Evidence supporting the use of: Lily of the Valley
For the health condition: Heart Valves
Synopsis
Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) has a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine, particularly in Europe, for various heart-related conditions. Its primary active compounds, called cardiac glycosides (notably convallatoxin), are chemically similar to those found in the foxglove plant (Digitalis), which forms the basis of the pharmaceutical drug digoxin. Traditionally, Lily of the Valley was employed to strengthen heart contractions and was used as a remedy for "weak heart," dropsy (edema), and irregular heartbeats. However, its application specifically to "support/treat heart valves" is more ambiguous. Most traditional usage revolves around congestive heart failure and arrhythmias, not the structural or functional support of heart valves themselves.
Scientific evidence is limited and largely outdated, with most studies and clinical use focused on digitalis. Convallatoxin does have digitalis-like effects, increasing the force of cardiac contraction and potentially slowing heart rate. However, the use of Lily of the Valley in modern medicine is rare due to its narrow therapeutic window and risk of toxicity. There is no robust clinical data demonstrating benefits specifically for heart valve disorders. Thus, while traditional use supports its use for heart symptoms, scientific validation for heart valve treatment is weak and current medical practice does not recommend it for this purpose.
Other health conditions supported by Lily of the Valley
AnginaArrhythmia
Cardiac Arrest
Congestive Heart Failure
Heart (weakness)
Heart Fibrillation or Palpitations
Heart Valves
