Herbal Butcher's broom Extract, The Potential Remedy for Treatment of Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI)

By Kyle J. Norton, Master of Nutrition

Scientists may have found a whole herb with the ability to treat chronic venous insufficiency without inducing side effects, some studies suggested.

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a medical condition charactered by decreased function of venous wall and/or valves in the leg veins, leading to reduced blood returning to the heart from the legs. As the results of some blood were pooled or collected in the veins, causing pain, swelling, and skin changes in the legs.

Chronic venous insufficiency, in some cases, may develop due to preposition of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

There is no single cause of chronic venous insufficiency. Certain risk factors have been found epidemiologically associated with the early onset of the condition, including people with ages over 50, varicose veins, family history of varicose veins,  obesity, pregnancy, female, physical inactivity, an occupation that required extended periods of standing or sitting, smoking.

If you are experiencing some of the symptoms such as persistent swelling in legs and/or ankles, tight feeling calves or itchy painful legs,  pain during walking that stops with rest, brown-colored skin, particularly near the ankles, please check with your doctor to rule out the chronic venous insufficiency possibility.

Untreated CVI can lead to chronic life-threatening infections of the lower extremities. Pain, especially after ambulation, is a hallmark of the disease, said, Dr. Robert Weiss in the article "What is the disease course of untreated venous insufficiency?".

Butcher's broom is a low evergreen shrub, a species of Ruscus aculeatus, belonging to the family Asparagaceae, native to Eurasia.

The herb has been used in herbal medicine to treat reduce inflammation, peripheral vascular disease, hemorrhoids bronchial asthma, varicose veins, hypotension, jaundice, functional disorders of the heart, kidney disorder, venotonic and anti-oedematous properties, etc.


The Chemical Ingredients of Butcher's broom include rutin, sitosterol, sparteine, spirostanol saponins, steroidal sapogenins, sterols, stigmasterol, sulfated steroidal saponins, sweet broom, tetracosanoic acid, triterpenes, triterpenes, tyramine, etc.

In the study to confirm the efficacy of extracts from Butcher's broom rhizome (Ruscus aculeatus) used in the oral treatment of lower leg edema in patients with chronic venous insufficiency, researchers in Germany launched a multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to confirm the safety of a ruscus extract. 

The study includes a total of 166 women suffering from chronic venous insufficiency (Widmer grade I and II, CEAP (Clinical signs, Etiological classification, Anatomic distribution, Pathophysiology) 3-4).

Only the data of 148 patients (30-89 years, 150-182 cm height, 49-97 kg body weight) were selected to the study with a mean disease duration of 14.6 years in the ruscus extract group and 15.1 years in the placebo group. 

Treatment groups demonstrated a significant improvement of the leg volume changes over 12 weeks AUB0-12 (-827 ml x day), the change of leg volume after 8 and 12 weeks of treatment (-16.5 ml and -20.5 ml), changes in ankle and leg circumferences after 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, and the changes in subjective symptoms, heavy tired legs and sensation of tension (week 12) compared to placebo group.

Furthermore, group treat with butcher broom also showed a reduction of symptoms of heavy lower legs, the sensation of tension, and tingling sensation, positively correlated with the changes in leg volume.

Dr. Vanscheidt W, the lead author said, " Considering the study duration of three months it is concluded, that ruscus extract, in the recommended daily dosage according to the German monograph, is a safe and effective treatment for patients suffering from chronic venous insufficiency".

Moreover, with an aim to reassess the effect of Ruscus aculeatus-hesperidin-methyl-chalcone-ascorbic acid (HMC-AA) on the quality of life (QoL) of patients suffering from chronic venous disorders (CVDs, the Cabinet de Phlébologie conducted an observational, multicentre and prospective study including 917 Mexican patients suffering from CVD.

After 12 weeks of treatment of R. aculeatus-HMC-AA, selected physicians then assessed the patients' symptoms and QoL using Short Form (SF-12) and Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CIVIQ) auto-questionnaires.

Application of R. aculeatus-HMC-AA. improved all symptoms and ankle circumferences over time, with increasing clinical, aetiological, anatomical and pathophysiological (CEAP) classes and body mass index (BMI).

The improved scores of all dimensions of the SF-12 indicated a significantly improved quality of life over time.

The results suggested that R. aculeatus-HMC-AA. significantly improved the symptoms and QoL of CVD patients.

Taken altogether, Herbal Butcher's broom extract may be considered adjunct therapy for treatment of

Chronic venous insufficiency without inducing adverse effects.

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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.
References
(1) Efficacy and safety of a Butcher's broom preparation (Ruscus aculeatus L. extract) compared to placebo in patients suffering from chronic venous insufficiency BY Vanscheidt W, Jost V, Wolna P, Lücker PW, Müller A, Theurer C, Patz B, Grützner KI. (PubMed)
(2) Assessment of quality of life in Mexican patients suffering from chronicvenous disorder - impact of oral Ruscus aculeatus-hesperidin-methyl-chalcone-ascorbic acid treatment - 'QUALITY Study by Guex JJ, Enriquez Vega DM, Avril L, Boussetta S, Taïeb C.(PubMed)