Cempasúchil (Tagetes erecta), also known as Mexican or Aztec marigold, is a plant with a rich history of use around the world, prized in medicine today for its use in eye health.
The use of medicinal plants has been a central element in human history, shaping practices, beliefs, and health systems in numerous cultures. But what defines a plant as ‘medicinal’? One may argue that all plants are medicinal, yet for others, the association between plants and medicine is difficult to conceive.
What defines any substance as medicinal is whether it is used in the treatment of disease, “to cure illness”. However, our perception and use of plants as medicine depends on a complex interaction of factors, including historical and cultural aspects such as rituals, symbolism, and records in ancient texts; ethnobotanical knowledge passed down by indigenous communities through generations; phytochemical properties based on bioactive compounds responsible for therapeutic effects; scientific and clinical validation through laboratory studies and trials; economic impacts related to cultivation and commercialisation; political and legal regulations affecting use and accessibility; and technological innovations that optimise processing for medicinal applications (1,2)
These perspectives demonstrate that the medicinal potential of a plant is not limited to its chemical composition but is shaped by the historical, social, policy-based (regulatory) and scientific contexts in which it is analyzed. This article explores these interactions through a specific example: Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta), known in Nahuatl, a Mesoamerican dialect spoken since the pre-Hispanic period, still used by over a million people in Mexico, as cempasúchil.
Cempasúchil: A multifaceted plant
Cempasúchil is an endemic plant of the region known as Mesoamerica, historical region from central Mexico to northern Central America, home to ancient civilisations like the Maya and Mexica., which is currently associated with Mexican territory. It has been widely recognised for its vibrant orange colour and its central role in the traditions of the Day of the Dead.
Beyond its ritual use, cempasúchil has transcended borders thanks to globalisation, being utilised in various practical applications, including its cultivation as an ornamental plant. It is also used in the food industry as a natural dye in products such as shrimp and poultry and in the pharmaceutical industry, where its phytochemical compounds are valued for their medicinal properties (3).
Historical background of cempasúchil
Cempasúchil has deep roots in the history of Mesoamerica, where it held a central role in the ritual and daily life of pre-Hispanic civilizations. With the arrival of the Spaniards, some texts written by Europeans, such as the Florentine Codex by Bernardino de Sahagún (4), documented its importance in religious rituals, linking it to the veneration of deities like Tláloc, the god of water. In this context, cempasúchil was not only symbolic but also theorised to be employed in healing practices, forming an integral part of medical rituals to alleviate diseases attributed to divine imbalances, such as oedema — swelling caused by fluid buildup in body tissues, or dropsy — an old term for severe fluid accumulation in body tissues or cavities, both considered water-related diseases.
Francisco Hernández (5), a Spanish physician sent to the Americas to document the continent’s plants, studied cempasúchil and detailed various medicinal properties of the plant, including treatment or relief of:
- Conditions associated with cold
- Flatulence
- Gastrointestinal diseases, such as stomach discomfort and cachexia (severe weight loss and muscle wasting due to chronic illness)
- Menstrual regulation
- Fevers
- Oedema
- Musculoskeletal conditions, including contractures and nerve pain
Hernández also records cempasúchil’s use for its actions as an aphrodisiac, diuretic, and diaphoretic (induces sweating).
However, much of the ritual and medicinal knowledge related to cempasúchil faced censorship due to the spiritual conquest during colonization or was not recorded and thus got lost, which limited its reach and consolidation as a medicinal plant in the European context.
Cempasúchil in Europe
Once cempasúchil reached Europe, debates arose regarding its origin and medicinal uses. For a long time it was mistakenly theorised that the plant originated from Africa and so adopted the name, African marigold. Authors like John Gerard, a prominent English botanist, even declared it toxic, warning about the dangers of its consumption.
“All which things do declare that this herb is of a venomous and poison some faculty and that they are not to be hearkened unto, that suppose this herb to be an harmless plant: so to conclude, these plants are alike venomous and full of poison, and therefore not to be touched or smelled unto, much less used in meat or medicine” (6).
These ideas further limited its acceptance and application in European medicine. It was not until the 18th century, with Carlos Linnaeus’ taxonomy work, that the plant was given its current scientific name, and its Mexican origin was formally recorded, although its medicinal uses largely dissolved in botanical history (7).
Modern cempasúchil
Although the medicinal uses of cempasúchil were partially lost in botanical history after its arrival in Europe, its importance resurfaced in modern scientific contexts through the discovery and study of its bioactive and other metabolites, especially lutein — a pigment found in plants, known for its role in eye health.. This carotenoid (an organic pigments that give yellow, orange, and red colours), extracted from cempasúchil, has demonstrated significant benefits in preventing and managing ocular diseases, particularly those related to age-related macular degeneration (AMD — condition causing vision loss due to retinal damage), and is used as a food supplement with generally non-specified health benefits.
