Plant Comparison
Pot marigold vs Tormentil
A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.
At a glance
Pot marigold and Tormentil: they share 4 indicated uses (arthritis / joint pain, inflammation (general), skin irritation, …); 1 pharmacological action in common.
Evidence face-off — shared uses
| Condition | Pot marigold | Tormentil | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthritis / joint pain | 5/10 | 1/10 | Stronger for Pot marigold |
| Inflammation (general) | 5/10 | 3/10 | Stronger for Pot marigold |
| Skin irritation | 5/10 | 6/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Wounds | 5/10 | 5/10 | Comparable evidence |
Evidence scores (1–10) are computed from the tier of each cited source. “Comparable” means the two scores are within one point. Follow a score to its detailed sources.
Key Constituents
Principal wound-healing and anti-inflammatory constituents of the flower.
Antioxidant flavonoids and carotenoids give the flower its orange-yellow colour and contribute to its antioxidant activity.
Minor aromatic and resinous constituents of the flower head.
Pharmacological Actions
Calendula officinalis extracts show cytotoxic antitumor, pro-apoptotic and antimetastatic activity across many cancer cell lines and in animal models (preclinical).
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for sore throat and inflammation of the mouth and throat
Astringent for mild diarrhoea (ellagitannins tighten the gut lining) - in a paediatric RCT, tormentil root extract shortened rotavirus diarrhoea (3 vs 5 days) and reduced rehydration needs
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
A Calendula officinalis (LACE) aqueous extract inhibits proliferation (70-100%) of leukemia, melanoma, breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer cell lines via G0/G1 arrest and caspase-3 apoptosis and inhibits melanoma growth in nude mice; a systematic review documents its cytotoxic and antimetastatic antitumour activity (preclinical).
inferred from antifungal action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Astringent for mild diarrhoea (ellagitannins tighten the gut lining) - in a paediatric RCT, tormentil root extract shortened rotavirus diarrhoea (3 vs 5 days) and reduced rehydration needs
Supportive in inflammatory bowel disease / ulcerative colitis (limited trial evidence)
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for sore throat and inflammation of the mouth and throat
inferred from astringent action
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for sore throat and inflammation of the mouth and throat
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Generally very safe for topical use. May cause contact dermatitis in rare cases (Asteraceae family allergy). Internal use is safe in normal doses. Avoid during pregnancy at therapeutic doses (uterine stimulant potential). Generally safe during breastfeeding for topical use.
Duke (2002) rates calendula (Calendula officinalis) and notes anti-inflammatory, wound-healing (vulnerary), antifungal, and antispasmodic activities at experimental levels. Commission E (KOM) approves calendula flower for wound healing and anti-inflammatory uses, both topically and as a gargle. The plant contains flavonoids, triterpene saponins (oleanolic acid glycosides), and essential oils. Dose: 1–2 g dried flower as tea (for mouth rinse/gargle); or as cream/ointment containing 2–5% calendula extract for topical use. Duke notes that calendula is generally very well-tolerated, though Asteraceae sensitivity can occasionally cause allergic reactions (Duke, 2002).
Tannin-rich: high or prolonged intake may cause stomach upset or constipation and can reduce the absorption of iron and some medicines taken at the same time.
Diarrhoea persisting more than 3-4 days, or with fever or blood in the stool, needs medical care. Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended in the absence of data.
