Calendula officinalis: Names, description and pharmacology

Classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Tribe:	Calenduleae
Genus:	Calendula
Species:	C. officinalis

Common Names:

in English: calendula, common marigold, garden marigold,

hen and chickens, marigold, pot marigold, ruddles, Scotch

marigold

in Arabic: djamir, djoumaira

in China: jin zhan ju, chin chan hua

in India: roja, sushi phul, thulvkka saamanthi, zendu, zergul

in Japan: to-kin-sen-ka

in Tibetan: bod-gur-gum

Scientific Names (Synonyms)

Calendula aurantiaca Kotschy ex Boiss.

Calendula eriocarpa DC.

Calendula hydruntina (Fiori) Lanza

Calendula officinalis var. prolifera Hort.

Calendula prolifera Hort. ex Steud.

Calendula × santamariae Font Quer

Calendula sinuata var. aurantiaca (Klotzsch ex Boiss.) Boiss.

Caltha officinalis (L.) Moench

Description:

According to Flora of China

• Herbs, annual, 20-75 cm tall, usually branched from base, green, ± glandular pubescent.
• Basal leaves oblong-obovate or spatulate, 15-20 cm, margin entire or remotely denticulate;
• Stem leaves oblong, oblong-lanceolate, or oblong-obovate, 5-15 × 1-3 cm, ± amplexicaul, margin inconspicuously repand-denticulate, apex obtuse, rarely acute.
• Capitula 4-5 cm in diam.;
• Phyllaries lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, outer slightly longer than inner, acuminate.
• Ray florets yellow or orange, ca. 2 × as long as involucre, lamina up to 4-5 mm wide.
• Disk florets with triangular-lanceolate lobes.
• Achenes curved, yellowish or brownish, outer half-curved, often aculeate rostrate at apex, lateral-winged ridge irregularly rugose.

According to North America

• Leaf blades 3–12(–18+) cm × 10–30(–60+) mm.
• Peduncles 5–8(–12+) cm.
• Phyllaries 12–40+, (8–)10–12+ mm.
• Ray florets 30–50(–100+); corolla laminae 12–20+ mm.
• Disc florets (30–)60–150+; corollas (4–)5–6+ mm.
• Cypselae 9–15(–25+) mm. 2n = 14, 32.

More Description:

Calyx represented by 2 or 3 scales, superior;

Corolla 2–5, gamopetalous, ligulate, superior, yellow or orange;

Androecium 5, syngenesious, epipatalous, alternate to petals, anthers bicelled, introrse, superior;

Gynoecium 2, bicarpellary, ovary inferior, unilocular, stigma bifid

Phytochemicals:

Lycopene, Arvensoside A, Stigmasterol, Mutatochrome, Rubixanthin, Violaxanthin, Hirsutrin, Quercetin 3-O-neohesperidoside, Rutin, Manghaslin, Isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, Isorhamnetin 3-O-neohesperidoside, Isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside, Isorhamnetin 3-rhamnosyl-(1->2)-rhamnoside, Typhaneoside, Icariside C3, Oleanolic acid, Calendasaponin A, Calendasaponin B, Calendasaponin C, Calendasaponin D, Calenduloside D, Calenduloside G, Officinoside A, Officinoside B, Officinoside C, Officinoside D, Moronic acid, Calendulaglycoside A, Calendulaglycoside A 6'-O-methyl ester, Calendulaglycoside B, Calendulaglycoside C, Calenduloside F 6'-O-n-butyl ester, Longispinogenin, Machaerinic acid

Pharmacological activity

Flowers wound healing, emmenagogue, sedative, antihemorrhagic, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, styptic, febrifuge, antiprotozoal, anticancer, a remedy for skin problems, applied externally to bites, stings, sprains, wounds, sore eyes, varicose veins, Cardioprotective, gastric and duodenal ulcers; flower infusion for jaundice. Mouthwash for toothache. Furthermore, Calendula officinalis has ha wide range of antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, ampicillin-resistant E. coli, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus pumilis, Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Exophiala dermatitidis, Klebsiella aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, HIV.