Calendula Officinalis Flower

Topical vulnerary for minor cuts, abrasions, burns, and inflammatory skin conditions; washes and ointments for wound care; internal teas/tinctures traditionally used for GI and gynecologic complaints (modern internal medicinal use is limited by safety prudence in pregnancy).

• Triterpenoids (key actives): faradiol and faradiol esters (with myristic/palmitic acids), plus arnidiol, maniladiol; concentrated in ray florets. Strong anti-inflammatory activity demonstrated in modern mechanistic work.
• Flavonoids: quercetin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol glycosides (antioxidant/anti-inflammatory).
• Carotenoids: lycopene, rubixanthin-type pigments (antioxidant; color).
• Volatiles/terpenes: small essential-oil fraction (e.g., α-cadinol, farnesene; profiles vary).
• Fatty acids: calendic acid in seed oil (used more in cosmetics)

• Anti-inflammatory: faradiol (and esters) modulate inflammatory signaling (e.g., STAT3), with topical extracts reducing COX-2/iNOS activity in models.
• Wound healing: stimulation of granulation tissue, epithelialization, and collagen remodeling observed preclinically and clinically.
• Antioxidant/antimicrobial: flavonoids/carotenoids contribute ROS-scavenging; in-vitro antimicrobial activity supports topical hygiene adjunct use

1.Evidence-Based Uses & Benefits

• Prevention of acute radiation dermatitis (topical) Best human evidence Phase III RCT (n=254, breast RT): Calendula ointment reduced grade ≥2 dermatitis vs trolamine (41% vs 63%; p<0.001) and reduced pain/interruption of RT.

2.Oral mucositis prevention (mouthwash/gel)

3.Wounds/dermatologic irritation

• Systematic reviews conclude calendula may accelerate healing of minor wounds and reduce irritation, though larger, well controlled trials are still needed.

• Pregnancy (internal medicinal use): Avoid internal calendula; emmenagogue concerns and limited safety data (topical use on intact skin is generally considered acceptable).
• Known Asteraceae allergy: Risk of contact allergy/cross-reactivity (e.g., ragweed/mugwort/camomile sensitive individuals). Use patch-test for leave-on topicals.

• Topical: Generally well tolerated; occasional contact dermatitis or irritation (more likely with essential-oil-heavy products or oxidized terpenes).
• Oral (mouthwash, expectorated): Rare taste disturbance or mild irritation; swallowed internal products may cause GI upset in some users.
• Serious events: uncommon in modern topical trials. (Overall safety profile favorable.)

• Oncology patients: Calendula topicals used adjunctively in RT have not shown interference with radiotherapy; they are symptomatic-preventive. Adhere to oncology skin-care protocols.
• Systemic interactions: No well-documented CYP or transporter interactions from topical use. For ingested preparations, theoretical additive effects with other anti-inflammatory botanicals are possible but unproven; err on the side of spacing doses and monitoring.

1. Trolamine in breast dermatitis less pain: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15084618/ 2. Mouthwash reduced induced oral mucositis: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3917203/ 3. Wound healing & radiation dermatitis management: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31145533/ 4. Composition/mechanism: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10142266/

Calendula officinalis is a low-risk topical botanical with the strongest clinical support for reducing acute radiation dermatitis and attenuating oral mucositis when used as ointment or mouthwash, respectively. Its activity is attributable to triterpenoid-rich flower extracts (faradiol esters) with anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects. Use standardized, flower-only preparations; avoid internal medicinal use in pregnancy; screen for Asteraceae allergy in sensitive individuals. Evidence for other indications is encouraging yet still maturing, so claims should remain conservative and aligned with existing RCTs and reviews.