Celandine is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and the plant has been naturalized in North America. The drug comes mainly from imports from Eastern Europe.
The dried aerial parts of the plant, harvested at flowering time, are used for the drug (Chelidonii herba). Less commonly, the roots of the plant are used.
Celandine: special characteristics.
Celandine is a perennial, branched plant about 60 cm high, with a protruding and hairy stem. The plant bears blue-green pinnate leaves, some of which have lobed margins.
The flowers are golden yellow to orange-yellow. The fruits of celandine are narrow, pod-shaped capsules. Characteristic of celandine is that from injured parts of the plant emerges the yellowish milky juice containing alkaloid.
Celandine as a medicine
The drug consists of various plant parts of celandine. In addition to hollow, flat, yellow to green-brown stem pieces, very crumpled, thin leaf pieces occur. These are dull blue-green on the upper surface and of a much lighter, gray-green color on the underside; leaf veins are clearly visible.
The flowers break easily; they have two sepals, which, however, fall off when the flower opens, as well as four yellowish leaves, stamens and a narrow ovary.
Furthermore, the drug contains few fruits in the form of pod-shaped capsules along with the dark seeds.
Odor and taste of celandine.
The smell of celandine is unpleasant. Celandine tastes slightly pungent and bitter.
