Herb & supplement monograph

Calendula Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Calendula interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Calendula is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Calendula is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Reviewed by licensed pharmacists Sourced from Natural Medicines

On this page

Calendula Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Calendula drug interaction appears low for most people. None of the listed interactions are rated major or even moderate, and every single one is classified as minor.

Interactions deserving the most attention

Honestly, nothing on this profile stands out as a real concern. The only category flagged is CNS depressants, medicines that cause drowsiness, such as sedatives and sleep aids. The worry comes from animal research suggesting one calendula compound might have a calming effect, but this interaction is graded unlikely because calendula has been used for more than 30 years without reports of sedation in people. Anyone taking these medicines can be aware of it, but the evidence points away from a meaningful effect.

What the rest of the list means

The long list of interacting medications can look intimidating, but it does not mean each combination is harmful. Nearly all of these entries trace back to the same theoretical concern about added drowsiness, one that has not shown up in humans despite decades of use. A large count here reflects how many medicines fall into that one category, not a wide range of proven problems.

Check your medications against Calendula

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Calendula interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Calendula

248 medications have a known interaction with Calendula, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Calendula using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Calendula interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Calendula combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Calendula affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Calendula is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 1 drug category Calendula interacts with

Cns Depressants

Theoretically, calendula might have additive effects when used with CNS depressants, although this appears to be unlikely.
Although some animal research has suggested that a saponoside constituent in calendula may have sedative effects, calendula has been used for over 30 years without reports of sedation in humans.

Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Monograph

Calendula: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Calendula is a flowering plant whose petals are used mainly in skin creams, oils, and ointments to soothe minor irritation and support wound healing. Some early research is promising for skin and mouth uses, but the overall evidence is limited. It is generally well tolerated on the skin, but people allergic to ragweed, daisies, or marigolds should be cautious.

Scientific name: Calendula officinalis
Family: Asteraceae
Part used: Flowers (petals/florets)
Common forms: Topical creams, ointments, gels, oils, tinctures, teas, mouth rinses

People commonly use it for

Minor wounds and skin healing
Skin inflammation and irritation
Diaper rash
Mouth and throat inflammation
Soothing dry or chapped skin

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally well tolerated on the skin, but can cause allergic reactions in sensitive people.

PregnancyLikely Unsafe

When used orally; contraindicated due to spermatocide, antiblastocyst, and abortifacient effects. There is insufficient reliable information available...

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is a flowering plant in the daisy family. It is often called "pot marigold" or "common marigold," though it is different from the ornamental marigolds (Tagetes) found in many gardens. The plant is native to the Mediterranean region but is now grown widely around the world.

The bright orange and yellow petals are the part most often used. They have a long history in traditional medicine and are also used as a natural dye and food coloring. Today, calendula is most commonly found in skin products such as creams, ointments, oils, and gels, as well as in teas, tinctures, and mouth rinses.

How it works

Calendula petals contain several plant compounds, including flavonoids, triterpenoids (such as triterpene saponins), carotenoids, and small amounts of essential oils. Laboratory and animal studies suggest these compounds may have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and mild antimicrobial effects, and may help support the early steps of skin healing.

It is important to know that much of this information comes from test-tube and animal research. These findings do not always carry over to real-world use in people, so the exact way calendula works in humans is not fully understood.

Effectiveness

Does Calendula work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 23 uses evaluated

23 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

For Calendula, current evidence isn’t strong enough to rate any specific use. The conditions it has been studied for are listed below.

Also studied for 23 conditions — evidence insufficient to rate

Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Acne