Calendula flowers, Marigold flowers, whole flowers, organic - 100g

Calendula officinalis L., whole flowers with calyx, certified organic cultivation   

Indication

For inflammations of the skin and mucous membranes as well as for (burn) wounds and skin injuries

Use

Take as a tea, in mixed teas or as a tincture.

To make a marigold tea, pour boiling water over a heaped teaspoonful of marigold blossoms and leave to infuse for 10 minutes before straining. In the case of severe complaints, drink 3 cups of this tea daily.

Tincture: 1 - 2 teaspoons (2 - 4 ml) of tincture to 250 - 500 ml of water.

Ointments: 2 - 5 g of drug in 100 g of ointment.

Tincture is prepared with spirit of wine or double grain. Fill a glass half full with marigolds and pour the alcohol over it. After 3 - 6 weeks the tincture is ready. Filter and fill into dark bottles.

The tincture is mainly used externally as a liniment.

Medicinal herb description

History:

The marigold is not only known as a medicinal plant, but is also found in many gardens as a particularly lush flowering ornamental. From June onwards, it bathes many cottage gardens in bright orange. Its flowers are an excellent wound-healing agent, which explains the widespread use of calendula ointment. Calendula can also be used internally to relieve digestive problems and to help with women's problems. After the marigold was introduced from Southern to Central Europe, it found its place in monastery and peasant gardens from the 12th century onwards. Hildegard von Bingen already appreciated the marigold and called it "Ringula" or "Ringella". Traditionally, marigolds decorate graves in cemeteries and provide a counterpoint to death with their vibrant growth. This use has also given the marigold the name "flower of the dead". The name "Calendula" is derived from "Calendae", the Roman term for the beginning of the month. The marigold was given this name because it blooms at so many beginnings of the month, right into autumn. Marigolds were also popularly used as a love oracle, on the one hand for plucking with the question "he loves me - he loves me not", and on the other hand as an ointment with vinegar and honey, which, applied before sleeping with the call of Saint Luke, was supposed to bring dreams of the future beloved.

Occurrence:

The marigold is originally native to southern Europe and is now widespread throughout Europe. It is now even cultivated in America and Western Asia and thrives in rubble, graveyards and gardens.

Plant family:

Compositae = Asteraceae

Colloquial names:

Marigold (English), buttercup, marigold, ferminel, garden marigold, goldflower, ingelflum, rainflower, cattleflower, marigold, marigold rose, marigula, sunflower, solstice, student flower, deathflower, wartwort, waking crumb, vine flower, usury flower.

Botanical description:

The annual to biennial, up to 60 cm tall, unpleasantly resinous smelling marigold with its spindle-shaped, fibrous branched taproot sprouts erect, angular stems covered with short, downy hairs, usually branching only in the upper part. This light green stem branches out many times if the plant has enough space. The alternate, entire or cartilaginously toothed leaves, softly hairy on the surfaces, with short ciliate margins, have a spatulate leaf blade at the bottom of the stem and are narrowed like a stalk. The upper leaves sit on the stem with a truncated, heart-shaped base, they are lanceolate to obovate. The flower heads, about 3 - 7 cm wide, stand singly at the ends of the leafy stems. The bowl-shaped involucre consists of lanceolate, pointed, ciliate-haired sheathing scales. The numerous, about 15 - 20 mm long, yolk-yellow to orange-yellow ray florets are twice as long as the sheath. The inside of the flower head consists of numerous, small, funnel-shaped, yolk-yellow to orange-yellow disk flowers. In cultivated varieties, the disc florets are often all transformed into ray florets. The hermaphrodite disc flowers are always infertile due to the atrophy of the ovary. Therefore, only the female ray florets produce fruits that look like claws with barbs. With these hooks, the seeds get stuck in the fur of animals to help spread the plant. The inner fruits are curled, the outer ones three-lobed and cross-grooved on the back. These curved seeds have given the marigold its name.

Applied plant part:

Medicinally used are the ray florets of double, orange varieties collected after the flowers have fully opened and separated from the receptacle. Thus marigold flowers consisting of the dried flower heads or the dried ray florets of Calendula officinalis LINNÉ, as well as their preparations in effective dosage.

