Chelidonium majus (Baijiecai)

Distribution:
Shandong, Xinjiang, Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, provinces, northeastern and northern part of China.; also found in Korea, Japan, Middle East and Europe.
 
Properties (characteristics):
Bitter, cool
 
Channels (meridians) entered:
Lung, heart, kidney.
 
Actions & Indications:
In general it is used in pain, coughing, Chronic Gastritis, ulcer of stomach, abdomen pain, diarrhe, jaundice, Chronic Bronchitis, whooping cough. External application is being used in dermatitis from working in wet rice fields, insect bites.

Roots: for treating blood stasis due to overwork, Irregular menstruation, pain during menses.

Whole herb with roots: being used in arresting swelling, pain, toxin. It is being used in pain in the digestive tract and ulcers.

It is being used in Europe for gall bladder stone and weak digestion. This herb is not commonly used in China today.

Chemical ingredients:
chelidonine, chelerythrine, sanguinarine, α-, β-homochelidonine, protopine, berberine, Coptisine, chelidonic acid, choline, rutoside.
 
Dosage:
For decoction to take orally: 3 to 6 g.
For external use: appropriate amount. Grind into powder and make into paste or smash and apply to affect areas.

Cautions:
It may trigger autoimmune system and induce hepatitis.