Calendula officinalis L., belongs to the Asteraceae family from Europe and is acclimatized in the south region of Brazil where its commercial cultivation has been increasing for pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes. Its several therapeutic properties (anti-inflammatory, healing, antiseptic) justify the great demand for this plant by the population. The present study compares the chemical composition of the volatile fraction of two cultivations of calendula, one from Massif Central, France, and the other acclimatized in the Northeast region of Paraná State, Brazil. Most compounds identified by Gas Chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in both cultivations included the sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons and alcohols; d-cadinene (22.53%) and á-cadinol (20.40%) for the cultivation of the calendula produced in the Northeast region of Paraná State, and d-cadinene (12.10%) and a-cadinol(25.50%) for the cultivation of the calendula produced in Massif Central, France. In addition, physical-chemical analyses (determination of water at room temperature = 85.0% and loss on drying = 11.6%), were carried out in order to assure the quality of the plant for commercialization.
Calendula officinalis; cultivation; essential oil; chemical composition
