Background

• Greater celandine has been used historically in Europe for the treatment of many diseases. Although celandine is considered somewhat toxic, it has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and by German doctors.
• A semisynthetic drug that uses greater celandine extracts, called Ukrain^TM, has been studied for the treatment of cancer and may gain more attention in the future because of its antiosteoporosis effects.

References

1. Buzuk GN, Lovkova MI, Sokolova SM, et al. [Genetic aspects of the relationship between isoquinoline alkaloids and mineral elements in greater celandine (Chelidonium majus L.)] Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol 2003;39(1):37-42. View Abstract
2. Chitturi S, Farrell GC. Drug-induced cholestasis. Semin Gastrointest Dis 2001;12(2):113-124. View Abstract
3. Cordes N, Plasswilm L, Bamberg M, et al. Ukrain, an alkaloid thiophosphoric acid derivative of Chelidonium majus L. protects human fibroblasts but not human tumour cells in vitro against ionizing radiation. Int J Radiat Biol 2002;78(1):17-27. View Abstract
4. Crijns AP, de Smet PA, van den Heuvel M, et al. [Acute hepatitis after use of a herbal preparation with greater celandine (Chelidonium majus)]. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 2002;146(3):124-128. View Abstract
5. Ernst E, Schmidt K. Ukrain - a new cancer cure? A systematic review of randomised clinical trials. BMC Cancer 2005;5(1):69. View Abstract
6. Etxenagusia MA, Anda M, Gonzalez-Mahave I, et al. Contact dermatitis from Chelidonium majus (greater celandine). Contact Dermatitis 2000;43(1):47. View Abstract
7. Gebhardt R. Antioxidative, antiproliferative and biochemical effects in HepG2 cells of a homeopathic remedy and its constituent plant tinctures tested separately or in combination Arzneimittelforschung 2003;53(12):823-830. View Abstract
8. Habermehl D, Kammerer B, Handrick R, et al. Proapoptotic activity of Ukrain is based on Chelidonium majus L. alkaloids and mediated via a mitochondrial death pathway. BMC Cancer 2006;6:14. View Abstract
9. Iagodina OV, Nikol'skaia EB, and Faddeeva MD [Inhibition of liver mitochondrial monoamine oxidase activity by alkaloids isolated from Chelidonium and Macleaya and by their derivative drugs]. Tsitologiia 2003;45(10):1032-1037. View Abstract
10. Jang SI, Kim BH, Lee WY, et al. Stylopine from Chelidonium majus inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory mediators in RAW 264.7 cells. Arch Pharm Res 2004;27(9):923-929. View Abstract
11. Roublevskaia IN, Haake AR, and Polevoda BV. Bcl-2 overexpression protects human keratinocyte cells from Ukrain-induced apoptosis but not from G2/M arrest. Drugs Exp Clin Res 2000;26(5-6):149-156. View Abstract
12. Roublevskaia IN, Polevoda BV, Ludlow JW, et al. Induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis in human epidermoid carcinoma cell lines by semisynthetic drug Ukrain. Anticancer Res 2000;20(5A):3163-3167. View Abstract
13. Song JY, Yang HO, Shim JY, et al. Radiation protective effect of an extract from Chelidonium majus. Int J Hematol 2003;78(3):226-232. View Abstract
14. Spiridonov NA, Konovalov DA, Arkhipov VV. Cytotoxicity of some Russian ethnomedicinal plants and plant compounds. Phytother Res 2005;19(5):428-432. View Abstract
15. Stickel F, Seitz HK, Hahn EG, et al. [Liver toxicity of drugs of plant origin]. Z Gastroenterol 2001;39(3):225-227. View Abstract