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Family Asteraceae

Mexican tarragon
Tagetes lucida Cav.
SWEET SCENTED MARIGOLD

Tian wan shou ju

Scientific names Common names
Tagetes anethina Sessé & Moc. Taragon (Tag.)
Tagetes florida Sweet Cloud plant (Engl.)
Tagetes gilletii De Wild. Mexican tarragon (Engl.)
Tagetes florida Cav. Mexican mint marigold (Engl.)
Tagetes lucida (Sweet) Voss Mexican mint tarragon (Engl.)
Tagetes pineda La Llave Pericon (Engl.)
Tagetes schiedeana Less. Spanish tarragon (Engl.)
Tagetes seleri Rydb. Sweet mace (Engl.)
  Sweet scented marigold (Engl.)
  Winter tarragon (Engl.)
Tagetes lucida Cav. is an accepted name The Plant List

Other vernacular names
CHINESE: Tian wan shou ju.
CZECH: Aksamitnik Svetly.
DANISH: Mexikansk esdragon.
ESTONIAN: Läikiv peiulill.
FINNISH: Rohtosamettikukka, Tuoksusamettikukka.
FRENCH: Tageté, Estragon du Mexique, Tagete luisante.
GERMAN: Glänzende samtblume, Samtblume, Winterestragon, Mexicanischer estragon.
MEXICAN: Anisillo, Anis, Hierba anis, Hierba de Santa Maria, Tzitziqi, Yerba de nube, Yahutli.
POLISH: Atsamitka yahutli.
RUSSIAN: Meksikanski estragon.
SPANISH: Anisillo, Flor de Santa Maria, Hierba de nube, Pericon, Perriquillo, Yauhtli.


Botany
Tagetes lucida is a perennial plant growing 40 to 70 centimeters high, usually upright. Leaves are linear to oblong, about 7.5 centimeters long. Flowers are in clusters of yellow flower heads at the ends of stems. Flower heads are about 1.3 centimeters in diameter with 3 to 5 golden yellow ray florets.

Distribution
- Cultivated.
- Native to Mexico and Central America.

Constituents
- Chloroform and methanol extracts of aerial parts yielded seven coumarins, 7,8-dihydroxycoumarin (4),
umbelliferone (7-hydroxycoumarin) (5), scoparone (6,7-dimethoxycoumarin) (7), esculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin) (11), 6-hydroxy-7-methoxycoumarin (12), herniarin (7-methoxycoumarin) (13), and scopoletin (6-methoxy-7-hydroxycoumarin) (14), and three flavonoids, patuletin (18), quercetin (19), and quercetagetin (20), (see study below) (2)
- Study of essential oil from leaves yielded 78.2% estragole, 3.6% methyleugenol, and 9.4% ß-caryophyllene. Oil from flowers yielded 93.8% estragole, 0.1 methyleugenol, and 2.1% ß-caryophyllene. (Marotti et al 2004) (6)
- Hydrodistillation of essential oil from fresh flowering aerial parts, flowers, leaves and stems yielded 30 compounds, of which methyl clavicol (95-97%) was the major constituents. Flower oil yielded two bithienyls as minor constituents.
(8)
- Hydrodistillation study of aerial parts for essential oil yielded 53 compounds, with main components of anethole (23.8%), methyleugenol (24.3%), and estragole (33.9%). (15)

Properties
- Leaves have an anise-like flavor.
- Considered digestive, febrifuge, hallucinogenic, hypotensive, narcotic, sedative.
- Studies have shown antimicrobial and antidepressant properties.


Parts utilized
Leaves, flowers.

Uses
Culinary
- Fresh or dried leaves used as tarragon substitute for flavoring soups, sauces, etc.
- Decoction of dried leaves and flower heads made an anise-flavored tea.
- Mexican natives prepare tea using shoots..
- Petals used as condiments.
- Fresh aerial parts sold as substitute for tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.).
Folkloric
- No reported folkloric medicinal use in the Philippines.
- Aztecs use tea made from infusion to treat hiccups and diarrhea. Decoction of fresh herbs use to treat stomach pains and abdominal cramps. In Mexico, used to promote lactation; also, added to bath waters to help relieve rheumatic complaints.
(5)
- In Argentina, leaf decoction used for coughs and applied to skin as insect repellent.
- Used to treat scorpion bites and to remove ticks.

