CALENDULA AND ITS PROPERTIES

CALÉNDULA

Calendula Officinalis L.

CALENDULA(Calendula Officinalis L.)

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION - Annual plant. Tapered root. Stem erect or climbing, 30 to 50 cm high, branched at the bottom. Leaves alternate, slightly toothed and hairy. Yellow or orange flowers. The fruits are concave and grooved achenes. It blooms from July to September.

COLLECTION - Flowers at the time of flowering.

DRUGS - Whole flowers.

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS - Essential oil, flavonoids, saponosides, triterpene alcohols, xanthophyll pigments and tannins.

PROPERTIES - For the essential oil, antiseptic and parasiticidal action. For the alcohols and terpene lactones, antibiotic and fungicide action. Also anti-inflammatory, healing, emenagoga, spasmolytic, sudorific, choleretic and hypotensive.

USES and APPLICATIONS - Topical route; Acne, skin irritations, scalds, burns, bruises, insect bites, disinfectant, healing. Internal route for menstrual and digestive problems.