Greater Celandine

Botanical Name: Chelidonium majus

Botanical Name:
Chelidonium majus

Family:

Papaveraceae

Appearance:

Herbaceous species also known as grass for wilderness is maximum 1 m tall.

When the stem and branches break, a yellow juice becomes mushy which becomes orange by oxidation. It is the only species in Europe that has yellow-orange juice.

The leaves are large, alternately placed and the flowers are yellow. Blooms in May or the second time in August-September.

Origins:

North Africa
Europe
Parts of Western Asia

Active constituents:

Chelidonine, alpha and beta homochelidone, mesoxichelidonine, coptisine, stilopine.
Vitamin C, resins, essential oil, flavonoid substance, saponosides and mineral salts

Healing properties:

Some of the alkaloids contained in the plant have sedative and narcotic action on superior nerve centers, such as papaverine. Aqueous or hydroalcoholic extracts have choleretic-collagogue action, being recommended for chronic liver disease and cirrhosis.