What is Chelidonium majus?

Chelidonium majus is a homeopathic single remedy. It is made from greater celandine, a plant with yellow flowers and bright orange sap. Homeopaths give it for pain under the right shoulder blade and for liver or gall bladder complaints.

The remedy is made by soaking the plant, then thinning that liquid again and again. At 30C no plant matter is left in the pill. Trials do not show that it works better than a dummy pill.

Long use in a tradition is not proof that something works. We score those two things apart on this page. The raw plant and the low dilutions are a real safety issue: they can harm the liver.

How does Chelidonium majus work?

There is no known way for a 30C pill to act on your body. At that strength, no plant is left in it.

Homeopaths hold that a very small dose of a plant can ease the same signs that a large dose would cause. This idea has not been shown to work in tests. The remedy is chosen from the person's symptom picture, not from a lab test.

Any change people notice is likely the placebo effect, which means feeling better because you expect to. Rest, time and a long talk with a practitioner may also play a part. Low dilutions and the mother tincture are different: they hold real plant chemicals, and those chemicals can damage the liver.

What forms does Chelidonium majus come in?

Most shops sell small sugar pills or pellets in 6C, 12C or 30C. Liquid drops in an alcohol base are also common. Both are taken by mouth.

Mother tincture, often marked with the sign Ø, is the strong plant extract. Low dilutions such as D1 to D6 sit close to it in strength. These forms hold real plant alkaloids and carry the liver risk.

Some countries limit or ban the sale of greater celandine taken by mouth. Creams and sap are also used on warts in folk practice, which is a separate use from the homeopathic remedy.

Where it comes from:

Greater celandine has a long record in European herb books. Healers used the orange sap on warts and gave the plant for 'bile' and jaundice, which is yellow skin from liver trouble. The plant is also used in Chinese herbal practice, where it is called bai qu cai.

Homeopathy took it up in the 1800s. Provers, the people who test remedies, linked it to sharp pain under the right shoulder blade. It has stayed a well-known remedy in homeopathic books ever since.

What does Chelidonium majus help with?

• Pain under the right shoulder blade: This is the classic picture homeopaths use to pick this remedy. It comes from old symptom lists, not from trials. No study shows the remedy eases this pain better than a dummy pill. New or bad shoulder and upper back pain needs a doctor, as it can come from the gall bladder or the heart.
• Gall bladder and bile complaints: Homeopathic books list this remedy for gall bladder pain and gallstones. That use rests on tradition alone. Gallstone attacks can turn serious fast, so get medical care rather than treating them at home.
• Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes): Old herb books gave greater celandine for jaundice, partly because the sap is yellow. Jaundice is a sign that the liver or bile ducts are in trouble. It always needs a doctor, and the plant itself can cause liver damage, so self-treating is a bad idea.
• Sluggish digestion with a coated tongue: Homeopaths use a thick yellow coating on the tongue as a pointer to this remedy. There is no trial support for this. Ongoing gut symptoms should be checked, since they have many causes.
• Right-sided headache: Some homeopathic texts link this remedy to a dull headache on the right side with nausea. This comes from symptom lists written in the 1800s. No human trial has tested it for headache.
• Liver region discomfort: Tradition ties this plant to the liver, and the remedy keeps that link. The evidence is traditional, not clinical. Pain over the liver, on the right side under the ribs, should be looked at by a doctor.

What are the side effects of Chelidonium majus?

• No drug effects are expected from 30C pills, since no plant is left in them
• Stomach upset in people who react to lactose (milk sugar) in the pellets
• Nausea, cramping or diarrhoea from the mother tincture or low dilutions
• Liver damage from the mother tincture, low dilutions or the raw plant
• Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine and pale stools, which are signs of liver trouble
• Tiredness, loss of appetite and itching, which can also point to the liver
• Dizziness or a dry mouth from the strong plant extract
• Skin rash or burning where the fresh orange sap touches skin
• A short flare of symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation

Good to know:

A 30C pill is sugar and is very unlikely to hurt you. The risk on this page comes from the plant itself, not from the high dilution.

Greater celandine taken by mouth has caused real liver injury. Reports include swollen liver, hepatitis (liver inflammation) and, rarely, liver failure needing a transplant. Most people got better after stopping, but not all.

The harm usually showed up after weeks to months of use. It is not linked to a single large dose. Because of this, we rate the substance as high-risk even though the 30C form holds no plant.

How much Chelidonium majus should you take?

• Recommended daily: No dose has been shown to work in trials, so no proven amount exists. In common practice, people take 3 to 5 pellets of 6C to 30C, two or three times a day. Drops are usually 5 to 10 in a little water. Follow the label on the pack you buy. Do not use the mother tincture or low dilutions such as D1 to D6 without medical advice. These hold real plant chemicals that can harm the liver.
• Best time of day: Spread doses through the day, often morning and evening. Many practitioners ask you to keep the mouth clear of food, drink and toothpaste for about 15 minutes before and after a dose. This is custom, not a proven rule.
• With or without food: Usually taken between meals, on an empty mouth. Pellets are meant to melt under the tongue rather than be chewed.
• Time to effect: There is no reliable time to effect, because no trial shows an effect. Homeopaths often expect a change within a few days. If you feel worse at any point, stop.
• How long to take it: Keep any trial short. Homeopaths often stop once symptoms ease, and review after about a week or two. If nothing has changed after two weeks, stop and see a doctor. Do not take it for months on end. Long use of any greater celandine product raises the chance of liver harm.