Modern Methods of Standardization of Biologically Active Compounds of Medicinal Plant Raw Materials Calendulae Flos: Chemical Technologies, Analytical Indicators

Herbal preparations are an important source of biologically active compounds, have a wide range of pharmacological activity. Calendula officinalis L. is the most popular plant and is widely used in medicine. The medicinal plant raw material of Calendula officinalis L. is Calendulae flos. The composition of biologically active compounds includes flavonoids, carotenoids, saponins, essential oils and triterpene compounds. Preparations based on Calendulae flos have anti‑inflammatory, antiseptic, wound‑healing and antispasmodic properties. An important component of the effectiveness and safety of phytotherapy is considered to be the proper quality of the derived medicinal plant raw material Calendulae flos, modern chemical technologies for obtaining biologically active compounds, issues of standardization and quality control. Modern methods of standardization for Calendulae flos raw material are presented in the national monograph State Pharmacopoeia of Ukraine on “Nahidok kvitky” and the monograph European Pharmacopoeia on “Calendula flower”. In both monographs, the standardization of Calendulae flos is carried out according to the quantitative content of the sum of flavonoids in terms of hyperoside with regulation (not less than 0.4%). Recent advances in analytical chemistry, such as HPLC‑UV/Vis, HPTLC densitometry and hyphenated LC‑MS techniques, allow rapid fingerprinting of marker flavonoids and triterpenoids, supporting batch‑to‑batch reproducibility. Good Agricultural and Collection Practice guidelines now recommend controlled cultivation of certified cultivars under defined pedoclimatic conditions to maximize calenduloside and faradiol ester yields and to minimize pesticide residues and heavy metals. Clinical observations also suggest adjunctive use of standardized calendula extracts accelerates epithelialization in radiation‑induced dermatitis and post‑surgical wounds, highlighting the translational relevance of rigorous phytochemical standardization.