Redman, D A · Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) · 2000 · DOI
Many people with ME/CFS experience orthostatic hypotension—a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing up—which can be severely disabling. This paper reviews why existing medications for this condition often don't work well and proposes that Ruscus aculeatus (butcher's broom), a plant-based supplement used in Europe, might help by improving blood vessel function and preventing blood from pooling in the legs.
Orthostatic intolerance is a hallmark symptom in many ME/CFS patients and remains difficult to manage with existing medications. This paper identifies a low-cost, widely available botanical agent with a plausible mechanism for addressing blood pooling—a central pathophysiological feature—and calls for formal clinical trials, which could lead to practical therapeutic options for a debilitating symptom.
This review does not establish that Ruscus aculeatus is effective for OH in ME/CFS patients; it is a mechanistic proposal without prospective clinical trial data, efficacy measures, or safety monitoring in this population. The paper does not demonstrate superiority over existing therapies or rule out placebo effects. The single case report mentioned is not formally presented, limiting any interpretable clinical evidence.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Redman, D A (2000). Ruscus aculeatus (butcher's broom) as a potential treatment for orthostatic hypotension, with a case report.. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2000.6.539
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-redman-2000-ruscus-aculeatus,
author = {Redman, D A},
title = {Ruscus aculeatus (butcher's broom) as a potential treatment for orthostatic hypotension, with a case report.},
journal = {Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.)},
year = {2000},
doi = {10.1089/acm.2000.6.539},
note = {PubMed: 11152059},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/redman-2000-ruscus-aculeatus},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-26. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/redman-2000-ruscus-aculeatus
Contribute
Private, reviewed by a human. Not a public comment thread.