In 2001, an important clinical trial known as the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) was conducted as the second phase of a broader investigation into eye health. In this phase, more than 4,700 patients aged 55 to 80 were studied, analysing the impact of antioxidant supplements and carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin in preventing degenerative diseases of the macula. The results concluded that these compounds could significantly reduce the risk of progression in conditions such as AMD, cataracts (clouding of the eye’s lens, leading to vision impairment) or diabetic retinopathy (retinal damage caused by diabetes).
The AREDS2 study positioned cempasúchil as a key source of lutein in the pharmaceutical industry, revitalising its importance in producing dietary supplements aimed at visual health. While the study results are significant, they are limited by the demographic profile of the participants and the need for additional research to validate its application in other populations (8).
Beyond its role in the pharmaceutical industry, cempasúchil has involve into a widely cultivated ornamental plant around the world. Its vibrant colour makes it a popular choice for decorating gardens, temples, and rituals in Buddhist and Hindu cultures. Its use spans other contexts, from dessert decoration to hen’s feed (to give colour to egg yolks), and also considered in various traditional medical systems (India, Nepal, China, and other countries), but it has not gained widespread therapeutic use. Additionally, basic research, primarily in animal models, suggest its potential effects in diuresis, anxiolytic, sedative-like, and antidepressant effects, antiparasitic and antimicrobial effects highlighting its versatility and adaptability
Is cempasúchil perceived and used as a medicinal plant?
The answer depends on the context in which it is analysed. From its ritual role in historical indigenous American civilisations to its relevance in modern medicine as a source of lutein, the therapeutic understanding of cempasúchil has shifted throughout the course of history. These uses are deeply influenced by cultural, economic, and scientific factors that shape our definition of ‘medicinal plant’.
In a traditional context, its ritual symbolism and connection to deities reflect a spiritual and cultural significance that transcends the medicinal. In contrast, in a modern scientific context, its value lies in phytochemical compounds like lutein, which support specific therapeutic applications, such as preventing degenerative eye diseases.
Concluding considerations in the context of medical and herbal practice
The potential benefits of cempasúchil in ocular health, as evidenced in the AREDS2 study, must be approached with a critical perspective. This study was conducted under specific conditions that do not necessarily apply across different contexts. Moreover, the lutein doses used in the study are significantly higher than what can be obtained from consuming the raw flowers, as industrial processes are required for extraction. Practitioners considering this plant must critically assess the clinical requirements and limitations of its use within their specific context. However, this is only one example of one indication known for this plant associated with one of its constituents. Contrived by the scientific context in which it has been investigated, this reductive study investigating an isolated phytocompound neglects the rich chemodiversity that the whole plant extract has to offer.
Though many of the therapeutic applications of cempasúchil from ancient Mesoamerica may have been lost over time, its widespread presence, ease of cultivation, and diverse phytochemical composition continue to make it a plant of interest. While its modern medicinal use remains uncommon, its long-standing presence in traditional practices and emerging preclinical research suggest that there is still much to explore regarding its potential applications.
This brief exploration of human interpretation and application of T. erecta highlights both the ambiguity and complexity of this plant’s development across time and place. Understanding this complexity is essential to appreciating its true potential and avoiding oversimplifications that could diminish its cultural and scientific richness.
References
- Taylor J, Rabe T, McGaw L, Jäger A, Van Staden J. Towards the scientific validation of traditional medicinal plants. Plant growth regulation. 2001;34:23-37.
- Jütte R, Heinrich M, Helmstädter A, et al. Herbal medicinal products – Evidence and tradition from a historical perspective. J Ethnopharmacol. 2017/07/31/ 2017;207:220-225. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.06.047
- Lopez Estrada D., Chang W-T, Heinrich M (2024) From “traditional” to modern medicine: A medical and historical analysis of Tagetes erecta L. (Cempasúchil). Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2024.08.001
- Hernández F. Quatros libros de la naturaleza y virtudes medicinales de las plantas y animales de la Nueva España. vol 1. en casa de la Viuda de Diego Lopez Daualos; 1838:81.
- De Sahagún BB, Carlos María de, Mier Noriega Y Guerra JSTD. Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España. vol 1-3. Impr. del ciudadano A. Valdés; 1829:59, 63, 64, 127, 136, 139, 140, 148, 149.
- Gerard J, Bollifant E, Norton J, Norton B, Rogers W, Dodoens R. The herball, or, 568 Generall historie of plantes. 1597.
- Von Linne C. Species plantarum. Laurentius Salvius; 1797:887.
- Chew EY, SanGiovanni JP, Ferris FL, et al. Lutein/zeaxanthin for the treatment of 591 age-related cataract: AREDS2 randomized trial report no. 4. JAMA ophthalmology.
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