Blog
What Is Butcher's Broom (Ruscus aculeatus)?
Butcher's broom is Ruscus aculeatus, an evergreen shrub whose root is made into an extract. In Europe it has a traditional use for heavy legs and hemorrhoid itching. Synaptril lists butcher's broom root extract third in its blend, though no source we cite ties the plant to memory.
Written by the Synaptril label deskUpdated · 4 min read
What is butcher's broom?
Butcher's broom is the common name of Ruscus aculeatus, an evergreen shrub. The label names its root extract.
It is a plant, not a vitamin or a mineral, so it has no daily value and no recommended intake.
What is butcher's broom used for?
Butcher's broom is traditionally used for two things: heavy, uncomfortable legs from minor circulation problems, and itching and burning from hemorrhoids (EMA, Rusci rhizoma (butcher's broom)).
The European Medicines Agency accepts both as traditional uses, for adults, after a doctor has ruled out serious causes (EMA, Rusci rhizoma (butcher's broom)). It lists no brain, memory or cognitive use (EMA, Rusci rhizoma (butcher's broom)).
| Use | Status |
|---|---|
| Heavy legs | Traditional use, EU |
| Hemorrhoid itching | Traditional use, EU |
| Memory or focus | No source we cite |
Why is butcher's broom in a brain formula?
The likely idea is circulation, but that is a guess, not a finding. Leg-vein results do not show a brain effect.
The capsule math limits it further. Line 3 of 6 holds at most about 88 mg, and the label prints no amount. See all six lines below.
- 1Magnesium Glycinate (magnesium 80 mg, 19% DV)Line 1 · 80 mg magnesium (19% DV)
- 2Alpha Lipoic AcidLine 2 · at most 175 mg per capsule
- 3Butcher's Broom (Ruscus aculeatus) Root ExtractLine 3 · at most 88 mg per capsule
- 4L-CarnitineLine 4 · at most 58 mg per capsule
- 5Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Rhizome Extract 95% CurcuminoidsLine 5 · at most 44 mg per capsule
- 6Coenzyme Q 10 (as Ubiquinone)Line 6 · at most 35 mg per capsule
From the Supplement Facts panel. The six lines are the 575 mg blend, listed from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36, Supplement Facts). Other ingredients (the vegetable capsule, cellulose, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, silicon dioxide) are not counted.
Order Synaptril on the official checkout
Order-page prices, October 18, 2026 (Synaptril sales page). The 2-bottle pack is $178 plus shipping. Every pack has the 60-day money-back guarantee. Compare all packs.
Synaptril: from $49 a bottle30 capsules · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · free shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day guarantee
See packsHow do you read a butcher's broom label?
A good butcher's broom label names the plant, the part used and the amount, and Synaptril's names the first two. It prints "Butcher's Broom (Ruscus aculeatus) Root Extract" and no milligrams.
- Plant: Ruscus aculeatus, the Latin name that settles which shrub it is.
- Part: the root, which is the part Europe accepts as a traditional herbal medicine (EMA, Rusci rhizoma (butcher's broom)).
- Amount: missing, because the extract sits inside a 575 mg proprietary blend.
The worked ceiling is simple. About 175 mg is left for the five lines after magnesium glycinate, and the list runs most to least. Line 3 therefore cannot top half of 175, or about 88 mg.
Where can you read more?
Read the butcher's broom profile and the Synaptril ingredients page. Related: butcher's broom for circulation. Keep taking prescribed medicine, and ask a doctor first if you have a condition.
FAQ01
Synaptril questions people ask
What does Ruscus aculeatus look like?
It is an evergreen shrub, and the label names its root extract. Our site uses an illustration card, not a plant photo, so we cannot show the plant itself.
Is butcher's broom a herb or a supplement?
Both words fit. Europe treats the root as a traditional herbal medicine, and the Synaptril label sells the extract as a dietary supplement ingredient.
Is butcher's broom proven for memory?
No. The European monograph lists no brain or memory use, and we found no memory trial. Leg symptoms are the only studied area in our sources.
Who wrote this02
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Learn about our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. retail partner of Synaptril, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. We make money when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
Related Synaptril reading
U.S. retail partner of Synaptril
Ready to try Synaptril?
Check your medicines, then choose a pack. Packs of three or six bottles ship free at a lower price per bottle, and all of them carry the 60-day money-back guarantee.
- Secure BuyGoods checkout
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- Ships from the U.S.