Our nature is full of medicines, each leaf, each flower, and each breath offering a remedy. In the embrace of nature, healing finds its purest form, where the rhythm of life and the essence of medicine intertwine, whispering tales of rejuvenation and restoration.
Calendula arvensis, a medicinal plant of the Asteraceae family, belongs to Mediterranean countries offering abundant medicinal benefits. It has been used for therapeutic purposes for many years, but the research studies have shed some more light on the use of calendula for medicinal purposes.
Research studies reveal that phytochemical screening tests of extracts of various parts of the plant have identified various bioactive compounds present in Calendula arvensis:
Sterols
Fatty acids
Phenolics
Flavonoids
Alkaloids
Terpenoids
Saponins
Tannins
Several studies on Calendula arvensis highlight medicinal benefits from its bioactive compounds. Its anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antioxidant properties make it a promising candidate for further research and therapeutic use.
Dr. Shruti Mishra, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Biological & Life Science, Galgotias University, DST-SERB TARE fellow, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Many ethnobotanical research studies conducted on Calendula describe that each part of the plant offers a variety of physiological benefits and treats multiple medical conditions. Their anti-fungal, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-biotic, anti-diabetic, anti-septic, anti-cancerous properties
These are used to cure a wide range of medical conditions such as:
Improving eyesight
Treating heart diseases
Rejuvenating skin and a variety of skin diseases
Treat wounds
Enhancing hepatic activity (bile juice secretion)
Managing diabetes
Relieving ulcers
feelings of nausea
cure rheumatism
Lung cancer
Treat Infections
Fighting germs
These findings suggest the extensive potential of Calendula in promoting health and treating ailments
Researchers also found its anti-cancerous properties in the case of breast cancer.
It has been found that a substance extracted from the C. arvensis plant can stop the growth of two types of breast cancer cells, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. It mainly works by causing the cancer cells to die in a process called apoptosis. It is suggested that the plant extract could be a new way to fight against breast cancer.
However, more research is needed to figure out exactly which parts of the extract are responsible for this effect so that it can potentially be used as a treatment for cancer in the future. This will be only revealed through future research studies.
This mystery of the hidden benefits in this treasure trove can only be unraveled through further research studies.
References:
1. doi: 10.1155/2023/2482544
2. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-019-04672-3
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendula#:~:text=Calendula%20(%2Fk%C9%99%CB%88l,%2C%20Macaronesia%2C%20and%20the%20Mediterranean.
(By Akashita Panjla)
