Scotch Broom

Action and Therapy. Excessive doses of broom have produced impaired vision, staggering gait, and profuse vomiting and purging. The effects of broom are in milder degree practically those of its chief alkaloid, sparteine. When the latter is not desirable, aqueous preparations of the crude drug may be used; and indeed, they often succeed in causing profound diuresis when the alkaloid fails.

Therapy. Asthenic dropsies, dropsy with feebleness and loss of appetite, hydrothorax without inflammation, dropsy from, heart disease. It has cured diabetes, mellitus. It should not be given in acute kidney troubles, or in dropsy from disease of the liver or spleen.

Properties and Uses. The young shoots of this shrub have been used in medicine, though not in much repute at the present time. They are largely stimulant, and moderately relaxant, acting somewhat slowly but decidedly. Their chief influence is expended upon the kidneys, from which they secure the elimination of a very large amount of watery materials.

Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage. Administered to certain animals, as the dog, cat, etc., even in small doses, M. Chevallier found laburnum to occasion emesis, muscular debility, increased pulse, accelerated respiration, somnolence, spasms, and finally death.