Calendula is a perennial herbaceous plant whose flowers are widely used in phytotherapy both externally and internally for their anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and soothing properties.
Let's discover it together.
Calendula plant, what is it?
The calendula is a wild plant native to Egypt but widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean region, cultivated both for ornamental purposes and for its phytotherapeutic properties.
The plant is characterized by its erect stem, branched and covered in fine hairs, by its lanceolate leaves and by its yellow-orange flowers grouped into flower heads; these latter constitute the drug of cosmetic and phytotherapeutic interest obtained from the plant.
The plant develops its flowers cyclically: flowering occurs on a monthly basis, and this is precisely where the name “calendula” originates, from the Latin “calendae” meaning “calendar”, to recall the monthly occurrence of flowering.
Calendula flowers: its active compounds?
Calendula flowers are the part of the plant used for the formulation and production of food supplements and cosmetics, as this is the part where the active compounds are most concentrated.
Calendula flowers are completely edible and contain molecules with different biological activities such as:
- Carotenoids: lutein, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin
- Essential oils: consisting of over 45 substances
- Flavonoids: quercetin, isorhamnetin, isoquercetin, narcissin, calendoflavonoside
- Saponins
- Triterpenoids glycosides
- Sterols: sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol
- Coumarins: scopoletin, umbelliferone, esculetin
- Quinones: plastoquinone, phylloquinone, alpha-tocopherol
- Pyrogallic tannins.
- Volatile terpene molecules: (alpha-cadinol, faradiol, alpha-pinene, cineole, sabinene, limonene)
Among the many molecules present in calendula, terpenes, carotenoids and flavonoids are those with greater biological activity and provide the greatest benefits to the body.
Calendula: benefits and properties
Calendula (Calendula Officinalis L.) is a well-known plant widely used in phytotherapy, mainly for external use, thanks to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, soothing, immunostimulating and healing.
Theanti-inflammatory activity is attributable to triterpenes (particularly faradiol and its derivatives) contained in the plant itself.
The healing activity is instead exerted by the calendula extract through a mechanism of action that promotes the formation of granulation tissue and encourages an increase in the production of collagen and fibrin.
For internal use, it is instead recommended for its hypotensive, vasodilatory, antispasmodic and sedative properties on the central nervous system.
It may also be useful for restoring menstrual flow, reducing painful symptoms and disorders of a reflex nature.
The properties of Calendula for the skin.
Calendula is truly a panacea for the skin and is indicated in all situations in which it is necessary restore the normal physiological conditions of the epidermis.
Flavonoids, in particular, stimulate reepithelialization, acting as a natural accelerator of skin turnover and promoting collagen synthesis.
It is ideal for dry, chapped, and delicate skin. Calendula has an emollient and protective action, creating a barrier that protects against irritation. Also for dermatitis and eczema is a widely used natural remedy.
Calendula also:
- It speeds up the natural healing of tissues in the case of minor wounds and abrasions.
- It soothes sunburn and protects before and aftersun exposure. You should never go on holiday without it in your suitcase, especially for children's skin.
- It is indicated in cases of insect bites (particularly hymenopterans) and herpes.
Calendula Supplement:
The Alcohol-Free Calendula Mother Tincture, or Calendula Glycerin Macerate, is a natural remedy useful for:
- Its emollient and soothing action (oropharyngeal mucosa) and voice tone
- Relief of menstrual cycle disorders
- The functions of the digestive system.
- The trophism and functionality of the skin.
All these claims are regulated and approved by the Italian Ministry of Health for their physiological effects, aimed at “optimizing the body's functions within homeostasis”.
Calendula Mother Tincture
Mother Tincture (MT) is a liquid preparation obtained by extracting the fresh plant material through percolation o maceration with a suitable solvent.
The most commonly used solvent in Mother Tinctures is a hydroalcoholic solution (water + alcohol) with a variable strength (most often between 60° and 80°), depending on the solubility of the active ingredients to be extracted.
The Calendula Mother Tincture is an herbal preparation extracted from the plant's leaves and fruits, which are macerated at a 1:10 ratio in a solution of water and Alcohol. It is an herbal remedy considered useful for the for its hypotensive, vasodilatory and antispasmodic properties.
Calendula Glyceric Macerate: what is it?
In recent years, Mother Tinctures extracted with Vegetable Glycerin instead of Alcohol have become increasingly popular, making them better from several points of view. Moreover, since glycerin is a less powerful and therefore less extractive solvent than Alcohol, innovative extraction techniques such as Ultrasound Extraction are used.
Ultrasound extraction is an innovative, clean, easy and quick extraction technique that makes it possible to extract active ingredients from plants and medicinal herbs in particular and produce high-quality phytoextracts, harnessing the exclusively mechanical action exerted by the cavitation effect produced by sound waves.
The Calendula Mother Tincture is obtained by hydroglyceric maceration of milk thistle seeds, always at a 1:10 ratio, and is an innovative type of Mother Tincture which, having been obtained through the ultrasound process, is better from several points of view.
At Vonderweid, thanks to our twenty years of experience in the field of Food Supplements and after a long process of research and development in our laboratories for the production of Alcohol-free Mother Tinctures, we succeeded in obtaining a product with the desired characteristics.
Our alcohol-free Mother Tinctures are classified as Food Supplements and are regularly notified to the Ministry of Health.
Calendula, how many drops should you take?
To take Dandelion drops, we recommend using 40 drops dissolved in a glass of water, 1-3 times a day. Taking 40 drops of Vonderweid Dandelion Mother Tincture is equivalent to taking 260 mg of Calendula.
Always remember not to exceed the recommended daily dose. Keep out of reach of children under 3 years of age. Food supplements should not be understood as substitutes for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, and we always recommend seeking the advice of your doctor or nutritionist before taking them.
We therefore recommend always consulting your doctor before starting to take St. John's wort Mother Tincture, and then consulting a qualified herbalist or phytotherapy expert to determine how to take the St. John's wort tincture and in what quantities.
