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Broom grows wild all over Europe; it is a perennial shrub having green stems and very small leaves. It has long, erect and tough branches that grow in bundles, thus making it useful for broom-making. It has large, bright yellow, fragrant flowers which bloom from April to July.

Botanical name: Cytisus scoparius

Family name: Leguminosae-Papilionoideae

Other name: Common Broom, Scotch Broom

Parts used: Flowerheads

Constituents: The flowers contain volatile oil, wax, chlorophyll, tannin, mucilage, and lignin. Flowers also contains powerful alkaloids including sparteine, dopamine. A glucoside, scoparin, is also present.

Medicinal Uses:

• The decoction of broom can be of benefit in bladder and kidney infections in herbal medicines.
• It can be used to improve the urine flow in case reduced by some ill ness.
• It can be used as a heart tonic and regulator in chronic diseases.

Cautions:

• It should be avoided during high blood pressure.
• It should be avoided during pregnancy.
• In large doses, the sparteine present in it may cause vomiting, depress the nerve cell etc.