Papaveraceae

Chelidonium majus

Chelidonium majus (celandine, common celandine, greater celandine) contains a number of alkaloids, including chelidonine, chelerythrine, chelidocystatin, coptisine, sanguinarine, berberine, and sparteine.

Greater celandine was traditionally used to improve eyesight and in modern times has been used as a mild sedative, and antispasmodic in the treatment of bronchitis, whooping cough, asthma, jaundice, gallstones, and gallbladder pain. The latex is used topically to treat warts, ringworm, and corns. A semisynthetic thiophosphate derivative of alkaloids from C. majus , called Ukrain, has cytotoxic and cytostatic effects on tumor cells [ ].

The Australian Complementary Medicines Evaluation Committee (CMEC) has advised that all oral products containing Chelidonium majus (greater celandine) should contain a label with the warning that they should be used under the supervision of health-care professionals; consumers with a history of liver disease should seek advice from a health-care professional before starting to use such a product and to stop using it if particular symptoms occur [ ]. This recommendation follows the CMEC’s careful examination of all available evidence linking ingestion of Chelidonium majus with moderate to severe reversible acute hepatitis in a relatively small number of individuals worldwide. The mechanism underlying the hepatotoxic effect needs to be elucidated. Pending further information, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has advised health-care professionals to watch for signs of liver toxicity associated with the use of Chelidonium majus , which has traditionally been used to treat a range of conditions, including liver disorders, and is available internationally.

Hematologic

Hemolytic anemia has been reported after the oral use of a celandine extract; there was intravascular hemolysis, renal insufficiency, liver cytolysis, and thrombocytopenia; a direct antiglobulin test was positive [ ].