Lily of the valley
Convallaria majalis
Herbs & Roots. Dr. Sebi's list and Western & European.
Also called May lily, Muguet, Our Lady's tears
Spanish: Lirio de los valles
Poisonous to the heartA woodland flower with a sweet scent that contains heart-acting poisons. It is toxic, and even small amounts can be dangerous.
Did you know? Its scent is a famous perfume note, yet its leaves and flowers contain heart-acting glycosides that were once used in old heart medicines.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Heart health. Used for heart failure in old medicine. Modern trials are missing, and home use is too dangerous.Not supported
- Kidneys, bladder & UTIs. Old use for dropsy and fluid retention is unproven and dangerous.Not supported
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Old European herbalists used it for heart failure and dropsy, which is swelling from fluid. Modern medicine dropped it because the safe dose is too close to a poisoning dose.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Heart tonic, Diuretic. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
There is no safe home use. Old medicine gave it as a tincture under a doctor's direction, with a very narrow margin between dose and poisoning.
Tincture.
Where to get it
A woodland plant of Europe and Asia, grown in gardens and sold as a cut flower and plant. Old pharmacies sold dried herb and tinctures, but these are not for home use.
Be careful
Poisonous. Eating leaves, flowers or berries can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, yellow-green vision and dangerous heart rhythms. Deaths have been reported. Seek emergency care right away if anyone swallows it.
Avoid if: pregnancy; breastfeeding; heart disease; children under 12.
Mixing with other things
- Don't mixHeart rhythm medicine (digoxin, amiodarone)
Its heart-acting compounds add to digoxin and other heart medicines and can cause fatal heart rhythm problems.
- Don't mixWater pills (furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide)
Diuretics that lower potassium raise the risk of poisoning from these heart-acting compounds.
The honest take
Lily of the valley is poisonous, and its compounds act on the heart like digoxin. It has an old medical history, but there is no safe dose for home use. Do not take it or use it as a remedy.