Tagetes
Tagetes is a substance used in the Ayurvedic materia medica.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Tagetes |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Tikta, Kashaya | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Sheeta | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Essential oil (topical/aromatherapy), Churna (flower powder), Tincture, Capsule, Cream/Ointment, Eye drops (lutein-based)
Standard Dosage: 1-3 g flower powder per day; 2-5 drops essential oil diluted in carrier for topical use; 10-20 mg lutein supplement per day (from Tagetes extract); topical cream 2-5% essential oil
Optimal Timing: Lutein supplements: with the largest meal of the day (requires dietary fat for absorption). Essential oil topical: evening application (phototoxicity risk). Flower powder: with meals.
Storage: Lutein is extremely light-sensitive and oxidation-prone. Store in amber containers, nitrogen-flushed, at 2-8 deg C for bulk oleoresin; finished softgels at room temperature in opaque bottles. Essential oil in amber glass, 15-25 deg C. Protect all products from light and heat.
Marker Compounds: Lutein (all-trans), Zeaxanthin, Meso-zeaxanthin, Tagetone, Ocimene (cis and trans), Alpha-terthienyl, Patuletin, Quercetagetin
Synergistic Combinations
- Bilberry (comprehensive eye health formulation)
- Astaxanthin (carotenoid often combined in eye-health formulations)
- Omega-3 fatty acids (may enhance lutein absorption)
- Saffron (macular degeneration support)
- Vitamin E + Zinc (AREDS-type eye supplement combination)
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
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