Monograph : Calendula officinalis
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Calendula officinalis |
Common name: calendula
Other names: marigold, garden marigold, pot
marigold, holigold, mary bud, morgenfrue, ringelblume
Family: Asteraceae
Parts used: flowers
Description
Historical Use
Dose Dry Herb
Dose Extract
Indications
Qualities
Actions
Constituents
Toxicology
Pharmacological Studies
Clinical Studies
Description
Calendula is a hardy annual or short-lived perennial, growing to
50 cm. Stems are branching, angular, covered with short erect
gluandular hairs. Large yellow or orange flower heads are borne
throughout much of the year, though less so in the winter.
Calendula is indigenous to Egypt and Mediterranean Europe.
Historical use
The ancient Greeks were known to use Calendula, and before them
the Indian and Arabic cultures. It has been used for medicinal,
culinary and cosmetic purposes; also boiled to obtain its yellow
dye. The botanical name comes from the Latin calendulae or calends
meaning 'throughout the months', to emphasise the very long
flowering period of the plant.1
The BHP lists the specific indications of calendula as enlarged
or inflamed lymphatic nodes, sebaceous cysts, duodenal ulcer, and
acute or chronic inflammatory skin lesions. Other indications
include amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, epistaxis, proctitis, and as
an eye lotion for conjunctivitis.2
The internal and topical use of calendula flower was approved
by Commission E for inflammation of the oral and pharyngeal
mucosa; also topically for poorly healing wounds.3
Calendula is often referred to as marigold, however the name
marigold is also used for garden ornamentals of a different genus.
Grieve notes that only the common deep orange-flowered variety of
calendula is of medicinal value.4
_____________
1Stuart M, (ed), 1979, The
Colour Dictionary of Herbs & Herbalism, Orbis Publishing,
London, p 36.
2British Herbal Medicine
Association, 1983, British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, West
Yorks, p 45.
3Kommission E monographs,
1991, p 45.
4Grieve M, 1994 (first published
in 1931), A Modern Herbal, Tiger Books International,
London, p 518.
Toxicology
None known.
DoseDryHerb
3 to 12 g per day.
DoseExtract
10 to 30 mL per week (1:2). Use 90% extract for fungal infections
and 25% for viral infections.
Indications
acne,
acne
(topically), boils
(poultice), cholecystitis,
dysmenorrhoea,
spasmodic, eczema,
eczema
(topically), gastritis,
glands,
swollen, haemorrhoids
(topically), hypercholesterolaemia,
infection,
inflammation,
gastrointestinal tract, menopause,
hypertension and arrhythmias, menstrual
irregularity, pruritus,
psoriasis,
ulcer,
gastriointestinal, ulcer,
mouth, varicose
veins (topically), wounds
(topically)
Qualities
cooling
potential, dry
Actions
anti-inflammatory,
anti-inflammatory
(GIT), anti-inflammatory
(topically), antimicrobial,
antiseptic
(GIT), antiseptic
(topically), antiviral
(topically), astringent,
cholagogue,
choleretic,
hypocholesterolaemic,
hypolipidaemic,
lymphatic,
vulnerary
Constituents
Key active constituents:
- triterpenoid
saponins, including the aglycones oleanolic acid, oleanoic
acid and saponosides A to F
- 2-4% triterpenol alcohols, either in the free form or as
esters
- carotenoids,
the content of which determines the colour of the flowers:
carotene in orange flowers, xanthophyll in yellow flowers
- flavonoids,
especially isorhamnetin
glycosides
- essential
oil, consisting of mono and sesquiterpenes
- bitter
principles including calendin
Also polyacetylenes,
polysaccharides,
and manganese
Pharmacological studies
Immunomodulatory effects
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