Others
- Dye: Flowers yield a yellow dye.
- Repellent: Dried plant burned as insect repellent. In Mexico burning of leaves traditionally used as mosquito repellent. (10)
- Ritual: Used by Aztecs in an incense ritual known as Yauhtii. It is an ingredient in a medicinal powder that is blown into faces of those about to become human sacrifice. Also, used by Huichol, mixed with Nicotiana rustica, with claimed psychotropic and entheogenic effects.
(4) In Mexico, bundles of dried herbs are used as offerings in temples and sacred sites. Also used in Mexican witchcraft, ceremonial healing, and to dispel diseases. In Mexican Dia de los Muertos celebration (All Saint's Day, First of November), marigolds are traditionally laid out in abundance as offerings on altars. (5)
- Ornamental:
In Mexico and Guatemala, flowers are prominently used in religious and indigenous Catholic festivities, especially for All Souls Days, and commonly used for altar and arcs decorations. (9)

Studies
Antibacterial / Antifungal: Study of aerial parts yielded seven coumarins and three flavonoids. In addition three coumarin derivatives were synthesized. All the compounds and extracts were assayed against bacteria and fungi. The most active compounds against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria were the dihydroxylated coumarins 3 and 4. Compounds 2-4, 6, 7, and 11 showed interesting activity against V. cholerae. Dimethoxy compounds 6 and 7 showed strong antifungal activity, especially against T. mentagrophytes and R. solani. (see constituents above) (2)
Antidepressant: Study evaluated an aqueous extract of T. lucida for antidepressant activity in rats using forced swimming test (FST). Results showed antidepressant activity with significantly reduced immobility and increased swimming without affecting climbing behavior in FST.
(3)
Antimicrobial / Aerial Parts: Study evaluated T. lucida extracts of aerial parts for antimicrobial properties. A methanol/chloroform extract was active against Aeromonas hominis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa while a chloroform extract also showed activity against E. coli and Enterobacter alcalifaciens.
(7)
Antioxidant / Leaves: A methanol extract yielded a new flavonol glycoside, quercetagenin 3,4'-dimethyl ether 7-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-4-methoxtphenyl)propanoic acid and its methyl ester, together with known flavonols, aromatic acids and 7-methoxycoumarin. On DPPH testing, the extract showed significant free radical scavenging effect in comparison to a-tocopherol and standard flavonols.
(9)
Larvicidal Against Aedes Aegypti / Coumarin: Study evaluated extracts and isolated components for larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti.
(10)
Anti-Inflammatory / Epoxides from Essential Oil: Study evaluated the anti-inflammatory activities of main constituents and epoxides from essential oils of T. lucida, C. citratus, L. alba and E. citriodora. All tested samples inhibited both NO and PGE2 production, but EO from T. lucida and carvone exhibited the highest inhibitory effects.
(11)
Antidepressant Activity / Mechanisms: Study evaluated the participation of the serotoninergic system in the antidepressant-like effect of an aqueous extract of Tagetes lucida. An antidepressant effect was observed on FST with decreased immobility behavior and increased swimming. The effect was blocked by WAY-100635 and PCPA but not by yohimbine and propranolol, suggesting a modulating effect of the extract on release/reuptake of serotonin.
(12)
Cytotoxic Activity: Study evaluated the agent of cytotoxicity from various T. lucida straw extracts. 7-Methoxycoumarin and 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin from a leaf hexanic extract exhibited cytotoxicity in A. salina. The activity was attributed to coumarins.
(13)
• Antiplasmodial / Antibacterial / Antioxidant / Leaf Essential Oil: GC-FD and GC-MS analysis of leaf essential oil identified 40 volatile compounds, with estragole (96.8%) as the major component. On DPPH and TBARS screening, the EO showed significant antioxidant capacity. The leaf EO also showed moderated activity against Plasmodium berghei and Escherichia coli. (14)
• Antifungal: Study four plant extracts including Tagetes lucida for antifungal activity. Tagetes lucida, H. longipes, and A ludoviciana inhibited all the fungi assayed viz., Candida albicans, C. lindemuthianum, M. circinelloides, S. cerevisiae, and S. schenckii. The IC50s of aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts from T. lucida against C. albicans, M. circcinelloides and S. schenckii ranged from 11 to 88.7 mg/ml. (16)

Availability
- Cultivated.
- Oil, seeds, dried flowers, tinctures, liquid extracts in the cybermarket.

