Calendula and Cancer

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Calendula is also known as pot marigold, annual or perennial herbaceous plants of about 12–20 species of genus Calendula, belonging to the family Asteraceae, native to Southern Europe. It has been used in herbal medicine as spasmolytic, spasmogenic, inflammatory effects and to treat abdominal cramps, wound healing, skin diseases, colitis, constipation, etc.

Ingredients:
Besides major chemical constituents of triterpenoids, flavonoids, coumarins, quinones, volatile oil,carotenoids and amino acids, the herb also contains loliolide (calendin), calendulin and n-paraffins.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) and Cancers:
The study of Calendula against the Angiogenesis for the growth, invasion, and metastasis of most solid tumors, indicated the positive effect through its antiangiogenic activity via exhibited selectivity against the endothelial cells proliferation(1). Its extract, according to Universidad de Granada, also showed to exhibit cytotoxic tumor cell activity and induced lymphocyte activation in vivo against tumor growth of Ando-2 melanoma cells and prolonged the survival day of the mice, through cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and Caspase-3-induced apoptosis(2).On lung metastasis by B16F-10 melanoma cells in C57BL/6 mice, Calendula officinalis flower extract showed to reduce the lung tumor nodules by 74% with 43.3% increase in life span, probably through the inhibition of key enzymes involved in processes of metastasis(3).

SOURCES:
(1) Screening the antiangiogenic activity of medicinal plants grown and sold in Jordan by Zihlif M1, Afifi F, Muhtaseb R, Al-Khatib S, Abaza I, Naffa R.(PubMed)
(2) A new extract of the plant Calendula officinalis produces a dual in vitro effect: cytotoxic anti-tumor activity and lymphocyte activation by Jiménez-Medina E1, Garcia-Lora A, Paco L, Algarra I, Collado A, Garrido F.(PubMed)
(3) Inhibition of metastasis of B16F-10 melanoma cells in C57BL/6 mice by an extract of Calendula officinalis L flowers by Preethi KC1, Siveen KS, Kuttan R, Kuttan G.(PubMed)