Lesser celandine

Common name

N/A

ID

HD0045

Scientific name of the plant

Ficaria verna L.

Anatomical part for use

leaf

Human use

Circulatory disorders

Summary

Ficaria verna, (formerly Ranunculus ficaria L.) commonly known as lesser celandine or pilewort, is a low-growing, hairless perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae native to Europe and west Asia. It has fleshy dark green, heart-shaped leaves and distinctive flowers with bright yellow, glossy petals. It is now introduced in North America, where it is known by the common name fig buttercup and considered an invasive species. The plant is poisonous if ingested raw and potentially fatal to grazing animals and livestock such as horses, cattle, and sheep. For these reasons, several US states have banned the plant or listed it as a noxious weed. It prefers bare, damp ground and is considered by horticulturalists in the United Kingdom as a persistent garden weed; nevertheless, many specialist plantsmen, nursery owners and discerning gardeners in the UK and Europe collect selected cultivars of the plant, including bronze-leaved and double-flowered ones. Emerging in late winter with flowers appearing March through May in the UK, its appearance across the landscape is regarded by many as a harbinger of spring.

Evidence Level

Level 4 (Individual reports repeated observed over 5 years among different countries)

Hepatotoxicity reports in literature

  • Lesser celandine (pilewort) induced acute toxic liver injury: The first case report worldwide : (Source)
  • [Necrotizing hepatitis after taking herbal remedies] : (Source)

Hepatotoxicity Description

N/A

Relevant Public Information

Wiki
Nature Medicines