© Godofredo U. Stuart Jr., M.D. / StuartXchange

Updated August 2018
January 2016


Photos © Godofredo Stuart / StuartXchange
Line Drawing: Public Domain / Artemisia dracunculus / USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. Vol. 3: 524. / alter VISTA

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Tagetes lucida / Synonyms / The Plant List
(2)
Antifungal and Antibacterial Activities of Mexican Tarragon (Tagetes lucida) / Carlos L Cespedes, Jose Guillermo Avila, Andrés Martínez, Blanca Serrato, José C. Calderón-Mugica, Rafael Salgado-Garciglia / Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 04/2006; 54(10) / DOI: 10.1021/jf053071w
(3)
Antidepressant-like effects of Tagetes lucida Cav. in the forced swimming test.
/ Guadarrama-Cruz G, Alarcon-Aguilar FJ, Lezama-Velasco R, Vazquez-Palacios G, Bonilla-Jaime H. / J Ethnopharmacol., Nov 2008; 120(2): pp 277-81 / doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2008.08.013
(4)
Tagetes lucida / Wikipedia
(5)
Tagetes lucida-Marigolds / Keith Cleversley / Entheology.com
(6)
Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals
/ Robert Tisserand, Rodney Young
(7)
Antimicrobial activity of dry extracts of Tagetes lucida from Guatemala
/ M. CAPUNZO, L. BRUNETTI, P. CAVALLO, G. BOCCIA, F. DE CARO, M. IELUZZI / 85 / JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND HYGIENE 2003; 44: 85-87
(8)
A source of almost pure methyl chavicol:volatile oil from the aerial parts of Tagetes lucida (Asteraceae) cultivated in Costa Rica / José F.Cicció / Rev. biol. trop vol.52 n.4 San José Dec. 2004
(9)
Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants: Volume 7, Flowers / T. K. Lim / Google Books
(10)
Coumarin Isolated from Tagetes lucida Cav. Exhibits Larvicidal Activity in Aedes aegypti (L.) / Azucena Oranday, Gabriel Martinez, Adriana Nuñez, Catalina Rivas, and Adriana E. Flores / Southwestern Entomologist 33(4):315-317. 2008 / doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3958/0147-1724-33.4.315
(11)
Anti-inflammatory effects of the main constituents and epoxides derived from the essential oils obtained from Tagetes lucida, Cymbopogon citratus, Lippia alba and Eucalyptus citriodora / J.C. Sepúlveda-Arias*, L.A. Veloza, L.M. Escobar, L.M. Orozco & I.A. Lopera / Journal of Essential Oil Research, Volume 25, Issue 3, 2013 / DOI:10.1080/10412905.2012.751556
(12)
Antidepressant-like activity of Tagetes lucida Cav. is mediated by 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors
/ H. Bonilla-Jaime, G. Guadarrama-Cruz, F. J. Alarcon-Aguilar, O. Limón-Morales, G. Vazquez-Palacios / Journal of Natural Medicines, October 2015, Volume 69, Issue 4, pp 463-470
(13)
Cytotoxic activity in Tagetes lucida Cav / Mejia-Barajas, Jorge A.; Del Rio, Rosa E. N.; Martinez-Muñoz, Rosa E.; Flores-Garcia, Alberto; Martinez-Pacheco, Mauro M. / Emirates Journal of Food & Agriculture (EJFA); Apr 2012, Vol. 24 Issue 2, p142
(14)
Chemical composition and biological properties of the leaf essential oil of Tagetes lucida Cav. from Cuba / Eriik L. Regalado and Miguel D. Fernandez, Jorge A. Pino, Judith Mendiola, Olga A. Echemendia /
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10412905.2011.9700485
(15)
Constituents of Tagetes lucida Cav. ssp. lucida Essential Oil
/ Carlo Bicchi, Monica Fresia, Patrizia Rubiolo, Diego Monti, Chlodwig Franz, Irina Goehler / Flavour and Fragrance Journal, January 1997; Vol 12, Issue 1: pp 47-52 / https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1026(199701)12:1<47::AID-FFJ610>3.0.CO;2-7
(16)
Antifungal Properties of Some Mexican Medicinal Plants / Luz Maria Damián-Badillo, Rafael Salgado-Garciglia, Rosa Elisa Martínez-Muñoz and Mauro Manuel Martínez-Pacheco / The Open Natural Products Journal, 2008; 1: pp 27-33
(17)
The Three Tarragons: French, Russian and Mexican
/ Cynthia W. Mueller, Galveston County Master Gardener / Horticulture Update, Jan-Feb 2009

It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page.

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