Active substance/collection time:

Calendula flowers from May to October, sometimes even until Christmas, when autumn and the beginning of winter are mild.

It is collected from June to September. It has an unpleasant smell after picking.

Ingredients:

The drug contains flavonoids (quercitrin) as well as carotenoids and essential oil, bitter substances, calendula sapogenin, saponins, glycosides, xanthophylls, stigmasterol, beta- sitosterol, salicylic acid, taraxasterol, violaxanthin.

Medicinal properties:

Decongestant, astringent, antibacterial, stimulant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antifungal, cleansing, diaphoretic.

Promotion of wound healing, anti-inflammatory and granulation-promoting effects with local application are described.

Application and dosage:

For inflammations of the skin and mucous membranes as well as (burn) wounds and skin injuries, haematomas, eczema, erysipelas, boils, swollen lymph nodes, cracked lips, haemorrhoids, skin inflammations, skin cancer, varicose veins, menstrual cramps, inflammations of the oral mucosa, scar growths, rhagades, pain in amputation stumps, cuts, dizziness, sunburn, unclean skin, lower leg ulcers, warts, menopausal complaints, nappy rash (sore nappy area in babies), sore nipples, wounds, bedsores, strains.

Although external use is better known, calendula also has a lot to offer when used internally. Gargling with calendula tea is recommended for inflammatory changes in the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat. When drunk, it strengthens the digestive organs, relieves nausea and helps heal stomach ulcers. Calendula also has a mild laxative effect. It also strengthens the liver and gall bladder. Calendula tea or tincture can help against headaches and insomnia. Dizzy spells are alleviated. Calendula can also be used for panic attacks. Calendula is also used in gynaecology. Due to its antispasmodic properties, calendula can relieve period cramps. Calendula also contains beta-sitosterol, an oestrogen-like active ingredient that harmonises irregular cycles and relieves menopausal symptoms. The ingredient stigmasterol promotes ovulation and thus indirectly also the regulation of the cycle. Infertility can also be remedied if the lack of ovulation is the cause. Internally, calendula can be taken as a tea, in mixed teas or as a tincture.

The main application of calendula is externally. It promotes the formation of granulation in the growth of new skin. It also has a decongestant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect and inhibits possible fungal growth.

The relationship between calendula and arnica is often mentioned. However, calendula has a milder effect, and this is its strength, because it can also be used in cases where arnica would be too sharp.

Calendula tea can be used as a poultice, for washing and as a bath. Diluted calendula tincture can also be used for rubs and poultices. In addition, calendula is traditionally used as an ointment. It can be used for almost all kinds of skin injuries and skin inflammations. Light burns, sunburn and eczema can also be treated with calendula ointment. After injuries, calendula ointment helps against bruises, sprains and bruises. Varicose veins and varicose ulcers can also be treated with calendula ointment, as can wounds caused by bedsores (decubitus) and open legs, i.e. wounds that also have a poor healing tendency, such as ulcus cruris (lower leg ulcer). Warts can be treated with fresh, crushed leaves. Traditionally, calendula is also used against skin cancer. Here, it is more about the common light skin cancer and less about melanoma. Whether calendula actually helps against skin cancer is questionable and has not yet been scientifically proven. Calendula is supposed to help prevent chronic ulcers from developing into skin cancer. As long as an ulcer is not yet a cancer, one can certainly try this (under medical supervision). However, as soon as a cancer has developed, one should definitely follow the medical advice, which in most cases leads to surgical removal. For the after-treatment, however, you can then use calendula again.

For inflammations in the mouth and throat, gargle or rinse several times a day with the still warm tea. For wound treatment, a clean, lint-free cloth or a sterile compress is soaked with the tea and placed on the wound. Change the compresses several times a day!

Marigold blossoms are added to various tea blends as a decorative drug. Extracts from the flowers are contained in many wound treatment products, e.g. calendula ointment, but also in ready-to-use medicines, especially homeopathic remedies. Calendula flower extracts are also frequently found in cosmetic products for skin care.

Special advice:

Calendula should not be used in cases of hypersensitivity to daisies!

Calendula itself can trigger allergies and lead to contact eczema, especially when used externally for a longer period of time. In this case, the application should be interrupted if there is no improvement and a dermatologist should be consulted.

If used as directed, no side effects have been reported so far.