ΜΥΡΡΙΝΗ ΑΓΡΙΑ
Ruscus aculeatus
(Butcher’s broom)
Botanical info:
Butcher's-broom is a low evergreen dioecious shrub growing to 80 cm tall, with flat shoots known as cladodes that give the appearance of stiff, spine-tipped leaves. It grows naturally in dense shade, woodlands, foundations, and hedges. It is native to the Mediterranean Basin. Flowering from April to May.
Hippocratic legacy:
a. In Ulcers:
a. Butcher’s broom root applied with olive oil is used for the healing of damaged tendons.
Other uses:
It is named butcher's broom because bunches of stems were once used to clean butcher blocks. Butcher's broom has been used by a variety of peoples as a treatment for a variety of ailments. A classical remedy from Europe claimed that the rhizomes could be used as a diuretic. In ancient Greece, butcher's broom was used as a laxative or diuretic, and it was also believed to remove kidney stones when added to wine. Butcher's broom was also used to reduce swelling and to speed the recovery of fractures.