Greater celandine is a plant. The dried above-ground parts, root, and rhizome (underground stem) are used to make medicine. Don't confuse greater celandine with lesser celandine (Family: Ranunculus ficaria). Greater celandine is used for various problems with the digestive tract including upset stomach, gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation, loss of appetite, stomach cancer, intestinal polyps, and liver and gallbladder disorders.
Other uses include detoxification, treating menstrual cramps, cough, pain, breast lumps, chest pain (angina), fluid retention (edema), hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), high blood pressure, asthma, gout, and osteoarthritis. Some people apply greater celandine directly to the skin for warts, genital warts, rashes, eczema, and scabies; and to the gums for tooth pain and to ease tooth extraction. The fresh root is also chewed to relieve toothache.
How does it work? The chemicals in greater celandine might slow the growth of cancer cells, but might also be harmful to normal cells. Preliminary research suggests greater celandine might increase the flow of bile. Greater celandine might also have some pain-relieving properties.
