Ruscus aculeatus L.

Asparagaceae (previously Liliaceae)

Knee holly; kneeholm; sweet broom

Rusci rhizoma

Rhizome

The main constituents are steroidal saponins based on the aglycones ruscogenin and neoruscogenin, and include ruscin, neoruscin, deglucoruscin, ruscoside, with their various sulphated and acetylated derivatives, ruscozepines A and B, aculeosides A and B and others. Coumarins such as esculetin, triterpenes and flavonoids are also present (Anon. 2001; Barbič et al. 2013; EMA 2008).

A meta-analysis (Boyle et al. 2003), and three other qualitative studies–two observational, multi-centre, open clinical studies (Aguilar Peralta et al. 2007; Guex et al. 2009), and one observational, single-arm, multi-centre prospective trial (Guex et al. 2010))—focused on patients suffering from chronic CVI and taking a formulation product containing butcher’s broom (150 mg) with hesperidin methyl chalcone (150 mg) and ascorbic acid (100 g). The preparation significantly reduced the severity of the symptoms and improved quality of life compared to placebo. Similar effects were observed in an open-label clinical trial where functional signs of venous insufficiency were correlated with an improvement of venous refilling time in patients suffering from CVI (Allaert et al. 2011).