External Ids
Botanical Description
Aromatic annual or short-lived perennial herb with soft, hairy, oblong leaves and branching, slightly sticky stems. The flower heads are bright orange to yellow, daisy-like, with numerous narrow ray florets surrounding a darker central disc, opening in sunlight and closing at dusk.[1]
Low, sprawling to semi-erect perennial herb (Rosaceae) with wiry stems. Leaves are palmate, typically with 4-5 leaflets and large leaf-like stipules that give the impression of more leaflets. Flowers are small, yellow and four-petalled - unusual among Potentilla species, most of which have five petals. The thick, woody rhizome is reddish inside when cut, the origin of the old name 'bloodroot' for this European species.[14]
Habitat
Widely cultivated as a garden and medicinal plant; believed native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean, now naturalised in gardens and waste ground worldwide.[1]
Native to Europe and western Asia, common in acidic grassland, heath, moorland, open woodland and pastures on poor, well-drained soils.[14]
Harvesting
The flower heads (or just the ray-floret petals) are picked by hand as they open, through the flowering season, and dried quickly in a warm, shaded, airy place to preserve colour and resin content.[1]
The rhizome is dug in autumn or early spring, when tannin content is highest, then cleaned and dried.[14]
Traditional Uses
Calendula flower is one of the most widely used topical wound-healing and skin-soothing herbs in Western herbal medicine, applied to cuts, grazes, minor burns and skin inflammation, and used internally as a gentle anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial remedy and as a gargle for mouth and throat irritation.[1]
Tormentil rhizome has an official European herbal-monograph tradition for mild diarrhoea and inflammation of the mouth and throat, reflecting its long folk use as a powerful astringent for gut and mucous-membrane complaints. Modern trials confirm its ellagitannin-rich rhizome shortens the duration of infectious (rotavirus) diarrhoea.[8, 14, 15]
Preparations
Dried petals infused in a carrier oil, used as a soothing base for topical creams and balms for skin healing.
Standardised flower extract formulated into a cream or ointment for topical wound and skin care; the best-studied modern form.
Dried flower infused in hot water, 1-2 g in 150 ml, used still warm as a mouth rinse or gargle 2-4 times daily. The EU herbal monograph's posology for this preparation is OROMUCOSAL only - it does not support taking the infusion internally. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Dosage
The EU herbal monograph gives semi-solid preparations containing the equivalent of 2-10% herbal substance, applied as a thin layer to the affected area 2 to 4 times daily. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
The EU herbal monograph gives 1-2 g of the flower in 150 mL water as an infusion, used still warm for rinsing and gargling 2 to 4 times daily, or to prepare impregnated dressings for the skin. This is an oromucosal and cutaneous preparation, not an oral tea. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
References
Lookalikes Review
References & Sources
- Givol, O., Kornhaber, R., Visentin, D., Cleary, M. et al (2019) 'A systematic review of Calendula officinalis extract for wound healing', Wound Repair and Regeneration, 27(5), pp. 548-561. doi:10.1111/wrr.12737 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1111/wrr.12737 - Shahane, K., Kshirsagar, M., Tambe, S., Jain, D. et al (2023) 'An Updated Review on the Multifaceted Therapeutic Potential of Calendula officinalis L', Pharmaceuticals (Basel), 16(4), pp. 611. doi:10.3390/ph16040611 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16040611 - Saffari, E., Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi, S., Adibpour, M., Mirghafourvand, M. et al (2016) 'Comparing the effects of Calendula officinalis and clotrimazole on vaginal Candidiasis: A randomized controlled trial', Women & Health, 57(10), pp. 1145-1160. doi:10.1080/03630242.2016.1263272 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1080/03630242.2016.1263272 - Cruceriu, D., Balacescu, O. and Rakosy, E (2018) 'Calendula officinalis: potential roles in cancer treatment and palliative care', Integrative Cancer Therapies, 17(4), pp. 1068-1078. doi:10.1177/1534735418803766 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735418803766 - Rezai, S., Rahzani, K., Hekmatpou, D. and