VBMA
Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association
Dedicated to Developing Responsible Herbal Practice
 
MEMBER WEBSITE
 
Jasmine C. Lyon, Executive Director
QUESTIONS? email office@vbma.org
 
Established in 2002 by Susan Wynn, DVM, RH(AHG)
VBMA BOARD
 
President:  Laurie Dohmen
President-Elect: Robert Silver
Past President: Cynthia Lankenau
Int'l Advisor:  Barbara Fougere
Recording Secretary:  Beth Lambert
Director/Treasurer:  Jasmine Lyon
 
 
VBMA Member Home About VBMA Contact VBMA Member Benefits
 
VBMA Herbal Wiki
COMMON NAME:  Calendula
LATIN NAME:  Calendula officinalis
AKA:  Pot marigold, ruddles, English marigold, Garden marigold
 
BACK TO HERBAL WIKI INDEX
Calendula officinalis  

Common Name: Calendula
Latin Name: Calendula officinalis, AKA L., Garden marigold; Pot Marigold, Jin Zhan Ju
Family: Asteraceae (Compositae)
Part Used: Petals of the flowerhead
Native to Egypt-worldwide now
 
Active constituents: Flavonoids, isorhamnetic and quercetin, rutin; triterpene saponins based on oleanolic acid; essential oils, sesquiterpenes and triterpenes; immunostimulant polysaccharides
 
Actions: Anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial;* vulnerary*; anti-septic, lymphatic, reduces blood lipids, astringent, spasmolytic, cholagogue, alterative, adhesive to Mucus membranes, hypoglycemic, anti-oxidant; cicatrisant, capillary stimulant TCM actions: Clear St and Intestine Heat; Clear Retained pathogen and Heat toxin; heat qi deficiency; Clears external wind heat; Uterus/Liver Qi stagnation, uterine and venous blood stagnation
 
Indications: Topical: Burns, cuts, and bruises; mouthwash for gums, mucous membranes, and throat; stomach ulcers; eyewash; infections of gastrointestinal tract, skin, and GU tract; inflamed skin; eczema, pruitus; swollen glands, lymphadenitis; elevated cholesterol and triglycerides; wound dressing; udder salve for mastitis; gingivitis; cardiac deficiency; flu and eruptive fevers; retained placenta, uterine subinvolution; uterine cysts and tumors; liver congestion
 
Cautions: Avoid if sensitive to daisy or aster family; Store away from light and moisture; shelf life is three years; do not dry using artificial warmth.
 
Contraindications: No adverse effects in pregnancy or breastfeeding; one text worried about pregnancy, but seems unsubstantiated but it is a slight uterine stimulant.
 
Herb Drug Interactions: Theoretical-interact with sedative and antihypertensive drugs. No reports of adverse effects.
 
Dosage (use animal doses where available, otherwise human doses can be included here but specify):
*Human: Infusion*: 1 tsp (5-10g) dried florets in 8 oz. water; steep 10-15 minute; drink 2-3 cups per day;  *Fluid Extract*: 1:1 in 40 % alcohol): 0.5-1.0, TID; *Tincture*: 1:5: 5-10 drops (1-2 ml) TID; *Ointment:* 2-5% calendula; apply 3-4 times per day as needed. *Small animal: Dried herb*: 25-400 mg/kg. Divided daily; Infusion: 5-30 g per cup of water ¼-1/2 cup per 10 kg divided daily; tincture: 1:2-1:3: 0.5-2. ml per 10 kg divided TID
 
Notes:
Energetics: neutral with cooling, dry; (;Culpeper-warm in the first degree possibly second (diaphoretic) ; bitter, pungent, salty, astringent
Meridians: Liver, Heart, Lung, Chong and Ren
Treats: depressed tissues It has been used topically on plants as a molluskicidal.
Traditional uses: amenorrhea, angina, fever, gastritis, hypotension, jaundice, rheumatism, and vomiting
 
Gerard: strengthens the heart, protects the heart from fevers and toxins, treats the trembling of the heart; clears redness, pain and inflammation from the eyes; promotes menstruation, helps expel the placenta
 
Culpeper: They strengthen the heart exceedingly and are very expulsive..(expel any malignant quality which may annoy them)
 
Cook: mild and diffusive stimulant with some relaxing properties, expending their power chiefly on the nerves and moderately upon capillary circulation; useful in hysteria; promotes moisture to the surface; beneficial to the uterus; also the gall-ducts.
 
Fyfe: used as a vaginal douche for leucorrhea; Indicated with enfeebled condition of the capillary blood vessels; varicose veins
 
Wood: Calendula improves internal drainage from purulent wounds, an affinity to the lymphatic system and the veins. Seven properties: 1. external to wounds-antiseptic, bacteriostatic, and hemostatic; 2. internally for swollen glands and lingering, unresolved infections, cleansing the lymphatic glands and ducts, 3. lowers high enzyme counts from damaged lover, 4. soothes digestive mucosa, 5. warms the stomach, drives heat to the periphery, thins fluids, and causes sweating in fever, 6. promotes menstruation, and 7. prevent sickness in winter.  Specific indications: Tongue is slight puffy, pink or red papillae down the sides of the tongue, indicating unresolved lymphatic inflammation.
 
Published research:
Studies have shown:  Significant anti-oxidant effect; potent analgesic properties; accelerates the rate of contraction and epithelialization of excision wounds; hypoglycemic effects, inhibitory activity of gastric emptying and gastro-protective effects; antiulcer. Recent studies illustrated that Calendula extract gel is effective on decreasing the intensity of radiotherapy; it possesses anti-cytokine activity and can treat carotid atherosclerosis; and great anti-oxidation effect; highly selective antitumor effect especially to melanomas with antiangiogenic activity; antileukemic properties; excellent antifungal activity; successfully treat ulcerative colitis; inhibits HGF-mediated collagen degradation, promise for rheumatoid conditions; topical vagina treatment; protective effect against subacute cigarette smoke-induced cell injury; cardioprotection ability; a therapy for cheilitis exfoliative; inhibit; inhibit growth of Campylobacter. Jejuni; a hepatoprotectant; a feed supplement for pigs to act as a protectant from oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation induced by high polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake; insecticidal activity; and a ear treatment.
 
 
 
Content © VBMA 2013
Website created and maintained by A. Keane Design