The Collaborative International Dictionary
Sparteine \Spar"te*ine\, n. (Chem.) A narcotic alkaloid extracted from the tops of the common broom ( Cytisus scoparius, formerly Spartium scoparium), as a colorless oily liquid of aniline-like odor and very bitter taste.
Wiktionary
n. (context organic compound English) A toxic tetracyclic alkaloid obtained from both the broom and lupin plants
Wikipedia
Sparteine is a class 1a antiarrhythmic agent; a sodium channel blocker. It is an alkaloid and can be extracted from scotch broom. It is the predominant alkaloid in Lupinus mutabilis, and is thought to chelate the bivalents calcium and magnesium. It is not FDA approved for human use as an antiarrhythmic agent, and it is not included in the Vaughn Williams classification of antiarrhythmic drugs.
It is also used as a chiral base in organic chemistry, and as a ligand in organic chemical synthesis.
Usage examples of "sparteine".
Gerrard discovered an alkaloid in the seeds, more powerful as a purgative than the Sparteine obtained from Cytisus scoparius (Link) (Pharm.