This article also includes beautiful photography, which you’ll have to click the link above to see. Take a peak, at this pic. Enjoy

Photo credit: net_efekt/Flickr/Some rights reserved

photo credit: here

Common Homeopathic Medicines
CALENDULA (Marigold)
CALENDULA TINCTURE (in an alcohol base), GEL, SPRAY, and OINTMENT are external applications in treating cuts and abrasions. CALENDULA is known to have antiseptic properties due to its organic iodine content. It helps stop bleeding, inhibits infection, and promotes granulation of tissues to help heal wounds and burns.

CALENDULA TINCTURE should not be applied directly on a cut since its alcohol content causes stinging pain. It is best to dilute this tincture with a little water. To avoid this effort, directly apply CALENDULA GEL, SPRAY, or OINTMENT.

Note: CALENDULA works so rapidly in healing the skin that it is not recommended for use in deep cuts. In deep cuts it can close and heal the outside skin before the tissue underneath is completely healed. (access the original article here…)

I found a cool “marigold” necklace, from here, here in a blog about Calendula I thought it be nice to see some of it in art. I think, this cool piece is currently for sale.

And here is a marigold (calendula) flower necklace. These necklaces are presented as gifts and used ritually.
Isn’t it beautiful? I’d love one of these…hint, hint.

• 1 T Marigold flowers

• 1 T Chamomile flowers

• 1/2 C Water

• Almond oil, as much as is necessary

• 1 T Carrots, well-mashed

• 1 T Lecithin granules

• 1 tsp. Wheat germ oil

Quantity: 1-2 masks

To Make: Bring water to a boil and pour over the Marigold and Chamomile flowers.  Cover and set aside.  Mash the carrots, add wheat germ oil.  Strain out the liquid from the flowers and add them to the carrot-wheat germ oil.  Mix thoroughly and add the lecithin granules.  If you have a blender, blend it finely.  The texture can be changed with the addition of Almond oil; add a bit to make a smooth cream for dry skin; if you have oily skin add enough Almond oil to blend these disparate ingredients.

To Use: Wash face.  Steam clean it for a few minutes with one of the steam mixtures.  Apply a thick layer of the Marigold Face Mask to the face in smooth upward motions.  Rest on a slantboard or rock in a rocking chair, but in any case leave the mask on for 15 minutes.  Wipe it off with tissues, rinse with warm water and then close your pores with a refreshing cold water rinse.

Why: Marigold and Chamomile flower infusion is healing to the tissues; carrots add texture and Vitamin A that may or may not be absorbed through the skin; lecithin is an emulsifying agent in the recipe that is also necessary for healthy tissues; wheat germ oil adds Vitamin E; and the Almond oil is for a creamy consistency.

Tip: This mask does not harden but stays relatively moist.  It will leave your skin smoother and refreshed, stimulating both facial circulation and muscles.

This recipe is courtesy of Jeanne Rose.

Effect of Calendula officinalis Flower Extract on Acute Phase Proteins, Antioxidant Defense Mechanism and Granuloma Formation During Thermal Burns.

Effect of Calendula officinalis flower extract was investigated against experimentally induced thermal burns in rats. Burn injury was made on the shaven back of the rats under anesthesia and the animals were treated orally with different doses of the flower extract (20 mg, 100 mg and 200 mg/kg body weight). The animals treated with the extract showed significant improvement in healing when compared with the control untreated animals. The indicators of the wound healing such as collagen-hydroxyproline and hexosamine contents were significantly increased in the treated group indicating accelerated wound healing in the treated animals. The acute phase proteins-haptoglobin and orosomucoid which were increased due to burn injury were found to be decreased significantly in 200 mg/kg body weight extract treated animals. The antioxidant defense mechanism, which was decreased in the liver during burn injury, was found to be enhanced in treated animals. The lipid peroxidation was significantly lowered in the treated group when compared to control animals. Tissue damage marker enzymes- alkaline phosphatase, alanine and aspartate transaminases were significantly lowered in the treated groups in a dose dependant manner. The histopathological analyses of skin tissue also give the evidence of the increased healing potential of the extract after burn injury.

J Clin Biochem Nutr 2008 Sep;43(2):58-64

Sussex House members learn with herb of the year
By Laurie Gordon
NEWTON — Located on the Newton Memorial campus, Sussex House is a psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery program for adults experiencing psychiatric illnesses that have interfered with their lives in some way. The program provides a safe, welcoming environment in which participants, called members, can belong, feel needed and gain the skills, knowledge and support needed to rejoin the community in meaningful roles.