Rostami, A (2023) 'Effect of oral Calendula officinalis on second-degree burn wound healing', Scars, Burns & Healing, 9, pp. 20595131221134053. doi:10.1177/20595131221134053 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1177/20595131221134053 - Kadowaki, W., Miyata, R., Mizuno, S., Fujinami, M., Sato, Y. and Kumazawa, S (2023) 'Prenylated acetophenones from the roots of Calendula officinalis and their anti-inflammatory activity', Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 87(7), pp. 683-687. doi:10.1093/bbb/zbad042 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1093/bbb/zbad042 - Samra, R.M., Maatooq, G.T. and Zaki, A.A (2022) 'A new antiprotozoal compound from Calendula officinalis', Natural Product Research, 36(22), pp. 5747-5752. doi:10.1080/14786419.2021.2023868 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2021.2023868 - Kaur, J., Sidhu, S., Chopra, K. and Khan, M.U (2016) 'Calendula officinalis ameliorates l-arginine-induced acute necrotizing pancreatitis in rats', Pharmaceutical Biology, 54(12), pp. 2951-2959. doi:10.1080/13880209.2016.1195848 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/13880209.2016.1195848 - Aro, A.A., Perez, M.O., Vieira, C.P., Esquisatto, M.A.M., Rodrigues, R.A.F., Gomes, L. and Pimentel, E.R (2014) 'Effect of Calendula officinalis cream on achilles tendon healing', Anatomical Record, 298(2), pp. 428-435. doi:10.1002/ar.23057 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.23057 - Zhang, X., Wang, R., Finiuk, N., Stoika, R., Lin, H., Wang, X. and Jin, M (2023) 'Active compounds from Calendula officinalis flowers act via PI3K and ERK signaling pathways to offer neuroprotective effects against Parkinson's disease', Food Science & Nutrition, 12(1), pp. 450-458. doi:10.1002/fsn3.3792 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3792 - Kadowaki, W., Miyata, R., Fujinami, M., Sato, Y. and Kumazawa, S (2023) 'Catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors from Calendula officinalis leaf', Molecules, 28(3), pp. 1333. doi:10.3390/molecules28031333 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28031333 - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (2018) 'European Union herbal monograph on Calendula officinalis L., flos, Revision 1'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-european-union-herbal-monograph-calendula-officinalis-l-flos-revision-1_en.pdf Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-european-union-herbal-monograph-calendula-officinalis-l-flos-revision-1_en.pdf - Hoffmann, D (2003) 'Medical Herbalism'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Medical%20Herbalism - Nicolaus, C. et al (2017) 'A double-blind, randomized controlled trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of a monograph-based Calendula cream versus a comparator cream', 35(1), pp. 81--89. Randomized trial
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=A%20double-blind%2C%20randomized%20controlled%20trial%20to%20investigate%20the%20efficacy%20and%20safety%20of%20a%20monograph-based%20Calendula%20cream%20versus%20a%20comparator%20cream - Preethi, K.C. and Kuttan, R (2009) 'Wound healing activity of flower extract of Calendula officinalis', 20(1), pp. 73--79. doi:10.1515/jbcpp.2009.20.1.73 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp.2009.20.1.73 - Jimenez-Medina, E. and Garcia-Lora, A. and Paco, L. and Algarra, I. and Collado, A. and Garrido, F (2006) 'A new extract of the plant Calendula officinalis produces a dual in vitro effect: cytotoxic anti-tumor activity and lymphocyte activation', BMC Cancer, 6, pp. 119. doi:10.1186/1471-2407-6-119 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-6-119 - Duke, J.A (2002) 'Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Herbs%2C%20Second%20Edition
- Bandick, R., Busmann, L.V., Mousavi, S., Shayya, N.W. and others (2023) 'Therapeutic Effects of Oral Application of Menthol and Extracts from Tormentil (Potentilla erecta), Raspberry Leaves and Loosestrife during Acute Murine Campylobacteriosis', Pharmaceutics, 15(10), pp. 2410. