Contents
Celandine grows in the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, its variety with more elongated leaves is also found in Siberia. Even the doctors of ancient Greece knew about its medicinal properties of this herb. The plant was used to purify the blood and treat eye diseases. In Russia, this grass was called a warthog, swallow grass, cleanliness, jaundice and witch grass. It was applied to warts, freckles, children were bathed in it, and even treated for lupus.
In botany, celandine is defined as a perennial poisonous plant of the Poppy family with a height of up to 80 cm, bright yellow flowers and milky orange juice. The flowering period of the plant begins in spring and continues until autumn. In the southern regions, it can bear fruit several times during the summer. Ants like to feast on black shiny and oily seeds of celandine, they are also their peddlers.
For medicinal purposes, grass, juice and roots of celandine are used, but flowers are also used in Tibetan medicine. Cut the plant at the beginning of flowering with a sickle, scythe or secateurs to preserve the juice. Cut grass is dried in a thin layer in the attic or under sheds with good ventilation. The plant is periodically turned over, and readiness is determined by the crunch. When packing raw materials, use masks, as its dust can irritate the nasal mucosa. Store dry grass for no more than 3 years.
Medicinal properties of celandine
The healing properties of celandine are explained by its composition. Most of the chemical compounds are concentrated in the roots of the plant, and the nutrients in the young grass. This is due to the fact that celandine at the beginning of flowering is less poisonous, therefore it is more suitable for treatment.
The whole plant contains more than two dozen alkaloids of complex structure, 5 of which are very dangerous. In the grass, their number does not exceed 2%, and in the roots it can reach 4%. For example, the alkaloid berberine inhibits the accumulation of cholesterol in the cells that create arteriosclerotic plaques and, according to a number of studies, has an anticancer effect in some types of cancer. Chelidonine has an antispasmodic effect, reduces heart rate and blood pressure, and the alkaloid homochelidonine, on the contrary, has the opposite effect.
Celandine also contains saponins, essential oils, flavonoids, beta-carotene, malic, citric, succinic and ascorbic acids – they have antiviral, antitumor and antioxidant properties. Due to this composition, celandine preparations affect the growth of malignant tumors at an early stage and have an antifungal, antibacterial effect on Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Today, celandine is used to treat many skin diseases, including psoriasis and itchy dermatoses. Outwardly, they cauterize warts and treat heavily healing wounds, including those with tuberculosis of the skin. Inside, the plant is taken for diseases of the liver, gallbladder and stomach ulcers, as the herb has choleretic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties. With the help of celandine juice, you can get rid of polyps, sinusitis or toothache, if you add the juice to shampoo or rinse, you get an effective remedy for dandruff and seborrhea.
In Soviet homeopathy, grass, roots and celandine juice were used. Decoctions from the roots were drunk for dysentery, jaundice, gout, they achieved a diuretic effect and were used as an anesthetic for wounds and skin ulcers. Domestic medicine includes celandine as the main component in medicinal preparations for diseases of the liver, gallbladder and treatment of gout.
Despite the wide range of medicinal properties, celandine can only be used as prescribed by a doctor.
Ready-made celandine can be purchased in the following form:
- celandine herb;
- celandine grass in filter bags;
- tincture of celandine;
- celandine juice;
- cosmetic celandine oil;
- candles with celandine.
Celandine contraindications
Celandine is a poisonous plant, so it has many contraindications. It is no coincidence that cows in the pasture never chew this grass. The alkaloid chelidonin in its composition leads to complete paralysis of the nervous system in animals. Therefore, it is necessary to use drugs with and fees with celandine carefully. If the dosage is violated, the plant can lead to serious irritation and inflammation of the digestive system or lower the pressure to a critical level, so it should not be used by people with hypotension.
It is strictly forbidden to take celandine also for epilepsy, psychosis and other disorders of the nervous system. The plant is contraindicated in bronchial asthma, angina pectoris, decompensation and cardiac activity of I and II degrees.
In case of overdose or poisoning with celandine, due to the large amount of alkaloids, there is a strong thirst, heaviness in the head, stomach, nausea with vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases, fainting and hallucinations are observed. It is especially difficult for a child’s body to cope with intoxication. For this reason, pediatricians forbid giving celandine and fees with it to children. You can not take drugs from this plant and pregnant women, even if there are indications. Celandine alkaloids enter the blood of the future mother and can cause uterine tone, fetal hypoxia and poisoning.
