Hemorrhoid Prevention: Butcher’s Broom Herb

Butcher’s broom herb’s popularity is on the rise after it was discovered that it was found to be good for hemorrhoids by tightening the dilated blood vessels that form hemorrhoids, and is believed to be particularly effective for easing the burning and itching sensations accompanying inflamed hemorrhoids.

Many of us believe that rather than bombard our bodies with laboratory-created medications, looking toward nature can provide some valuable healing tools. Once such “tool” is Butcher's Broom. Its history and therapeutic benefits are long standing.

Butcher's Broom is a low, hardy, shrubby evergreen that is native to the Mediterranean regions, but grows throughout Europe and elsewhere in woods and waste places. The plant thrives in almost any soil, but prefers dry, well-drained soil in sun or shade. It grows to less than 3 feet in height and about the same size in girth. Its leaves are small and laced with brown membranes. Like holly, it has prickly leaves and a single sharp spine, greenish-white flowers, and shiny red berries, but it is not related to the holly in any way, although several of its common names include holly, referring to the similarity in appearance, kneeholm, knee holly, sweet broom, Jew’s myrtle, pettigree, and box holly.

The name, Butcher's Broom, is derived from the fact that the dried plant was actually used as a broom (until the twentieth century) throughout Europe, mostly by butchers who used it to whisk scraps from their cutting blocks.

The root, which is the medicinal part, is fleshy. Butcher's broom root contains a mixture of sterols, fatty acids, and phenolic substances. This herb has spread to many other parts of the world including Great Britain, the United States, and western Asia.

Ancient Mediterranean healers utilized the root for circulatory and inflammatory disorders, and Greek doctors reported curing swelling with its use, referring to Butcher's Broom as "the miracle herb." The first-century Roman scholar, Pliny, described its use as a cure for varicose veins in the first century, while Dioscorides highly recommended it as a diuretic and aperient (mild laxative), as well as a remedy for kidney stones and dropsy (edema).

The herb was used regularly for many years to treat jaundice, gout and kidney and bladder stones, but recent use concentrates on venous insufficiency and hemorrhoids. In the past, it was also used as a laxative and a diuretic to reduce swelling in the hands and feet, and to reduce inflammation due to arthritis. At one time, the plant was eaten as a vegetable in the United States. The seeds have been roasted and used as a coffee substitute.

Butcher's broom had been in decline as a medicinal herb until the 1950s. Then researchers discovered that an extract of the root contained two compounds, ruscogenin and neuorscogenin, that could constrict the veins in dogs and other laboratory animals. This improves blood flow and increases the strength and tone of those veins.

Interest in butcher's broom increased. The herb was included in many popular formulations for treating poor leg circulation in Europe (and less so in the United States).

It is said to be good for hemorrhoids by tightening the dilated blood vessels that form hemorrhoids, and is believed to be particularly effective for easing the burning and itching sensations accompanying inflamed hemorrhoids.

The use of butcher’s broom is recommended as a long-term preventative for the above mentioned circulatory conditions as the root shows little toxicity when ingested orally over long periods of time. It is not hemolytic and does not affect blood pressure.

The root of butcher's broom is harvested in the fall and dried before use. It is available in commercial capsules, tablets, and tinctures for internal use, and in ointments and suppositories for external use. Tablets often contain about 300 mg of the dried extract.

Not much is known about the safety of butcher's broom, which is one reason why the FDA did not approve its use as a drug. However, no health problems are known to result when this herb is used as directed, and it has been used for centuries. People with high blood pressure should not take butcher's broom. Conditions for which butcher's broom is used can be serious. This herb is intended as supportive therapy for these conditions. People with chronic venous insufficiency should be under the care of a trained doctor.

In rare cases, butcher's broom may cause nausea and stomach upset. No other side effects have been reported.

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Hemorrhoid Prevention: Butcher’s Broom Herb

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