López Estrada, D;
Chang, WT;
Heinrich, M;
(2025)
From “traditional” to modern medicine: A medical and historical analysis of Tagetes erecta L. (Cempasúchil).
Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine
, 15
(1)
pp. 6-14.
10.1016/j.jtcme.2024.08.001.
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Abstract
The medicinal value of herbal products is often rooted in their “traditional” use, recontextualized by modern biomedical research granting them certain medical uses. Tagetes erecta L. (Asteraceae), native to Mexico, exemplifies such historical developments of a species that played a key role in developing a major pharmacologically active compound – lutein. T. erecta (Cempasúchil in Nahuatl) has held ritual and medicinal importance in Mesoamerica and was associated with the rain god Tláloc. The species’ historical use spans ancient texts with varied medicinal applications, including treating cold-related ailments and promoting menstruation and urination. However, the Spanish conquest redefined it culturally, medicinally, and religiously, mainly as an ornamental flower. The discovery of lutein in T. erecta marked a significant shift, emphasizing its role in macular health and preventing aging-related macular degeneration. Clinically, lutein trials reveal cognitive, visual, cardiovascular, and systemic health enhancements, substantiating its potential therapeutic benefits. Pharmacologically, it demonstrates significant anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, and anticancer properties. Today, T. erecta is recognized globally for its rich carotenoid content. This multifunctional metabolite is also used in poultry feed and health supplements. In contemporary culture, cempasúchil, also known as the “flower of the dead,” has been adapted for ornamental, medicinal, ceremonial, and industrial uses. However, its traditional medicinal uses in pre-Conquest Mexico remain largely unexplored, with its current applications influenced by global research. T. erecta's evolution beyond traditional medical and ritual uses in Mesoamerica demonstrates the dynamic development of a medicinal plant's role in medicine, as well as a range of other spheres of daily life.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | From “traditional” to modern medicine: A medical and historical analysis of Tagetes erecta L. (Cempasúchil) |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jtcme.2024.08.001 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2024.08.001 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © 2024 Center for Food and Biomolecules, National Taiwan University. Production and hosting by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). |
| Keywords: | Tagetes erecta L., Cempasúchil, Lutein, Traditional medicine, Medicinal plants, Macular degeneration |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy > Pharma and Bio Chemistry |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10203572 |
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