Celandine (swallow grass, warthog, Chelidonium majus) is a medicinal plant successfully used in folk medicine to treat many different pathologies.In this article we will talk about how to properly use celandine for warts.
Celandine as a plant
Celandine is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the poppy family.People call him neat, clean, warthog.The plant blooms from early May to mid-autumn.Inside it contains a bright yellow milky juice.All parts of celandine are poisonous.
This plant grows like a weed in city parks, along roadsides, in forest clearings and in summer cottages.Celandine was brought to the United States in 1672 and has been grown there ever since as a plant that helps get rid of viral warts.
Chemical composition
The main active components of celandine are:
- alkaloids;
- ascorbic acid;
- carotenoids;
- bitterness;
- resinous substances;
- essential oils;
- flavonoids;
- organic acids;
- saponins.
The plant contains more than 20 alkaloids: nitrogen-containing substances with a complex composition that have a strong specific effect.
It is the alkaloids that make celandine poisonous.But at the same time, thanks to them, it has antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and cauterizing properties.
How to use celandine
Before carrying out the procedure for removing warts, any fatty ointment or petroleum jelly is applied to the healthy skin around the neoplasm.This helps protect it from possible burns or irritation.The growth surface is moistened with warm water and lightly scraped with a sterile scalpel.Only after all these conditions have been met is it possible to spread a herbal remedy on it.
milk juice
The milky juice of freshly cut grass is applied to the surface of the papilloma several times a day.Cauterization is carried out for 10-15 days: the duration of the cycle depends on the severity of the disease, the duration of existence of neoplasms and their location.
Dyeing
Wash the herb of the plant, cut it and place it in a dark glass jar, filling it 2/3 full.Fill flush with 70° ethyl alcohol.Leave at room temperature for 21 days, shaking occasionally.Subject to tension.
Apply the resulting tincture to the problem area, 1-2 drops several times a day.When treating plantar warts, compresses with tincture are applied for 20 minutes.
The course of treatment should not exceed 30 days.
Oil
Place chopped leaves of celandine in a jar, filling it to the top.Pour in the olive or sunflower oil.Infuse in sunlight, stirring the contents thoroughly 3-4 times a day for 15 days.Subject to tension.
The resulting oil is used to apply compresses to problem areas of the skin, which should be replaced every 12 hours.The duration of this method of burning warts is 7-14 days.
Decoction
Some herbalists argue that to remove papillomas as quickly and effectively as possible it is necessary to combine the external use of celandine preparations with the ingestion of a decoction of this plant.However, this method of treatment is not recommended, as it is associated with a high risk of poisoning and requires immediate medical attention from the patient.This is why we do not provide a recipe for preparing a decoction of celandine intended for oral administration and strongly advise against using it.
Rules for the collection and procurement of medicinal raw materials
Celandine should be harvested in the summer months, during the period of maximum flowering.Plants growing along major highways or near large manufacturing facilities should not be harvested.
Considering that the plant is highly poisonous, its collection must be carried out using rubber gloves and protective glasses.
When harvesting, preference should be given to plants with bright green foliage that do not have mechanical damage or signs of disease.
Reviews
Numerous reviews of patients and doctors confirm that celandine provides fairly quick relief from warts.If used correctly, the growth should turn black and dry out.After the scab falls off, there is usually no pigmentation or scarring left on the body.In cases where it is necessary to remove very large papillomas, scar tissue may appear in their place.
Contraindications
Cauterizing warts with celandine is contraindicated if the patient has the following diseases:
- unstable angina;
- bronchial asthma;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- epilepsy;
- increase in individual sensitivity.
You can use warthog herb to treat children only as prescribed by a doctor and with great caution.Do not apply milky juice, tincture or oil to papillomas located on the child's face, as in this case a deep chemical burn may occur, which will lead to the formation of a rough scar.
Side effects and disadvantages
The main disadvantages of home therapy for viral papillomas with warthog herbal preparations are:
- painful procedure;
- prolonged wound healing;
- risk of purulent infection;
- the likelihood of the formation of rough scars, especially when removing large tumors;
- impossibility of precise dosing.
