizidine alkaloids;
main alkaloids are (−)-sparteine,
lupanine, ammodendrine and
various derivatives; biogenic amines,
including tryramine, epinine, dopamine;
isoflavone glycosides including
genistein, scoparin; flavonoids; essential
oil; caffeic acid and p-coumaric
acids; tannins. Seeds contain lectins
(phytohaemagglutinins).
The herb contains over 2% tyramine.
Tyramine acts as an indirect sympathomimetic,
vasoconstrictive and hypotensive.
The herb is contraindicated in high
blood pressure, A-V block and pregnancy.
Scoparin’s action on renal mucous
membrane is similar to that of Buchu
and Uva-ursi. (A decoction or infusion
of broom is used in dropsical complaints
of cardiac origin.)
Sparteine produces a transient rise
in arterial pressure followed by a longer