Chelidonium

Celandine

Chelidonium majus

Because this plant flowers as the swallows are migrating, Dioscorides, the famous Greek physician of the 1st century CE, named it after the Greek khelidon, or "swallow." In traditional medicine its juice was used for skin, liver, and gallbladder disorders. The homeopathic remedy was proved by Hahnemann and published in his Materia Medica Pura (1821-34).

An aggressive, domineering personality is typically linked with Chelidonium. Those who respond well to the remedy tend also to be practical rather than intellectual people who do not like to "waste time" analyzing their emotions.

Typical physical symptoms include cravings for hot drinks and cheese. There is a feeling of heaviness, with symptoms tending to be right-sided.

Chelidonium is used mainly for liver conditions, or spleen, kidney, gallbladder, intestine, and lung complaints. Chelidonium may also be given prior to surgery linked to hepatitis or gallstones.

Uses

According to the Doctrine of Signatures, the yellow juice of this plant meant that it was good for liver disorders, such as jaundice. In fact, the juice is poisonous. Commonly known as wartweed for its power to remove warts, it belongs to the same plant family as the poppy.
This remedy is used for liver and bile disorders, for example gallstones, indigestion, jaundice, and hepatitis. Characteristically there is often a bruised, aching pain on the lower part of the right shoulder blade, with an upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and possibly distension of the upper abdomen. Abdominal symptoms are relieved by passing stools.
When ill, people who need this remedy feel generally "liverish" or nauseous, and depressed with a dull headache. They have a sallow, yellowish complexion. One foot may feel hot and the other cold.

Hepatitis - an enlarged liver, with pain extending to the back and right shoulder blade, and jaundiced, yellow skin. The abdomen feels distended and tight, as if bound. There may be a strong craving for, or aversion to, cheese.

Gallstones - a sharp, constant pain on the upper right side of the abdomen, behind the ribs, possibly due to a gallstone trapped in a bile duct. The pain may resemble that of hepatitis. It is often exacerbated by fatty foods, and may extend to the back and right shoulder blade. There may be nausea and vomiting, and inflammation of the bile duct that may lead to jaundice or inflammation of the gallbladder.

Headaches - a sensation of heaviness on the right side of the head. There may also be facial numbness and neuralgia (especially above the eye), and a yellow-coated tongue that retains teeth marks. These symptoms may be linked to an existing liver disorder.

Shoulder pain - shoulder pain with icy coldness in the fingertips and muscles that feel sore to the touch. There may be associated nausea and perspiration.

Pneumonia - breathlessness and pain on coughing or breathing deeply, with pneumonia that chiefly affects the right lung and, possibly, liver problems.