Herbier des Anciens — Detailed Record

Greater Celandine

Chelidonium majus

Read before use: the information below describes traditional and informational uses — it does not replace the advice of a healthcare professional. In case of doubt, pregnancy, breastfeeding, ongoing treatment, or use in children, seek advice before use.

Enhanced precautions for this plant: Greater celandine contains alkaloids that can be toxic to the liver; several cases of liver damage have been reported with prolonged or improperly dosed internal use. Medical advice and supervision by a qualified professional are essential before any internal use. Strictly not recommended during pregnancy, breastfeeding, in children, or in anyone with pre-existing liver or biliary disease. The fresh sap may irritate healthy skin and eyes; avoid all contact with mucous membranes and never ingest the pure latex. Do not combine with other hepatotoxic substances or medication without medical advice, due to risk of interactions.

Decoction (supervised traditional use) — Dried whole plant

Light decoction for liver support

Traditionally, a small amount of dried plant was briefly infused in hot water, in very short and occasional courses. This internal use should today only be considered under the supervision of a healthcare professional or qualified herbalist, due to the plant's known liver toxicity. Dosage must be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.

Topical application of fresh latex — Flowers and stem (fresh sap)

Spot application on warts

The yellow-orange latex exuded from the freshly cut stem was applied directly, with a stick or cotton swab, only on the wart itself, avoiding the surrounding healthy skin. This application was done very locally and repeated over several days, without ever ingesting the product. Dosage must be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.

Compress — Whole plant

Soothing compress for external use

A cooled decoction of the whole plant was used to soak a compress, applied locally to the affected area. This use remained occasional and external, as greater celandine was not traditionally intended for prolonged contact on large areas of skin. Dosage must be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.

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