A Quick Review of the Effects of Chelidonium majus L and Its Active Components on Health and Disease Treatment

Background: Using herbs for the treatment of diseases has a long history. Chelidonium majus from the family of Papaveraceae is one of the best-known and most widely used herbs used in traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to review its active components, as well as its therapeutic and toxic effects on body tissues. Methods: This short overview was done by searching for relevant contents in many databases including: Magiran, Iran medex, IranDoc, SID, Medlib, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar. All articles that met the inclusion criteria were studied and evaluated. Results: The various compounds available in the plant such as: alkaloids, flavonoids, and opioid derivatives, as well as its ability to produce nitric oxide(NO) and tumor necrosis factor(TNF) and its multiple capabilities in affecting the activities of various body tissues in hepatic, renal, neurological, reproductive and hormonal systems have made it a leading plant in the listofmedicinalherbs.The levels of the active compounds in the plants are influenced by location, altitude, ambient temperature and harvest time, a fact which partly justifies the controversial  reports on the effects of this extract on body tissues. Conclusion: Because of the multiplicity and diversity of its active ingredients, Chelidonium majus has the potential to be used for the diagnosis, treatment and control of hard to treat diseases (HTDS). However, it is recommended to do more research on its mechanism and its possible adverse effects.