Pharmacognostical and phytochemical study of Calendula officinalis L leaves cultivated in Baghdad

Abstract

Calendula officinalis L. is Mediterranean plant known for its clinical and medicinal application. It is yellow to orange flower grown up in spring usually. Two different extracts were obtained from the leaves of this plant, polar (methanolic) and non-polar (hexanic). GC-MS analysis for these extracts results of total 27 components. Fifteen of them were in methanolic extract with the superior of n-hexadecanoic acid and oleic acid at the percentage of 32.22 and 31.48 %, respectively. Also, hexanic extract showed twelve different compounds with the majority of n-hexanoic acid and cis-vaccenic acid at the percentage of 35.38 and 20.15 %, respectively. Phytochemical study of this plant exhibited the presence of saponins, tannins, flavonoids, and terpenoids. In addition, glandular multicellular multiseriate stalk trichomes and anomocytic stomata were depicted in fresh leaves microscopical analysis. While the analysis of dry leaves revealed the presence of stone cell, fiber, starch, and pitting vessels.