Side effects of treatment include the appearance of burns on healthy skin around the papilloma.
If the therapy is carried out incorrectly, papillomas are not removed, but only injured.Over time, this can lead to malignancy of the neoplasm, that is, its degeneration into a malignant tumor.
Medicines in the pharmacy
If you do not have time to collect herbs and prepare herbal medicines based on them, you can purchase ready-made dosage forms at the pharmacy.Such preparations include oil, balm, ointment and liquid extract of celandine.
Burning warts with their help should be done with great care, as they contain a high concentration of the active substance.Avoid contact of warthog preparations with eyes and mucous membranes to avoid injury.
Instructions for use
To remove papillomas using pharmaceutical products, follow the following steps:
- thoroughly wash the skin in the problem area;
- Apply petroleum jelly to the skin around the papilloma;
- Using a cotton swab, take a small amount of the drug and carefully apply it to the surface of the papilloma.
The application of the medicine must be repeated 2-3 times a day for 5-15 days.To enhance the effect, you can pre-steam the skin area where viral warts are located.
Warthog herbal pharmaceutical products should not be used when epidermal growths are localized on the face, neck, décolleté and mucous membranes.
Are all pharmaceutical products the same?
When purchasing drugs for the removal of warts in the pharmacy, carefully study their composition.Despite the name, in the pharmacy chain you can often find medicines that have nothing to do with celandine and do not contain an extract of this plant.A small bottle contains an alkaline solution and cosmetic additives.Of course, from their use one cannot expect the same effect as drugs with a natural extract of a medicinal plant.
Celandine vs modern methods of removing warts
Modern medicine offers various ways to get rid of papillomas in a short time.These include:
- laser therapy;
- radio wave therapy;
- cryodestruction (cryotherapy);
- electrocoagulation.
Each of these methods has both advantages and disadvantages.But they all have some common positive aspects:
- rapid healing effect;
- painless of the procedure;
- safety;
- low probability of scarring and pigmentation.
Celandine allows you to eliminate only small skin growths that do not cause discomfort (itching, burning, pain) to a person.
Before you start trying to get rid of warts on your own, carefully weigh the pros and cons.Remember that they can be oncogenic in nature, and self-medication in this case can cause much more harm than good.Only a doctor can find out what exactly a patient has, a benign wart or a malignant epithelial tumor, after carrying out a biopsy and histological examination of the material obtained.
If papillomas appear on the skin or mucous membranes, it is better for the patient to turn to a dermatologist for the necessary examination and examination.The doctor will select the most optimal method of removing warts in each specific case.In addition, he will prescribe antiviral and immunomodulatory therapy, which will allow the patient to fully recover and prevent relapses of the disease.
Causes of warts
Warts (papillomas) are small, benign growths located on the surface of the skin or mucous membranes.Depending on the location and appearance, the following types of warts are distinguished:
- vulgar (ordinary, simple);
- plantar;
- palmoplantar;
- anogenital (condylomata).
The disease is widespread and affects people of all ages and genders.Its etiological agent is the human papillomavirus (HPV).The source of infection is sick people and virus carriers.The main routes of infection are:
- contact and family;
- sexual;
- vertical (from mother to child during childbirth).
Factors that increase the risk of HPV infection include:
- failure to comply with personal hygiene rules;
- promiscuous sexual life;
- frequent visits to swimming pools and public baths;
- close contact with animals.
Papillomavirus enters the human body through traumatic injury to the skin or mucous membranes.It then penetrates the epithelial cells, where it can remain in an inactive “sleep” state for a long time.When the immune system is weakened, HPV becomes activated and causes accelerated division of cells in the basal layer of the epithelium, which leads to the formation of papillomas.
The results of numerous studies have shown that human papillomavirus infection has an oncogenic effect on the human body, that is, it contributes to the appearance of malignant tumors.Therefore, before you start removing warts with celandine, you need to consult a dermatologist.