Celandine is mainly used for cramp-like complaints in the gastrointestinal tract and bile ducts. In folk medicine, celandine is used to cleanse the gallbladder and stimulate bile flow in liver inflammation, jaundice and gallstones.
Celandine: other uses
Celandine is also taken as a spasmolytic (antispasmodic) and for toothache in folk medicine. Due to the virus-killing properties of the alkaloids in the plant’s milky sap, it is dabbed on warts to treat them.
Application in homeopathy
In homeopathy, celandine is used to treat stone formations, chronic disorders of the hepatobiliary system, inflammation of the respiratory organs and pleura, as well as rheumatism and general inflammation.
Ingredients of celandine
So far, 30 different alkaloids have been detected in the plant, the proportion of alkaloids in the drug being about 0.1-1%. The main constituents of the alkaloids are again coptisine (the predominant alkaloid with 80-90%), protopine, berberine, cehlidonine (main alkaloid of the underground parts of the plant), sanguinarine and chelerythrine.
The exact alkaloid content is highly variable and is influenced, for example, by the origin and time of harvest. Apparently, the alkaloid content is particularly low at flowering time, so the pharmacopoeia requirement to harvest the plant parts at flowering time would need to be corrected.
Other constituents of the plant are various plant acids (for example, malic acid), caffeic acid, small amounts of flavonoids and carotenoids.
Celandine: indication
The following ailments are possible uses for celandine:
- Cramps
- Stomach cramp
- Gallstones
- Jaundice
- Liver inflammation
- Toothache
- Warts