One of the staff members at Sussex House is a psychiatric nurse practitioner named Deborah Drumm. She’s greatly admired by the members with whom she works, and it’s no wonder. Through her class, Medication Education, Drumm thinks outside the box and uses projects to both broaden the members’ horizons and teach them about something about which they’d otherwise probably never know.

Drumm is also an aromatherapist and avid herb enthusiast currently enrolled in the herbal study program, David Winston‘s Herbal Therapeutics School of Botanical Medicine. By day, she splits her time between her private practice and working at the hospital, and one evening a week for the next two years, will also work school in to her busy schedule.

This spring, Drumm sparked an interest in herbs among her group, and taught them how to identify herbs through smell and by examining the leaves.

Growing the herb

One thing led to another, and the group and Drumm decided to try to grow calendula in Sussex House’s greenhouse, then make the petals into a therapeutic ointment for dry skin and other epidermal maladies listed in an herbal recipe book Drumm had picked up at a garage sale. “I thought it would be fun and interesting to make something as a group project,” Drumm said. She ordered the seeds and the project began in March.

By June, calendula plants were growing everywhere outside in the garden. “We planted them and ‘pop,’” exclaimed Sussex House member Angela Giuliano, of Andover, “Suddenly they were everywhere.” Another member, Ken Wu, also of Andover, said, “We go out and pick the flowers and then we made a jar of the calendula ointment for every one of us. That’s a lot of flowers.”

Preparing the ointment

Once the flowers were ready, Drumm and the members said it was “a work in progress” to come up with a formula that worked to create the salve. Take one was a bit of a disaster, but after that, a formula was created and each member took on a role in the process of cooking the flowers in oil, then adding the wax, which they obtained at the New Jersey State Fair.

“The whole thing has been an amazing experience,” said Sussex House member Theresa Budzinski, of Hamburg. “I think it brought everyone in our group together and we learned a lot about plants which is a lot more interesting than only learning about pharmaceuticals in a group.” Of Drum, she added, “We also have the best teacher in the world.”

Kevin Karpowich, of Sparta, said he joined Drumm’s group at the urging of a friend. “This has been a great learning process,” he said, “Calendula is something I never would have known about had it not been for this group.”

Results

As for results from the ointment, Giuliano has found relief from eczema that’s affected her for years, as well as dry lips she gets from some medicine she has to take. Wu said it worked “like magic” on a case of poison ivy he had. “It was so itchy and nothing worked. I’d made it worse by scratching, too, then I put the calendula ointment we made on it, and it was better within a few days.”

History

Ironically, part way through the project, one of the members in the group stumbled upon the fact that calendula was the herb of the year. Also known as pot marigold, calendula was chosen by the International Herb Association as the 2008 Herb of the Year. According to the Association, “ to receive this honored title, it has to be outstanding in at least two of the three major categories: medicinal, culinary, or decorative. Calendula’s medicinal history is busy which continues in present times. The petals can be used in the bath, ointments and salves where it contributes anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties which help with external sores, cuts, bruises, burns and rashes.”

The experience

There are still flowers in the Sussex House garden that Drumm’s group is harvesting. “We’ll make one more big batch,” Drumm said, “And now we seem to have everything down pat. This has been a wonderful learning experience for not only the members — about herbs and how they can work — but also for me.” Some of the goals of Sussex House is to teach members how to gather feedback, look at situations themselves, learn skills and make the best choices possible, and then gather support for their choices and carry them out. “This has been a real team building experience,” Drumm said. “Everyone had roles in the process of making the ointment and worked well as a team.”

CONCLUSION: There is insufficient evidence in the literature to recommend specific topical or oral agents in the prevention or management of skin reactions. Recent limited evidence suggests that the use of calendula cream may reduce the incidence of grade 2 and 3 reactions in women with breast cancer. Additionally, early studies evaluating the use of barrier films or creams may improve moist desquamation.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Oncology nurses need to increase their awareness of the evidence or lack of evidence when recommending interventions to their patients. Further research is required to evaluate interventions in the prevention and management of radiation dermatitis.

Seminars in Oncology Nursing 2006 Aug;22(3):163-73