Count on calendula: this safe and common herb is famed for its ability to soothe and heal.(HERBAL MEDICINE)(Drug overview)

The world of herbal medicine offers hundreds of choices to consider. Some are rather obscure; almost inaccessible to anyone but those who are connected to an exclusive, exotic source. Yet others are within such easy reach that they are often overlooked, considered mundane and useless simply by their abundance. After all, who would think first of the dandelions growing along the back fence when looking for an herbal approach to a rare and inoperable cancer?

Any self-respecting herbalist will admit that herbal panaceas do not exist. No single herb can cure all of your dog's ills. None serve as silver bullets against disease. But there are some that are so generally useful that it is no wonder why they were once touted as "cure all" medicines.

Take Calendula officinalis, the common pot marigold that adorns herb and flower gardens in virtually every corner of the globe. Although many of its fans know of the skin healing attributes of calendula salves, lotions, and shampoos, its range reaches far deeper than the skin.

For many centuries calendula has been used to treat everything from skin lesions to tuberculosis--even syphilis. But its real claim to fame and effectiveness comes from its well documented ability to speed the healing of skin and most other body tissues, inside and out.

First in first aid

Calendula is among the first herbs to consider in minor first aid situations. A broad array of medicinal compounds in the flowers of the plant, including various essential oils, flavonoids, saponins, triterpene alcohols, and carotenes, combine to help speed cell reproduction and inhibit bacteria and fungi at the site of injury.

For minor cuts, insect bites, abrasions, or postsurgical incisions, a calendula salve (an oil-based product) will bring quick, soothing relief to pain and swelling, while lending antimicrobial properties to the body's healing effort.