Abstract

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 in traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to review studies related to Chelidonium majus active components, as well as its therapeutic and toxic effects on body tissues. Methods: This short overview was done by searching several 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 presence of various compounds in the plant such as alkaloids, favonoids, 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 listofmedicinalherbsThe levels of the active compounds in the plant are influenced by the location, altitude and ambient temperature of its growing area 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 treatment and control of hard to treat diseases (HTDS). However, it is recommended to do more studies on its mechanism and its possible adverse effects. © 2017, Kerman University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.