GREATER CELANDINE Overview Information
Greater celandine is a plant. The dried above-ground parts, root, and rhizome (underground stem) are used to make medicine. Don’t confuse greater celandine with lesser celandine (Family: Ranunculus ficaria).
Greater celandine is used for various problems with the digestive tract including upset stomach, gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation, loss of appetite, stomach cancer, intestinal polyps, and liver and gallbladder disorders. Other uses include detoxification, treating menstrual cramps, cough, pain, breast lumps, chest pain (angina), fluid retention (edema), “hardening of the arteries” (arteriosclerosis), high blood pressure, asthma, gout, and osteoarthritis.
Some people apply greater celandine directly to the skin for warts, genital warts, rashes, eczema, and scabies; and to the gums for tooth pain and to ease tooth extraction. The fresh root is also chewed to relieve toothache.
How does it work?
The chemicals in greater celandine might slow the growth of cancer cells, but might also be harmful to normal cells. Preliminary research suggests greater celandine might increase the flow of bile. Greater celandine might also have some pain-relieving properties.
Possibly Effective for:
- Upset stomach (dyspepsia). Some research suggests that taking a specific product (Iberogast, Medical Futures, Inc) containing greater celandine, peppermint leaf, German chamomile, caraway, licorice, clown's mustard plant, lemon balm, angelica, and milk thistle by mouth for 4 weeks reduces severity of acid reflux, stomach pain, cramping, nausea, and vomiting.
- Bile disorders. Some early research suggests that taking a specific extract containing greater celandine and turmeric (Cholagogum F Nattermann) by mouth reduces pain in patients with a bile disorder called biliary dyskinesia.
- Cancer. Early research suggests that injecting a specific greater celandine product (Ukrain) intravenously under medical supervision improves survival in some people with colorectal, bladder, pancreatic, or breast cancer. However, the studies showing this benefit have been criticized because they weren’t well designed. Also some research shows that high doses of this product may be poisonous. Still, other early research shows that taking a solution of a greater celandine mixture by mouth for 2 weeks might have antitumor effects in people with cancer of the esophagus.
- Blister rashes.
- Pain and swelling (inflammation).
- Loss of appetite.
- Stomach flu.
- High blood pressure.
- Spasms in the digestive tract.
- Irregular menstrual periods.
- Other conditions.
GREATER CELANDINE Side Effects & Safety
Greater celandine is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth. It can cause serious liver problems. When applied to the skin, greater celandine can cause allergic skin rash.
Not enough is known about the safety of giving greater celandine products intravenously.
Special Precautions & Warnings:Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking greater celandine if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
“Auto-immune diseases” such as multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or other conditions: Greater celandine might cause the immune system to become more active. This might increase the symptoms of auto-immune diseases. If you have one of these conditions, it’s best to avoid using greater celandine.
Blockage of the bile duct (bile duct obstruction): Some greater celandine extracts appear to increase the flow of bile. There is a concern that this might make bile duct obstruction worse.
Liver disease, including hepatitis: There is some evidence that greater celandine can cause hepatitis. Don’t use greater celandine if you have liver disease.
Moderate Interaction Be cautious with this combination
- Medications that can harm the liver (Hepatotoxic drugs) interacts with GREATER CELANDINE
Greater celandine might harm the liver. Taking greater celandine along with medication that might also harm the liver can increase the risk of liver damage. Do not take greater celandine if you are taking a medication that can harm the liver.
Some medications that can harm the liver include acetaminophen (Tylenol and others), amiodarone (Cordarone), carbamazepine (Tegretol), isoniazid (INH), methotrexate (Rheumatrex), methyldopa (Aldomet), fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), erythromycin (Erythrocin, Ilosone, others), phenytoin (Dilantin) , lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), simvastatin (Zocor), and many others.
Before taking greater celandine, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any medications.
GREATER CELANDINE Dosing
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
- For upset stomach, 1 mL three times daily of a specific combination product containing greater celandine plus peppermint leaf, German chamomile, caraway, licorice, clown's mustard plant, lemon balm, angelica, and milk thistle. (Iberogast, Medical Futures, Inc) over a period of 4 weeks.