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Botanical illustration of Yauhtli
MedicinalSourced entry

Yauhtli

Tagetes lucida

Mexican mint marigold, a fragrant golden-flowered herb used in Mexico for rheumatic pain and nervous-system problems. In animal studies it eased gout pain and calmed psychosis-like behavior.

Safety at a glance

  • PregnancyNothing recorded
  • BreastfeedingNothing recorded
  • Medicines1 note →
  • Who should avoid itNothing recorded
  • AllergiesNothing recorded
  • ToxicityNothing recorded

Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.

Yauhtli may interact with some medicines. If you take any medicine, read Interactions with medicines below and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using it.

What is Yauhtli?

Plant family
Asteraceae, the daisy family
Parts used
The leaves and flowering tops
Where it grows
Mexico and Central America
Genus
Tagetes
Species
lucida

Also called

Mexican Mint Marigold

Regional names

Pericón, Yerbaniz

Traditionally used for

  • Rheumatic pain
  • Inflammation
  • Nervous disorders

Traditionally described as

  • May relieve pain (in animal studies)

Natural compounds

UmbelliferoneHerniarin

Safety

Interactions with medicines

  • In mice, extracts and compounds from the plant strengthened the stiffness caused by the antipsychotic haloperidol.[1]Study

What does the research say?

Traditional use

These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.

  • In Mexico, where it's called pericón, it's used to ease rheumatic and inflammatory pain.[2]Study

  • In Mexico, it's also used for problems involving the nervous system, including behaviors linked to psychosis.[1]Study

Laboratory & animal research

Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.

  • In rats with gout-like joint pain, a water extract relieved pain about as well as the painkiller ketorolac, and higher doses worked better. Its compound umbelliferone also eased pain. A very large single dose caused no signs of poisoning in mice.[2]Study

    Technical detail: 562 mg/kg aqueous extract; umbelliferone 316 mg/kg; acute toxicity 2000 mg/kg (OECD 425).

  • In mice given ketamine to cause psychosis-like behavior, extracts and two of the plant's compounds blocked many of the effects, including restlessness, memory problems and reduced social contact.[1]Study

    Technical detail: coumarins herniarin and dimethylfraxetin; acted on dopamine and glutamate systems.

In short

In mice, it strengthened the effects of the antipsychotic haloperidol.

Sources

  1. [1] Herniarin, Dimethylfraxetin and Extracts from Tagetes lucida, in Psychosis Secondary to Ketamine and Its Interaction with Haloperidol · DOI: 10.3390/plants11202789Peer-reviewed study
  2. [2] Antinociceptive effect of Tagetes lucida in an arthritic gout-pain model in rats · DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2025.120718Peer-reviewed study

This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.