Plant Comparison
Pot marigold vs Blackberry Leaf
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 Blackberry Leaf: they share 6 indicated uses (arthritis / joint pain, cancer (anticancer research), infection (general), …); 4 pharmacological actions in common.
Evidence face-off — shared uses
| Condition | Pot marigold | Blackberry Leaf | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthritis / joint pain | 5/10 | 2/10 | Stronger for Pot marigold |
| Cancer (anticancer research) | 7/10 | 2/10 | Stronger for Pot marigold |
| Infection (general) | 5/10 | 2/10 | Stronger for Pot marigold |
| Inflammation (general) | 5/10 | 2/10 | Stronger for Pot marigold |
| Skin irritation | 5/10 | 2/10 | Stronger for Pot marigold |
| Wounds | 5/10 | 2/10 | Stronger for Pot marigold |
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 oral mucosa inflammation
Astringent for mild diarrhoea (tannins tighten the gut lining and reduce excess secretion)
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
inferred from anticancer action
Astringent for mild diarrhoea (tannins tighten the gut lining and reduce excess secretion)
inferred from antimicrobial action
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for sore throat and oral mucosa inflammation
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for sore throat and oral mucosa inflammation
inferred from astringent action
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for sore throat and oral mucosa inflammation
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.
Traditional use only; diarrhoea that persists (especially in children) needs medical assessment and attention to rehydration.
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]
Scrambling, thorny deciduous shrub (Rosaceae) forming dense thickets, with arching prickly stems that root at the tip. Leaves are palmately compound, usually with 3-5 toothed leaflets. White to pale pink, five-petalled flowers are followed by clusters of small drupelets forming the blackberry fruit, ripening from red to glossy black.[8]
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 throughout Europe and widely naturalised elsewhere, an aggressive coloniser of hedgerows, woodland edges, scrub and waste ground. 'Rubus fruticosus' is a taxonomically complex aggregate comprising hundreds of closely related microspecies.[8]
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]
Leaves are picked fresh throughout the growing season and dried for tea; berries are picked in late summer once fully ripe.[8]
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]
Blackberry leaf has a long European folk-medicine tradition as an astringent gargle for sore throat and mouth ulcers, and as a remedy for mild diarrhoea, reflecting its high tannin content; the berries themselves are valued as a nutritious, antioxidant-rich food.[8]
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.
Traditional guidance suggests roughly 2-4 g dried leaf per cup as an infusion, up to three times daily, or used as a gargle at similar strength. 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
- Zia-Ul-Haq, M., Riaz, M., De Feo, V., Jaafar, H.Z.E. and Moga, M (2014) 'Rubus fruticosus L.: constituents, biological activities and health related uses', Molecules, 19(8), pp. 10998-11029. doi:10.3390/molecules190810998 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules190810998 - Monforte, M.T., Smeriglio, A., Germanò, M.P., Pergolizzi, S., Circosta, C. and Galati, E.M (2018) 'Evaluation of antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and gastroprotective properties of Rubus fruticosus L. fruit juice', Phytotherapy Research, 32(7), pp. 1404-1414. doi:10.1002/ptr.6078 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6078 - Barbieri, F., Montanari, C., Šimat, V., Skroza, D., Čagalj, M. et al (2022) 'Effects of Rubus fruticosus and Juniperus oxycedrus derivatives on culturability and viability of Listeria monocytogenes', Scientific Reports, 12(1), pp. 13158. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-17408-4 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17408-4 - Sung, N.S., Uhm, S.H., Kang, H.B., Lee, N.S., Jeong, Y.G., Kim, D.K., Sung, N.Y., Kim, D.S., Yoo, Y.C. and Han, S.Y (2023) 'Rubus fruticosus leaf extract inhibits vascular dementia-induced memory impairment and neuronal loss by attenuating neuroinflammation', Anatomy & Cell Biology, 56(4), pp. 494-507. doi:10.5115/acb.23.195 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.5115/acb.23.195 - Verma, R., Gangrade, T., Punasiya, R. and Ghulaxe, C (2014) 'Rubus fruticosus (blackberry) use as an herbal medicine', Pharmacognosy Reviews, 8(16), pp. 101-104. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.134239 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.134239 - Gil-Martinez, L., Mut-Salud, N., Ruiz-Garcia, J.A., Falcon-Pineiro, A., Maijo-Ferre, M., Banos, A., De la Torre-Ramirez, J.M., Guillamon, E., Verardo, V. and Gomez-Caravaca, A.M (2023) 'Phytochemicals Determination, and Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Anti-Inflammatory and Anticancer Activities of Blackberry Fruits', Foods, 12(7), pp. 1505. doi:10.3390/foods12071505 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071505 - Van de Velde, F., Esposito, D., Grace, M.H., Pirovani, M.E. and Lila, M.A (2018) 'Anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties of polyphenolic extracts from strawberry and blackberry fruits', Food Research International, 121, pp. 453-462. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2018.11.059 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2018.11.059 - Verma, R., Gangrade, T., Punasiya, R. and Ghulaxe, C (2014) 'Rubus fruticosus (blackberry) use as an herbal medicine', Pharmacognosy Reviews. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4127818/ Preclinical
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4127818/ - Grabek-Lejko, D., Milek, M., Sidor, E., Puchalski, C. and Dzugan, M (2022) 'Antiviral and Antibacterial Effect of Honey Enriched with Rubus spp. as a Functional Food with Enhanced Antioxidant Properties', Molecules, pp. as. doi:10.3390/molecules27154859 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27154859
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.