Nutritional Supplement

Greater Celandine

Also indexed as: Chelidonium majus

How to Use It

One explanation for the variable results obtained from using greater celandine is improperly prepared, dried extracts.22 Drying extracts quickly at high temperature is necessary to preserve the alkaloids.23 Extracts standardized to a content of 4 mg chelidonine per capsule are recommended to be taken three times per day.24 Alternatively, one may mix 1–3 ml tincture into water and sip slowly 10–30 minutes before eating. Topical applications should consist of either concentrated tinctures or the fresh yellow latex. Herbalists and doctors recommend applying fresh latex once per day to warts and allowing it to dry in place.22

References

1. Weiss RF. Herbal Medicine. Gothenburg, Sweden: Ab Arcanum and Beaconsfield, UK: Beaconsfield Publishers Ltd, 1985, 84-8.

2. Baumann JC. Effect of Chelidonium, Curcuma, absinth and Carduus marianus on the bile and pancreatic secretion in liver diseases. Med Monatsschr 1975;29:173-80 [in German].

3. Hiller KO, Ghorbani M, Schilcher H. Antispasmodic and relaxant activity of chelidonine, protopine, coptisine, and Chelidonium majus extracts on isolated guinea-pig ileum. Planta Med 1998;64:758-60 [letter].

4. Hriscu A, Galesanu MR, Moisa L. Cholecystokinetic action of an alkaloid extract of Chelidonium majus. Rev Med Chir Soc Med Nat Lasi 1980;84:559-61 [in Romanian].

5. Vavreckova C, Gawlik I, Muller K. Benzophenanthridine alkaloids of Chelidonium majus; I. Inhibition of 5- and 12-lipoxygenase by a non-redox mechanism. Planta Med 1996;62:397-401.

6. Sokoloff B, Saelhof CC, Takeuchi Y, Powella R. The antitumor factors present in Chelidonium majus L. I. Chelidonine and protopine. Growth 1964;28:225-31.

7. Molochko VA, Lastochkina TM, Krylov IA, Brangulis KA. The antistaphylococcal properties of plant extracts in relation to their prospective use as therapeutic and prophylactic formulations for the skin. Vestn Dermatol Venerol 1990;(8):54-6 [in Russian].

8. Mitra S, Gole K, Samajdar K, et al. Antihepatotoxic activity of Chelidonium majus. Int J Pharmacognosy 1992;30:125-8.

9. Mitra S, Sur RK, Roy A, Mukherjee AS. Effect of Chelidonium majus L on experimental hepatic tissue injury. Phytother Res 1996;10:354-6.

10. Ritter R, Schatton WFH, et al. Clinical trial on standardized celandine extract in patients with functional epigastric complaints: Results of placebo-controlled double-blind trial. Comp Ther Med 1993;1:189-93.

11. Kniebel R, Urlacher W. Z Allgemeinmed 1993;69:680-4.

12. Bone K (ed). Chelidonium--A medicinal poppy. MediHerb Professional Newsletter 1996;49:1-3.

13. Susak YM, Zemskov VS, Yaremchuk OY, et al. Comparison of chemotherapy and x-ray therapy with Ukrain monotherapy for colorectal cancer. Drugs Exp Clin Res 1996;22:115-22.

14. Stickel F, Pöschl G, Seitz HK, Waldherr R, Hahn EG, Schuppan D. Acute hepatitis induced by Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus). Scand J Gastroenterol 2003;38:565-68.

15. Schulz V, Hänsel R, Tyler VE. Rational Phytotherapy: A Physician's Guide to Herbal Medicine. 3rd ed, Berlin: Springer, 1998, 168-73.

16. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 425-6.

17. Ritter R, Schatton WFH, et al. Clinical trial on standardized celandine extract in patients with functional epigastric complaints: Results of placebo-controlled double-blind trial. Comp Ther Med 1993;1:189-93.

18. Benninger J, Schneider HT, Schuppan D, et al. Acute hepatitis induced by greater celandine (Chelidonium majus). Gastroenterol 1999;117:1234-7.

19. Weiss RF. Herbal Medicine. Gothenberg, Sweden: Ab Arcanum, 1988, 337.

20. Duke JA. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1985, 113.

21. Mességué M. Of Men and Plants. New York: Macmillian Co, 1973.

22. Weiss RF. Herbal Medicine. Gothenburg, Sweden: Ab Arcanum and Beaconsfield, UK: Beaconsfield Publishers Ltd, 1985, 84-8.

23. Bone K (ed). Chelidonium--A medicinal poppy. MediHerb Professional Newsletter 1996;49:1-3.

24. Ritter R, Schatton WFH, et al. Clinical trial on standardized celandine extract in patients with functional epigastric complaints: Results of placebo-controlled double-blind trial. Comp Ther Med 1993;1:189-93.

25. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A (eds). American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1997.

26. Etxenagusia MA, Anda M, Gonzalez-Mahave I, et al. Contact dermatitis from Chelidonium majus (greater celandine). Contact Derm 2000;43:47.

27. Benninger J, Schneider HT, Schuppan D, et al. Acute hepatitis induced by greater celandine (Chelidonium majus). Gastroenterol 1999;117:1234-7.

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The information presented by TraceGains is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2025.