Perennial herbaceous marsh plant with a straight or slightly creeping stem, more or less branched upwards.
The leaves are rounded heart-shaped or wedge-shaped, dark green, glossy, the lower ones are petiolate, the upper ones are sessile. The flowers are large, shiny, golden yellow. Blooms in April-May. The whole plant is used medicinally.
It grows in swamps and marshy meadows, in ditches. Occurs frequently. Anemonin, saponins, flavonoids were found in dry grass; a fresh plant contains protoanemonin (anemonol), has phytoncidal properties.
Action. Irritates the skin and mucous membranes, and when taken orally causes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and skin rashes. It is used only in a homeopathic hospital.
In folk medicine, marigold leaves in the form of decoctions and infusions are taken internally for fever, metabolic disorders, scrofula, anemia and colds; externally applied to burnt places, make baths for colds. Marigold is sometimes used as an antiscorbutic. Juice from fresh leaves and flower buds is used as a wound healing.
In later years, marigold was studied as an anticancer agent; clinical trials of an aqueous extract of the plant have shown a slight antitumor effect.
The marigold preparation is used in homeopathy for skin diseases.
Root powder is smoked in bronchial asthma. In folk medicine, small doses of an aqueous infusion of the herb are recommended for bronchial catarrh, whooping cough, and painful menstruation.