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics15102410 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15102410 - Fecka, I., Kucharska, A.Z. and Kowalczyk, A (2015) 'Quantification of tannins and related polyphenols in commercial products of tormentil (Potentilla tormentilla)', Phytochemical Analysis, 26(5), pp. 353-366. doi:10.1002/pca.2570 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/pca.2570 - Marcinczyk, N., Jarmoc, D., Leszczynska, A., Zakrzeska, A. and others (2017) 'Antithrombotic Potential of Tormentil Extract in Animal Models', Frontiers in Pharmacology, 8, pp. 534. doi:10.3389/fphar.2017.00534 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2017.00534 - Melzig, M.F. and Bottger, S (2020) 'Tormentillae rhizoma - Review for an Underestimated European Herbal Drug', Planta Medica, 86(15), pp. 1050-1057. doi:10.1055/a-1129-7214 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1129-7214 - Marcinczyk, N., Golaszewska, A., Gromotowicz-Poplawska, A., Misztal, T. and others (2021) 'Multidirectional Effects of Tormentil Extract on Hemostasis in Experimental Diabetes', Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, pp. 682987. doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.682987 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.682987 - Hoffmann, J., Gendrisch, F., Schempp, C.M. and Wolfle, U (2020) 'New Herbal Biomedicines for the Topical Treatment of Dermatological Disorders', Biomedicines, 8(2), pp. 27. doi:10.3390/biomedicines8020027 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines8020027 - Tomczyk, M., Sosnowska, K., Pleszczynska, M., Strawa, J. and others (2017) 'Hydrogel Containing an Extract of Tormentillae rhizoma for the Treatment of Biofilm-Related Oral Diseases', Natural Product Communications, 12(3), pp. 417-421. doi:10.1177/1934578x1701200328 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578x1701200328 - Subbotina, M.D., Timchenko, V.N., Vorobyov, M.M., Konunova, Y.S., Aleksandrovih, Y.S. and Shushunov, S (2003) 'Effect of oral administration of tormentil root extract (Potentilla tormentilla) on rotavirus diarrhea in children: a randomized, double blind, controlled trial', The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 22(8), pp. 706--711. doi:10.1097/01.inf.0000078355.29647.d0 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1097/01.inf.0000078355.29647.d0 - Wan, P., Chen, H., Guo, Y. and Bai, A.P (2014) 'Advances in treatment of ulcerative colitis with herbs: from bench to bedside', World Journal of Gastroenterology, 20(39), pp. 14099-14104. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i39.14099 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v20.i39.14099 - Wolfle, U., Hoffmann, J., Haarhaus, B., Rao Mittapalli, V. and Schempp, C.M (2017) 'Anti-inflammatory and vasoconstrictive properties of Potentilla erecta - A traditional medicinal plant from the northern hemisphere', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 204, pp. 86-94. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.03.058 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2017.03.058 - Moss, A.C. and Cheifetz, A.S (2007) 'Reducing the torment of diarrhea: tormentil for active ulcerative colitis', Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, 41(9), pp. 797-798. doi:10.1097/MCG.0b013e3180684255 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1097/MCG.0b013e3180684255 - Shushunov, S., Balashov, L., Kravtsova, A., Krasnogorsky, I., Latte, K.P. and Vasiliev, A (2009) 'Determination of acute toxicity of the aqueous extract of Potentilla erecta (Tormentil) rhizomes in rats and mice', Journal of Medicinal Food, 12(5), pp. 1173-1176. doi:10.1089/jmf.2008.0281 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2008.0281 - Kirsch, J., Jung, A., Hille, K., Konig, B., Hannig, C., Kolling-Speer, I., Speer, K. and Hannig, M (2020) 'Effect of fragaria vesca, hamamelis and tormentil on the initial bacterial colonization in situ', Archives of Oral Biology, 118, pp. 104853. doi:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2020.104853 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archoralbio.2020.104853 - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (n.d.) 'European Union herbal monograph on Potentilla erecta (L.) Raeusch., rhizoma (Tormentillae rhizoma)'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/tormentillae-rhizoma Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/tormentillae-rhizoma - ESCOP (European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy) (n.d.) 'Tormentillae rhizoma (Tormentil) monograph', pp. com. Available at: https://www.escop.com/downloads/tormentil/ Traditional / reference
https://www.escop.com/downloads/tormentil/
Generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and its cited sources. For educational purposes only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.