A Review on Marigold (Tagetes erecta Linn): the Phytochemicals Present and its Biological activities

Abstract

Marigold is a hardy annual herb native to Southern Europe and is also cultivated extensively in Asia, India, China and other countries with a tropical climate. Marigold flowers have different fragrances and colors, in which the yellow color is most common.These flowers are edible and also used as colouring agent and spice. A yellow dye obtained from the flower can be used as a spice substitute for colouring and flavouring foods. Lutein is an oxycarotenoid or xanthophylls, it is one of the major constituents and the main pigment of Tagetes erecta species. A variety of chemical constituents have been isolated from Tagetes species.They are essential oils, carotenoids, flavonoids, terpenoids, thiophenes and phenolic compounds.The important phytochemical constituents present in the different part of the plants are lutein, quercetin, quercetagetin, a glucoside of quercetagetin, syringic acid, thienyl, terpines and phenolic copounds. The leaves are used against muscular-pain, piles, ulcers, wounds and kidney troubles. The flowers are useful in fevers, epileptic, stomachic , astringent, scabies, carminative, liver and eyes diseases.The plant exhibites different pharmacological activities like anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, analgesic, hepatoprotective, insecticidal, mosquitocidal, Larvicidal and wound healing activity. It is also used as drug from ancient times in the india for the treatment of cold, rheumatism, bronchitis, ulcers, eye diseases, purify the blood, bleeding, piles etc.