Calendula (Calendula officinalis) and radiation dermatitis
What 4 graded rows on calendula (calendula officinalis) agree on for radiation dermatitis, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Calendula (Calendula officinalis) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Calendula (Calendula officinalis) page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) and radiation dermatitis
4 rows · 797 peopleSplit. 2 rows found an improvement and 2 found no difference.
- CGrade C× 2
- DGrade D× 2
- Rows
- 4
- Trials
- 4
- People
- 797
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade C, is a randomized trial of 411 people (2013) and found no difference.
By our six checks (size, design, length, who was studied, year and grade), the two sides do not differ cleanly. The dose and how each outcome was measured are in the rows below.
The rows
2 improved · 2 no difference- CGrade CGrade 2+ radiation dermatitis vs trolamine (breast cancer radiotherapy) · Improved
RCT · n 254 · 2004 · Women receiving postoperative radiotherapy for breast cancer (France)
Applied to the irradiated skin after each radiotherapy session · Course of postoperative radiotherapy
Grade 2 or higher dermatitis occurred in 41% with calendula vs 63% with trolamine (P<.001); calendula users also had less radiation-related pain and fewer treatment interruptions.
Row on the Calendula (Calendula officinalis) page · PubMed 15084618 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DRadiation dermatitis vs essential fatty acids (head and neck cancer) · Improved
RCT · n 51 · 2015 · Patients receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (Brazil)
Applied to the irradiated skin (schedule not stated in the abstract) · Course of radiotherapy
Grade 2 dermatitis was less common with calendula than with an essential fatty acid product (P=0.012).
Row on the Calendula (Calendula officinalis) page · PubMed 25992820 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CSevere acute radiation skin reactions vs aqueous cream (breast cancer radiotherapy) · No difference
RCT · n 411 · 2013 · Patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer (Sweden)
Applied to the irradiated area (frequency not stated in the abstract) · Course of adjuvant radiotherapy
Severe reactions occurred in 23% with calendula vs 19% with Essex aqueous cream; no difference at any assessment and no difference in patient-reported skin symptoms.
Row on the Calendula (Calendula officinalis) page · PubMed 23245940 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DGrade 2+ radiation dermatitis vs Sorbolene (breast cancer radiotherapy) · No difference
RCT · n 81 · 2021 · Women receiving breast cancer radiotherapy (Australia)
Applied to the treated skin (schedule not stated in the abstract) · Course of radiotherapy
Grade 2+ dermatitis: 53% with calendula vs 62% with Sorbolene (OR 0.87, P=0.92). The trial recruited 82 of a planned 178 and was underpowered.
Row on the Calendula (Calendula officinalis) page · PubMed 32965030 (opens PubMed)