Lilium candidum
Botanical Nomenclature | Lilium candidum |
Common Name | Madonna Lily |
Taxonomy- Family | Liliaceae |
Distinguishing Features of the Plant | Lilium candidum is a perennial, bulbous plant growing up to 1m, with lanceolate, oblong, green leaves and large, fragrant, white, hermaphrodite flowers, with six petals and bending to the ground. The anthers are yellow. The flowering lasts from May to July and the harvesting takes place from August to September. |
Region Found | Ioannina (Pindos, Vikos-Aoos, Zagori) |
Part of the Plant with Active Substances | Root |
Active Substances | Flavonoids (glycosides of isorhamnetin e.g. isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside), gamma-methyl glutamic acid, polysaccharides (glucomannans), starch. |
Pharmacological Effects - Therapeutic Applications | The plant has astringent, emollient, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, expectorant and emmenagogue properties. It is recommended in the form of herbal tea to prevent various gynecological disorders associated with menstruation, as well against insomnia, anxiety, nervousness, memory problems, sinusitis, bronchitis, pharyngitis, dry cough, asthma, cardiac arrhythmias, palpitations and heart failure. The plant is mainly applied externally to the skin for the treatment of skin ulcers, inflammation, rashes, burns, wounds, otitis, eye irritation, conjunctivitis, varicose veins and injuries. In folk medicine the pollen of the flowers has been used to treat epilepsy. |
Method of Administration | The plant is administered as emollient and diuretic in the form of herbal tea (2 spoons of dried herb in a cup of boiled water for 5-10min, 3 times a day), infusion (3g of dried root in 100mL of boiling water for 10-15min three times a day) and tincture (1: 5 parts of petals and ethyl alcohol 70%, for 15 days, shaking the mixture 3-4 times a day, a spoon in a glass of water, 3 times a day). It is applied externally to the skin in the form of ointment, poultice and essential oil (50 g of dried herb in 500ml of oily base, in water bath for 3 hours, 3-4 drops to the skin) Warning: The use of herb preparations is not recommended without seeking advice from your physician or pharmacist. The substances they contain may interact with the subscribed drugs that the patient already takes, thus eliminating their therapeutic efficacy or inducing toxicity. They may also burden further weakened vital functions of the body thus exposing the patient to increased morbidity and life threatened conditions. |
Toxicity- Adverse Effects | No side effects have been reported. |
References | 1)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17432279 2)https://topnaturalremedies.net/herbal-remedies/medicinal-value-madonna-lily/ 3)https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/l/lilmad24.html#med 4)http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Lilium+candidum 5)http://www.medicinalplants-pharmacognosy.com/herbs-medicinal-plants/white-lily-flowers/ |