Chelidonium majus, Celandine

Also called Hirundinaria or Swallow-wort
Bai Qu Hai (TCM)

Herbarum Vivae Eicones, Otto Brunfels, 1530

Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1800

Kohler's Medizinal Pflanzen, 1887

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Botanical name:
Chelidonium majus

Parts used:
Whole plant in flower; Root

Temperature & Taste:
Cold (classed as Warm), dry. Bitter, pungent

Classifications:
2F. PURIFYING.   2G. CLEANSING.   2K. RESOLVENT
4b. OPTHALMIC

Uses:
1. Clears Liver Heat, Clears Damp-Heat, Opens Obstructions:
-’purges Choler (Bile) by stool and urine’ (Schroder);
-obstruction of the Liver and Spleen: used for Jaundice, Cholecystitis, Gall Stones
-Hepatitis, Liver Swelling
-root is especially commended for Jaundice (Unani)
-promotes Urine; used for obstruction of the urine
-Headache, Migraine, Hypertension

2. Promotes Sweat, Resists Poison:
-Cold, Flu, Infectious diseases (both to prevent and cure)
-often used in Antidotes and Preservatives
-used for Poisons

3. Clears Heat, Stops Cough:
-heat-type Cough, chronic Bronchitis, Asthma, Whooping Cough

4. Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis:
-promotes Menstruation (the salts of the Roots of Celandine were also used).
-Palpitations, Angina and stabbing Chest Pain.
-Bruising, congealed Blood

5. Clears the Sight:
-internally and topically to clear Heat from the Eyes, improve Eyesight and remove visual obstructions
-clears the Eyes, quickens the Sight (juice boiled with Honey and applied: Dioscorides)
-sore, red eyes, Conjunctivitis; Films and Cloudiness of the Eyes (juice applied with milk or the ointment applied to the eyelids)
-it has been used for Blindness
-Cataracts; the fresh juice, preserved with Olive oil is applied to advanced cases of Cataract daily for up to 4 months to cure (Meyer)
-in eye salves for Dim-sightedness since ancient Greece.
-often regarded as superior to Eyebright for the Eyes.

6. Preserves Health:
-‘The Essence hereof preserves from old age, or makes age look youthful’ (Salmon)
-often credited with preserving youth.

7. Externally:
-externally for the eyes, for styes, sores and ulcers of them (diluted juice, infusion, or juice mixed with the distilled water, or the thickened juice which is best)
-Toothache (fresh herb chewed, root powder applied, or the herb boiled in wine used as a mouthwash)
-juice is applied to Warts and Corns, Ringworm, Itchy Skin, Tinea, Eczema, Herpes, as well as Tumors and Cancers
-internally and externally for chronic and filthy sores and ulcers, especially of the legs (Juice applied)
-decoction is gargled for Toothache; or the root can be chewed.
-‘Some ... writers believe that this agent is superior to Arnica or Hamamelis, as an external application to bruises and sprains’ (Ellingwood)
-Salmon said applied as a Cataplasm to the Breast hinders excessive menstruation
-Breast Cancer, applied topically

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Dose:
... available in PRO version

Correctives:
... available in PRO version

Main Combinations:
1. Infection of Epidemic diseases (including Plague), Celandine  ... available in PRO version
2. To prevent and cure in Epidemic diseases:
i. Celandine with  ... available in PRO version
ii. Celandine with  ... available in PRO version
iii. Celandine with  ... available in PRO version
3. Jaundice:
i. Celandine with  ... available in PRO version
ii. Celandine with  ... available in PRO version
iii. Celandine with  ... available in PRO version
4. Jaundice and Liver obstruction, ... available in PRO version
5. Gall Stones, Cholecystitis:
i. Celandine with  ... available in PRO version
ii. Celandine with  ... available in PRO version
6. For the eyes, combine Celandine with Eyebright and Fennel seed
7. Fractures, Celandine with ... available in PRO version
8. As a bath for Eczema, Celandine with ... available in PRO version
9. Itch, Celandine  ... available in PRO version
10. Distilled water to apply to the Eyes: Celandine with ... available in PRO version

Major Formulas:
Tincture of Celandine
Infusion for Jaundice (Riverius)
Decoction for Jaundice
Decoction for the Gall Bladder (2)
Decoction to Cleanse the Sight (Riverius)
Syrup of Betony (Bononiense)
Electuary for the Eyes (Grulingus)
Confection of Eyebright (Confectio Humain) (Mesue)

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Cautions:
1. Avoid during pregnancy
2. Toxic in overdose

Main Preparations used:
Dehydrated Juice, Distilled Water of the herb, Salt of the Ashes