Calendula

Calendula

Latin Name: Calendula officinalis
Family: Asteraceae

Part used: The flower
Energetics: Sweet, salty, bitter, pungent, cooling.
Iris: All types
Interactions: Please check with your Healthcare Provider.

Safe alongside Herb
  • Aciclovir
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Diazepam
  • Metformin

CONTRA-INDICATIONS

  • Known allergic hypersensitivity
  • Allergy to Asteraceae
  • Avoid in pregnancy (uterine stimulant) and breastfeeding.

ACTIONS

  • Alterative
  • Immune stimulant and modulator
  • Lymphatic
  • Vulnerary
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Styptic
  • Antiseptic
  • Anti-fungal
  • Anti-histamine
  • Anti-bacterial (Staph/ Strep)
  • Anti-protozoal
  • Anti-spasmodic
  • Anti-haemorrhage
  • Anti-emetic
  • Anti-viral
  • Anti-neoplastic
  • Diaphoretic
  • Diuretic
  • Anthelmintic
  • Oestrogenic
  • Menstrual regulator
  • Emmenagogue

Main Constituents

  • Volatile oil
  • Terpenoids (lupeol, taraxerol, taraxasterol, Flavonoids (quercetin, rutin)
  • Sterols
  • Saponins
  • Polysaccharides
  • Bitters
  • Mucilage
  • Gum (Calendulin)
  • Co Q10
  • Carotenoids

Main Uses

A stimulating antiseptic to the skin and mucous membranes.
A remedy which should follow all surgical operations.
Digestive System: Gastric and duodenal ulcers, Jaundice, Gallbladder inflammation, Gum disease, diarrhoea, amoebic infections.
External Use: Bee, wasp and other insects stings

Infections:
Bacteria: Actinomyces, Bacillus, E. coli, Enterococcus, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermis, Streptococcus faecalis.
Viruses: Herpes simplex, Influenza, HIV / AIDS, Rhinovirus
Protozoa: Trichomonas vaginalis
Fungi: Several candidas
Skin: Wounds where the skin has been broken, Grazed knees in children, Chapped skin and lips, Heals gums after tooth extractions
Circulatory: Varicose veins, Phlebitis
Nervous system: Convulsions
Endocrine: Absent of painful menstruation, Amenorrhoea, Dysmenorrhoea
Immune System: Enlarged and inflamed lymphatic glands, Mumps
Respiratory System: Nosebleeds
Reproductive System: Sore nipples in nursing mothers

More About Calendula

Digestion
Calendula is bitter, which stimulates the secretion of digestive enzymes and improves gallbladder function, therefore preventing gallstones.
It is effective against amoebic infections, fungal infections and worms.
It helps with all forms of inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, such as gastritis and ulcers, and acts as an astringent in cases of diarrhoea and bleeding.
Skin
Calendula is useful for both skin infections and women's ailments, as it is a detoxicant and decongestant.
The photoprotective effect of calendula topical gel is thought to be associated with an improvement in collagen synthesis in the sub-epidermal connective tissue.
The essential oil from calendula flowers has sun protection activity and applications of cream containing essential oil of calendula prevents UVB-damage.
Anti-viral
The triterpenoids present in calendula have anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effects, in cases of Herpes, Influenza and HIV and the polysaccharides have immune-stimulating effects in cases of bacterial infections.
Hormone Balancing
For women it helps to clear uterine blood congestion and helps to stop bleeding especially, from haemorrhoids, fibroids and in the uterus. It has a regulatory effect on breast tenderness and menstrual cramps and has a hormone balancing effect during the menopause too.
Marigold flowers are used in infusions and tincture forms. The Infusion is more gentle and suitable for children - the tincture is better for compresses, mouthwashes, gargles, creams and pessaries.
At the onset of an infection the Infusion should be sipped hot with other diaphoretics such as Elderflower or Yarrow flower.

Recipes:


Calendula Oatmeal Soak

This bath soak is specially designed for sensitive or itchy skin types. Ground oats soothe irritated skin while calendula flowers calm inflammation. If desired, you can also add a few drops of lavender essential oil for a light relaxing scent.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp dried calendula petals
  • Approx. 26g of rolled oats
  • Approx. 144g of fine sea salt
  • 63g of Epsom salt
  • 2 to 3 drops lavender essential oil mixed with 1/4 teaspoon olive or sunflower oil (optional, for scent)

Method:
Using an electric coffee grinder, blend the oats and calendula together until finely powdered. Stir together the sea salt and Epsom salt. If using, add the diluted lavender essential oil. Add the powdered oats and calendula and stir until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Store the soak in a tightly closed glass jar for three to four months, keeping in mind that the scent may fade over time.
How to Use: To use, dump the entire cup of bath soak into a bathtub as it fills with comfortably warm water.

References


Skin Protection 

Effectiveness of skin protectors and calendula officinalis for prevention and treatment of radiodermatitis: an integrative review.
Data confirm the potential of Calendula officinalis for prevention and treatment of radiodermatitis and point to promising results regarding skin protector use.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33084806/

Skin Aging

Topical Delivery of Geranium/Calendula Essential Oil-Entrapped Ethanolic Lipid Vesicular Cream to Combat Skin Aging.
From the research findings, the age-defying potential and photoprotective effects of GEO and CEO were confirmed. It can be concluded that ELVs are able to preserve the efficiency of EOs and have the potential to combat skin aging.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34552986/

Wound Healing

Use of calendula ointment after episiotomy: a randomized clinical trial.
Women who received calendula ointment after episiotomy compared to standard care had a significantly lower pain level starting from day two and during all the follow-up. Calendula ointment also improve wound healing in terms of redness and edema.Use of calendula ointment significantly reduce pain after episiotomy.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32460565/

Venous Leg Ulcers

Therapeutic effectiveness of a Calendula officinalis extract in venous leg ulcer healing.
Patients with ulcers treated with Calendula officinalis extract had a significant 4-fold increase in percentage healing velocity per week, 7.4 %, compared with 1.7 % in the control group.Our findings indicate that Calendula officinalis extract is an effective treatment for VLUs.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27974009/

Vaginal Candidiasis

Comparing the effects of Calendula officinalis and clotrimazole on vaginal Candidiasis: A randomized controlled trial.
Calendula vaginal cream appears to have been effective in the treatment of vaginal Candidiasis and to have a delayed but greater long-term effect compared to clotrimazole.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27880086/

Anti-Inflammatory

Triterpene alcohols from the flowers of compositae and their anti-inflammatory effects.
Eleven tabular and nine ligulate flowers from 15 species of Compositae plants were investigated for their triterpene alcohol constituents. The triterpene alcohols from Compositae flowers were evaluated with respect to their anti-inflammatory activity. 

All showed marked inhibitory activity, and their 50% inhibitory dose was 0.1-0.8 mg per ear.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8987908/

Acute Otitis Media (Ear Pain)

Naturopathic treatment for ear pain in children.
A total of 171 children who were aged 5 to 18 years and had otalgia and clinical findings associated with middle-ear infection were studied.
This study involved Naturopathic Herbal Extract Ear Drops (NHED) and / or anaesthetic ear drops, with or without amoxicillin. The herbal drops contained: allium sativum, verbascum thapsus, calendula flores, hypericum perfoliatum, lavender, and vitamin E in olive oil, 5 drops in the ear 3 times daily.
This study suggests that in acute otitis media an herbal extract solution may be beneficial. Concomitant antibiotic treatment is apparently not contributory.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12728112/

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