S
PHR; PH2); Cancer (f; CRC; JLH); Cancer, spleen (f; CRC; JLH); Cardiopathy (2; CAN; KOM;
MAD; PH2); Childbirth (f; APA; CRC; HHB); Circulosis (2; KOM); Climacteric (f; MAD);
Congestion (f; CRC; MAD); Cystosis (f; MAD); Diphtheria (f; CRC); Dropsy (f; CRC; MAD);
Dysmenorrhea (f; MAD); Eczema (f; MAD); Edema (f; PHR; PH2); Gallstone (f; PHR); Gingir-
rhagia (f; PHR); Gout (f; CRC; MAD; PHR; PH2); Gravel (f; CRC); Headache (f; HHB); Heart
(f; CRC); Hemophilia (f; PHR; PH2); Hepatosis (f; CRC; PHR; PH2); Herpes (f; MAD); High
Blood Pressure (1; PH2); Hypotension (1; CAN; KOM; PH2); Hypertony (f; CRC; HHB); Jaundice
(f; CRC; PHR; PH2); Kidney Stone (f; PHR; PH2); Low Blood Pressure (1; APA; CAN; KOM;
MAD; PH2); Metrorrhagia (f; CAN); Myalgia (f; APA; CRC); Nephrosis (f; CRC; MAD); Neurosis
(f; PH2); Pain (f; HHB); Palpitation (f; CAN); Psoriasis (f; MAD); Rheumatism (f; CRC; MAD;
PHR; PH2); Sciatica (f; CRC; PHR); Scrofula (f; MAD); Snakebite (f; PHR); Splenomegaly (f;
CRC; PHR); Splenosis (f; MAD; PH2); Sterility (f; MAD); Swelling (f; APA; CRC); Tachycardia
(f; CAN); Toothache (f; CRC); Tumor (f; CAN); Water Retention (1; APA; CAN; CRC; MAD).
Dosages (Scotch Broom) — Level tsp chopped flower shoot/cup water 3–4 ×/day (APA); 1–2 g dry
tops as tea (CAN); 1–2 ml liquid top extract (1:1 in 25% ethanol) (CAN); 0.5–2 ml top tincture (1:5
in 45% ethanol) (CAN); 1–1.5 g dry herb (no more than 1 mg/ml sparteine); 2–4 ml liquid shoot extract
(PNC); 4–8 ml concentrated shoot infusion (PNC); 8–15 ml concentrated shoot decoction (PNC).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Scotch Broom) — Class 2b (JAD), 3.
Abortifacient (AHP). Bravely, Commission E says no known side effects or contraindications
(KOM). 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 (KOM). Commission
E reports flower contains only low level of alkaloids (major alkaloid sparteine), so that toxic
alkaloidal effects should not be expected. Contraindications: hypertension; Interactions: MAOIs
(the flower may contain more than 2% of tyramine). And as early as 1938, it was contraindicated
in acute nephropathy (MAD). Sparteine was reported as a cardiac depressant (CAN). Also
contraindicated in cardiopathy and high blood pressure. Contraindicated during pregnancy
(AEH). Because sparteine is oxytocic, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided (CAN).
Here I see the oft-repeated anomaly, a low dose may have the opposite effect (tachycardic) of
high doses (bradycardic). Sparteine is more quinidine-like than digitalic, a powerful oxytocic
once used to stimulate uterine constrictions (CAN). Sparteine sulphate can produce respiratory
arrest (CAN). Sparteine is a negative chronotropic and a negative inotropic. Doses corresponding
to >300 mg sparteine (ca. 30 g herb). 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. Ger-
man experts consider broom on par with quinidine for arrhythmia (But quinidine is an herbal
derivative, too). Madaus mentioned, as early as 1938, that genistein and sarothamnine’s activities
were little know at that time (MAD). Ironically, Commission E approves this poisonous herb
(Cytisus) for functional heart and circulatory disorders, whereas the PDR (PHR; PH2) indicates
Commission E approval of the herb for hypertension (I refuse to add that to indications above,
because it is more liable to cause than cure hypertension; I think they intended hypotension as
an indication), while contraindicating the herb and flower in high blood pressure. So, it even
contradicts itself.SCOTCH PINE (Pinus sylvestris L.) +Synonyms: P. nigra f. pygmaea (Carrière) Rehder, P. sylvestris f. nana (Carrière) Lipa.
Eclectic FEL and German MAD treat scotch pine (P. sylvestris L.) colloquially as “fir-leaf.” I
suspect that the EOs and turpentines of the pines, firs, spruces, etc., are as confused as the
frankincense and myrrhs.