Lily Of The Valley
Botanical Description & Habitat
Convallaria majalis
Family
Liliaceae
Common Names
May lily
May bells
Habitat
Native to Eurasia, but cultivated (now growing wild) in America.
Medicinal Parts
The plant
Historical Properties & Uses
Lily of the valley is widely regarded as a cardiac stimulant, diuretic, antispasmodic, and laxative. It is used to treat some of the most intractable conditions, such as apoplexy, epilepsy, dropsy and neurasthenia.
In Russia, lily of the valley has been used for centuries for the treatment of dropsy.
In more reasonable applications, it is used to cure headache and reduce the pain associated with gout and rheumatism.
All of the above conditions, even the minor ones, require a fairly powerful agent like Lily of the valley.
This herb has approval status by the German Commission E for mild cardiac insufficiency.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Method of Action
Lily of the valley contains a very active crystalline glycoside, convallatoxin. Most experts agree that convallatoxin belongs in the same class as digitalis and strophanthin. The plant also contains convalloside, convallatoxole, lokundjoside, cardenolide and several steroidal saponins.
Because of the danger of toxicity and the availability of agents just as effective but without risk, most herbalists have routinely considered home grown lily of the valley a bad risk. There are, however, standardized preparations on the market in Europe for which dose-response relationships have been carefully worked out in such a way that good inotropic effects can be achieved without the risk of poisoning, if directions are adhered to, of course.
Drug companies also still make drugs combining lily of the valley with other cardiotonics, such as digitalis, hawthorn, oleander, and adonis.
Indications for the use of lily of the valley include bradycardia, cardiac insufficiency, disturbances of circulation and weakened heart muscle.
Since lily of the valley has no effect on the vagus nerve, it is better suited for bradycardia than digitalis. In fact, since the action of convallotoxin is restricted almost entirely to the heart muscle, it may be better suited than any other treatment in certain situations.
The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia recognizes lily of the valley as a cardioactive with digitalis like action, to be used in the treatment of arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, edema of cardiac origin, and cardiac asthma, and specifically indicated in cardiac heart failure with dropsy. Lily of the Valley is combined with motherwort and Selenicereus grandiflorus in heart disease.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
Interactions
The German Commission E notes the increased effectiveness and side effects of simultaneously administered calcium, quinidine, saluretics (increase the elimination of salts in the urine), laxatives and extended therapy with glucocorticoids (i.e. corticosteroid drugs).
Possible Interactions
The pressor effect of this sympathomimetic agent may be markedly potentiated by MAOIs and tricyclic antidepressants.
Allopurinol has been tentatively shown to increase the half life of anticoagulants.
The fibrinolytic action of lily of the valley may be potentiated by anticoagulant drugs.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
Lily of the valley, due to the presence of powerful digitalis-like glycosides, should only be used under the direction of a trained practitioner.
Overdoses may produce irregular heart beat and nausea. At therapeutic doses there is little chance of side effects.
This herb has approval status by the German Commission E.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Preparation & Administration
Use three times daily
Infusion
Use 60-200 mg of dried leaves
Liquid Extract
Use 0.6-2 ml of 1:1 in 25% alcohol
Tincture
Use 0.5-1 ml of 1:5 in 40% alcohol
This herb has approval status by the German Commission E.
Recommended daily dosages in Germany are as follows:
0.6 g standardized powder.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Braun, H. & D. Frohne. Heilplanzen-Lexikon Fuer Aerzte und Apotheker. Gustav Fisher Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, 1987.
British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, British Herbal Medicine Association, 1983.
Duke, J.A. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida, 1985.
Hanak, T. Phytotherapie in der kadiologischen alltagspraxis. Zhurnal der Allgemein Medizin, 56, 276-283, 1980.
Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D. Exper. Psych., Brigham Young University. Director of Nebo Institute of Herbal Sciences. Director of Behavior Change Agent Training Institute. Director of Research, Nova Corp.
Weiss, R.F. Herbal Medicine. Beaconsfield Publishers, LTD, Beaconsfield, England, 1988.
Multimedia
Convallaria majalis
© Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
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