Chelidonium majus – cut dry plant

Valued for its richness in bitter active ingredients, greater celandine is traditionally associated with supervised natural care. It is used only in a specific setting and should not be used for prolonged periods or independently without specific expertise.

Description

Fragments of dried stems, leaves, and yellow flowers. Gray-green to light brown in color. Pungent plant odor. Pronounced bitter taste.

Nomenclature

• Common names: Greater celandine, greater celandine, wart herb
• Latin name: Chelidonium majus
• Family: Papaveraceae
• Part used: Aerial part (leaves, stems, flowers)
• Form: Cut, dried
• Origin: Europe, temperate Asia
• English name: Greater celandine
• Name in German: Schöllkraut
• Name in Spanish: Celidonia mayor
• Name in Italian: Celidonia maggiore
• Name in Arabic: بقلة الخطاطيف (Baqalat al-Khattāṭīf)

Main virtues

Used in traditional decoctions for protective purposes or for ancient external use, particularly in rural practices. Requires strict supervision and should not be consumed without prior advice.

Main constituents

Isoquinoline alkaloids (chelidonine, sanguinarine, etc.), flavonoids, organic acids, characteristic yellow latex.

Use and dosage

• Decoction: 1 teaspoon per cup. Boil for 5 minutes then let it steep for 10 minutes.
• Macerate: possible for external use only (compresses, baths).
• Never use as a simple infusion or for long periods without supervision.

Precautions, side effects and contraindications

• Plant containing alkaloids: strictly regulated use.
• Never consume for a prolonged period or without professional advice.
• Not recommended for children, pregnant women and sensitive people.

History and origin

Renowned since antiquity, greater celandine takes its name from the Greek "chelidon" (swallow), as its flowering is said to coincide with the arrival of the bird. Known in ancient medicines for its bright yellow latex, it was sometimes associated with symbolic rites of purification or transition.

Miscellaneous information

• Storage: dry, away from light.
• Packaging: loose dried cut plant.
• Appearance: green and yellow fragments, sometimes fibrous.
• Odor: pungent herbaceous.

Sources and references

• Pl@ntUse – https://uses.plantnet-project.org
• Ancient European Pharmacopoeias
• Monastic Herbalism Corpus
• Specialized literature on regulated plants

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