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THE GREATER CELANDINE (‘Chelidonium majus’)

© tavaklade.lv

30–100 cm high, branched, perennial herb of the poppy family with orange–yellow sap. Root cinnamon brown, branched. The leaves are alternate, divided in tufts, bluish-frosted on the underside. Lower leaves long-stalked, upper short–stalked or sessile. The flowers are yellow, arranged in a spike-shaped inflorescence. Blooms from May to September. The fruit is a 2–5 cm long pod-shaped button.
The greater celandine is a medicinal plant. It contains about 20 different alkaloids. Among them are helidonine, homochelidonine, chelerythrine, oxychelidonine, sanguinarine, berberine, protopine, etc. Carotene, vitamin C, essential oil, organic acids, flavonoids, saponins, etc. have been found in milkweed. connections. Preparations of the greater celandine have a bacteriostatic and fungistatic effect. Taken orally, the preparations slow down the pulse, lower arterial blood pressure, expand coronary vessels, promote bile secretion. In folk medicine, it is used against warts, corns, as well as for the treatment of gout, rheumatism, skin and stomach cancer.