In case of overdose of celandine, it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the stomach and consult a doctor.
When treating with celandine juice, its juice should not be allowed to enter the injured areas of the skin, as this can cause inflammation. In addition, the juice of the plant can cause disturbances in the intestinal microflora. Therefore, when taking celandine preparations, constipation or dysbacteriosis may occur inside. At the same time, allergy to celandine is rare; in case of its symptoms, the plant is canceled.
The use of celandine
Women
Celandine is an effective remedy for the treatment of gynecological diseases: thrush, cervical erosion, fibroids and colpitis. Herbalists recommend poisons and infusions of celandine to women in menopause and menstrual irregularities. The most effective and convenient form are pharmacy candles with celandine. Rectally, these suppositories are used for hemorrhoids, rectal polyps, prostatitis, adenoma, hepatitis, cystitis and cancer of any localization.
Decoction for douching
2 tbsp. spoons of chopped dried celandine grass pour a glass of boiling water. Cook the mixture over low heat for about an hour. Strain after cooling. Douche daily at bedtime for 10 days with thrush and cervical erosion.
Men
Celandine is used for diseases of the prostate gland. The herb relieves inflammation and restores damaged tissue, which allows you to stop the growth of the tumor and stimulates cell repair.
Tincture
Grind the dried grass collected with roots into gruel, squeeze the juice through gauze into a glass dish, add alcohol in a ratio of 1: 1. Drink the tincture in the morning before meals. On the first day, one drop, tinctures are diluted in a glass of water. On the next day, add drop by drop for a month, and then reduce according to the same principle. After a course of treatment, a pause of 2 weeks is maintained.
For the liver
Celandine has been used to treat the liver for a long time. The plant beneficially dissolves sand and stones in the bile ducts and removes them, reduces the pain effect during colic, and regenerates tissues. With hepatitis C, celandine prevents the activity of the virus, which increases the effect of treatment with medications.
Tea
1 st. brew a spoonful of dried herbs like regular tea, pouring hot, but not boiling water and leave for at least 5 hours in a glass or enamel bowl. Drink after meals three times a day. The duration of treatment depends on the severity of the condition.
From cough
Celandine is effective for bronchitis, sore throat, runny nose and dry cough.
Tincture
1 st. a spoonful of juice from fresh roots and stems of celandine mixed with 1 tbsp. spoon of vodka and add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of natural honey. Drink in the morning on an empty stomach, one spoonful until recovery and do not eat anything for at least an hour.
With hemorrhoids
Due to the strong antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, healing properties of celandine, you can reduce the unpleasant symptoms of hemorrhoids and reduce the risk of complications.
Infusion
1 teaspoon of fresh grass pour a glass of boiling water full to the brim. Give the infusion at least 10 minutes. Drink 2 glasses of liquid a day in small sips.
From warts
Warts appear due to infection with the human papillomavirus. Poisonous substances in the composition of celandine penetrate into the lower layers of the dermis and destroy the pathogen virus. Under the influence of organic acids, the keratinized top of the wart is burned out and the active substances gain access to the root of the formation, which leads to its destruction.
Ointment
Mix fresh celandine juice with petroleum jelly in a ratio of 1: 4. Apply a thin layer on warts several times a day.
For the skin
An excellent cosmetic product for skin tone is celandine oil extract. It contains substances that are called the plant analogue of hormones, which improves blood microcirculation and improves skin structure.
Bath with celandine
Dilute 11 teaspoons of celandine tincture in 100 liters of water. Take a bath for 20 minutes every other day.
Face oil
Take half a tablespoon of hops, calamus, nettle, oregano, celandine, birch leaves, burdock roots and put in a 200 ml glass beaker. Pour in olive or sunflower oil. Put the mixture in a water bath for 2 hours, the beneficial substances from the plants will turn into oil. Apply to face 2 times a day.
Powder for wounds and ulcers
The leaves of the dried celandine are finely chopped with a knife or blade and sprinkled on the affected areas.
Reviews of doctors about celandine
Svetlana Barnaulova, candidate of medical sciences, cardiologist of the highest category, phytotherapist:
– Without a doubt, the main areas of application of celandine are inflammation, allergies and oncology. It is combined in preparations for the treatment of sinusitis, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia with other desensitizing and anti-inflammatory plants, such as string and wild rosemary. The anti-cancer properties of celandine are well described, so the plant is used, for example, in collections to prevent metastasis during surgical treatment.