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Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus) and Liver support: evidence and sources
inferred from choleretic action
For educational purposes only, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants, especially alongside prescribed medication, during pregnancy, or for a serious condition.
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Full Greater Celandine monograph →All plants for liver support →
Chelidonium majus L. (family Papaveraceae), or greater celandine, is an important plant in western phytotherapy and in traditional Chinese medicine. Crude extracts of C. majus as well as purified compounds derived from it exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activities (antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antitumoral, analgesic, hepatoprotective) that support some of the traditional uses of C. majus. However, herbal medicine also claims that this plant has several important properties which have not yet been scientifically studied: C. majus is supposed to have diuretic, antitussive and eye-regenerative effects. On the other hand, C. majus also has scientifically proven effects, e.g. anti-osteoporotic activity and radioprotection, which are not mentioned in traditional sources. Moreover, recent controversy about the hepatoprotective versus hepatotoxic effects of Chelidonium majus has renewed the interest of the medical community in this plant. This review is intended to integrate traditional ethno-medical knowledge and modern scientific findings about C. majus in order to promote understanding of its therapeutic actions as well as its toxic potential.
1 source supporting Greater Celandine for Liver support. Includes scientific publications, books, monographs and traditional-use references.
Mechanistic basis
This use is associated with the plant's choleretic / cholagogue (bile flow) action.