Scientific noun: Convallaria majalis L.

Common noun: : Lily of the valley

Family: Lily family -Liliaceae.

Habitat: Woods of deciduous flat-leaved trees in mountains. Also cultivated in gardening.

Active principles: Glycosides: Being the main ones : convallatoxol, convallamarin, convallarin, convalloside , convallarin, which is transformed into convallatoxin when the plant becomes dry. Flavonoids Essential oil, rich in farnesol Acids : convallaric, Chelidonic, malic, ferulic, citric, caffeic.. Asparagine

Active parts: The whole

Uses: - Medicinal: It has been used in home-made medicine as cardiotonic in the treatment of heart weakness, being quicker in acting than digital components, although less permanent. Its cardiotonic glycosides exercise this function which is increased by saponines and flavonoids, as well as asparagine, because of their diuretic action. This last property has been used for the treatment of too high levels of uric acid, dropsy associated with heart weakness, as well as the dissolution of renal calculus . The administration form is usually by means of extract fluid, decoction of the roots or of the flowers. In comparison with the use of Digitalis it has been praised the fact that this plant doesn't present accumulative effects. It has also been used as a purgative because of the action of convallarin. - Industrial: The pharmaceutical industry uses it for the extraction of cardiotonic products and the industry of the perfumery to create perfumes, fundamentally by means of its essential oil.   Given up the toxicity of its components its use in home-made preparations is dissuaded.

Toxicity: Extremely fatal in the event of ingestion of abundant principles, fundamentally by mistake when eating its berries which are very appetizing for the children, because of its high contents in sugars. Symptoms: Stomachache, nausea, vomiting, diarrheas, headaches. In strong intoxications, mental confusion, numbness of the members, hypotension, cramps, cardiorespiratory failure and death. It is toxic for the livestock that consume the leaves. Treatment: Stomach emptying , gastric lavage, artificial breathing, breathing stimulants. Cultivation tips