The plant is poisonous.
Application
Celandine is an ancient medicinal plant native to the Mediterranean countries and probably brought to Denmark by monks.
The name comes from an old legend by Aristotle, which tells how the swallow cured its young's eye inflammation with juice from the plant.
Celandine was included in alchemists' attempts to make gold because of its yellow milky sap.
In medieval monastic medicine, celandine was used for indigestion, "dark eyes", jaundice and toothache.
In folk medicine, the plant has been used against gallstones and gallbladder infections. The milky sap is an old remedy for warts and ringworm.
Celandine is very poisonous and should not be used uncontrolled. When touching the plant, protect your hands and eyes from the milky sap, which is a skin irritant and can burn the cornea.
Ingredients
Essential oil, saponin. The milky juice contains about ten alkaloids.
Chelidonium majus
Photo of page in Joachim Burser's herbarium.
