Oh lebowski, you've made me laugh with your disclaimers.
There actually are some cautions that should be considered with this plant. Below, I've bolded some of the potential adverse reactions of using "Rock Poppy".
The sap of Greater Celandine is an old folk remedy used topically to get rid of warts. It's a member of the poppy family and like the others, has medicinal alkaloids - which, as you suggest, could be extracted by putting some of the flowering plant up in a bit of vodka (100 proof for better extraction). I have known about its use for G.I. problems (nausea, indigestion, poor liver function). But anti-retroviral? Very interesting.
From the Egyptian Minister of Health and Population
Monograph For Herbal Medicinal Products 2007
Greater Celandine
Chemical constituents:
Over than 30 isoquinoline alkaloids have been identified, including the majot chelindonine (0.07%), coptisine, allocryptopine, berberine and sporteine, chelebythine, sanguinarine, dl-stylopine.
The isoquinoline alkaloids contain many structural types, including benzophenenthridenes (chelidonine chelerythrine and sanguinarine) and protoberberines (as berberine and coptisine).
It also contains other compounds including chelidonic asid and chelidoniol, rutin, quercetin, choline, methylamine, histamine, tyramine, cinamic acid and caffeic acid esters.
Pharmacology:
Alcoholic extract of dried chelidonium exhibited a reduction in liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride in rates, also a significant reduction in elevated.
Plasma levels of liver enzymes andbilirulin was occurred in the treated groups of animals. An absence of fibrotic changes in the chelidonium treated rats was noticed.
Chelandonine has mild central analgesic and strong spasmolytic properties that primary affect the biliary system.
Caffeic acid is claimed have choleretic antispasmodic activity, comptisine and caffeoylmalic acid have shown similar spasmolytic activity.
The total extract of the herb significantly induced bile flow, however it did this without increasing the total output of bile acids.
An alkaloid fraction contained chelerythrine and sanguinarine as found ineffective against Gram-negative bacteria invitro. However, significant antimicrobial effect was observed against Gram-positive bacteria such as S. aureus and two strains of streptococcus and also against candida albicans.
Extracts of chelidonium were found to have antiviral effects invitro against adenovirus typs 12,15 and herpes simplex virus type.
Alkaloids from chelidonium and saguinarine solution inhibited the growth of trichomonas vaginalis invitro, also it showed a potent inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase in polymorphonuclear leucocytes and 12- lipoxygenase in mouse epidermis, the chllidonium alkaloids chelerythine and sanguinarine have demodtrated anti-inflammatory activity in the carrageenan ratpassoedema test.
The water-soluble purified methanol extract of dried chelidonium demonstrated high tumor inhibition with relatively cytotoxic side effects. An alcohol extract of rhizomes and roots of chelidonium exhibited cytotoxicity against a carcinoma of the nasopharynx invitro. One of the cytotoxic principles was found to be the alkaloid coptisine.
A monograph included with ukrain the semisnthetic derivative of celandine referred to a claim that a nutional cancer institute (USA), study showed drug action against human cancer. However, ukrain has not been approved by the kill cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting DNA, RNA and protein synthesis.
Extracts of celandine inhibit keratinocyte proliferation. Possible use in treatment of skin disease such as waters and psoriasis.
Reported uses:
Greater celandine has been used for thousands of years to treat and clear the eyesight especially cataracts.
It was reported that swallows use the latex that flows from cuts in the stems or leaves as a means to sharpen their eyesight.
It acts as a mild sedative, relaxing the muscles of bronchial tubes, it has been used in western and Chinese herbal traditions to treat bronchitis, whooping cough and asthma.
It has been known to be useful in liver disease digestive.
Its antispasmodic effect extends to the gall bladder and helps to improve bile flow, this would partly accounts for its in treating jaundice gallstones and gallbladder inflammation and destruction pain as well as its long standing reputation as a detoxifying herb.
Recently celandine was found to stimulate the flow of bile and pancreatic enzymes.
The plant latex has been used to remove warts, soften calluses, corns and loosen bad teeth.
Used externally to soothe and encourage the healing of skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and malignant skin tumors, which are slowly broken down by the effect of its protein dissolving enzymes.
Chelidonium alkaloids have been used from the late 1800s in cancer treatment; it has been used to treat clonic polyposis, papitlomas, condylomas and nodules. N.B. a semisynthetic derivative of celandine alkaloids conjugated with thiophosphoric acid is available only in Europe under the name Ukrain Ukrain was reported to be toxic to malignant cells and has amimunoregulatory properties, case reports and studies obtained through medline document Ukrains success in treating several types and sites of cancer including breast colorectal cervical, testicular, esophageal, wethral and ovarian malignant melanoma; optic nerve astrocytoma, and kaposis sarcoma in patients with AIDS.
Dosages and routes of administration:
Liquid extract (1:2), 1-2 ml 3 times daily tincture 1:10 in 45% ml 3 times daily (short term use of higher doses equivalent of 3 g per day may be necessary in china 3-9 g / day or even more is used.
1- these doses are generally administrated used by decoction and this method may not efficiently extract chelidonium alkaloid.
2- high doses should be restricted to short-term use and long-term use of normal doses is not preferred.
Dosage of ukrain is 5 to 20 mg per I.V. injection every other day depending on tumor mass, speed of growth, extent of the disease and the patient's immune status.
The average daily dose is 2 to 4 g of drug in liquid or solid extracts, equivalent to 12 to 13 mg total alkaloids calculated as chelidonine
Adverse reactions:
Dizziness, Drowisness, Fatigue, Hypotension, Insomnia, Nausea, Polyuria, Possible embryotoxic effect (animal studies) possible reversible hepatotoxicity, Restlessness thirst, tingling, itching, stabling pain in tumor area, it latex causes dermatitis and oral ingestion has been reported to cause abdominal pain, vonsiling, diarrhea, fainting, severe stomatitis, gastroenteritis, hemorrhagic gastritis, coma and even death.
Contraindications and Interactions:
Celandine should not be given to those with biliary obstruction, glaucoma or hepatic disease, cardiac glycosides and ukrain, induce possible ECG changes. With morphine, may reduce efficacy. With sulphonamide may reduce efficacy.
Pregnancy and lactations:
Should not be used during pregnancy and lactation
Special considerations:
Given the nature of the alkaloid content of this herb long term use (except topical) is not preferred.
Notice that celandine is not related to the plant known as lesser celandine, Ranunculus ficaria fam Ranunailacea.
Warn the patient to avoid concomitants use with cardiac glycosides, andidiabetics, analgesics and antibiotics.
Warm the patient that oral ingestion over permitted doses has caused major toxicity.
