History
Chamomile is an age-old medicinal herb known in ancient Egypt, Greece
and Rome. Chamomile's popularity grew throughout the Middle Ages when
people turned to it as a remedy for numerous medical complaints
including asthma, colic, fevers, inflammations, nausea, nervous
complaints, children's ailments, skin diseases and cancer. As a popular
remedy, it may be thought of as the European counterpart of the Chinese
tonic Ginseng.
Habitat
Chamomile are native in many countries throughout Europe, and are
cultivated in such countries as Germany, Egypt, France, Spain, Italy,
Morocco, and parts of Eastern Europe. The various different Chamomile
plants are very distinct and require their own set of conditions to
grow. For example, Roman chamomile is a perennial plant (meaning it will
live more than two years). It grows close to the ground and has
smallish blossoming flowers. It tends to be bitter when used in teas.
German chamomile, on the other hand, is a sweeter variety. It is an
annual plant and can grow large blossoms up to three feet in height.
Active Ingredients
The plant's healing properties come from its daisy-like flowers,
which contain volatile oils (including bisabolol, bisabolol oxides A and
B, and matricin) as well as flavonoids (particularly a compound called
apigenin) and other therapeutic substances.
Health Benefits
Chamomile has been used for centuries in teas as a mild, relaxing
sleep aid, treatment for fevers, colds, stomach ailments, and as an
anti-inflammatory, to name only a few therapeutic uses. Chamomile may be
used internally or externally. Extensive scientific research over the
past 20 years has confirmed many of the traditional uses for the plant
and established pharmacological mechanisms for the plant's therapeutic
activity, including antipeptic, antispasmodic, antipyretic,
antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-allergenic activity.
Recent and on-going research has identified chamomiles specific
anti-inflammatory,anti-bacterial, muscle relaxant, antispasmodic,
anti-allergenic and sedative properties, validating its long-held
reputation. This attention appears to have increased the popularity of
the herb and nowadays Chamomile is included as a drug in the
pharmacopoeia of 26 countries.
Specifically, chamomile may:
- As a tea, be used for lumbago, rheumatic problems and rashes.
- As a salve, be used for hemorrhoids and wounds.
- As a vapor, be used to alleviate cold syptoms or asthma.
- Relieve restlessness, teething problems, and colic in children.
- Relieve allergies, much as an antihistamine would.
- Aid in digestion when taken as a tea after meals.
- Relieve morning sickness during pregnancy.
- Speed healing of skin ulcers, wounds, or burns.
- Treat gastritis .
- Be used as a wash or compress for skin problems and inflammations, including inflammations of mucous tissue.
- Promote general relaxation and relieve stress.
Animal studies show that chamomile contains substances that act on
the same parts of the brain and nervous system as anti-anxiety drugs.
Never stop taking prescription medications, however, without consulting
your doctor.
- Control insomnia. Chamomiles mildly sedating and muscle-relaxing
effects may help those who suffer from insomnia to fall asleep more
easily.
- Treat diverticular disease, irritable bowel problems and various
gastrointestinal complaints. Chamomiles reported anti-inflammatory and
antispasmodic actions relax the smooth muscles lining the stomach and
intestine. The herb may therefore help to relieve nausea, heartburn, and
stress-related flatulence. It may also be useful in the treatment of
diverticular disorders and inflammatory bowel conditions such as Crohn's
disease.
- Soothe skin rashes (including eczema), minor burns and sunburn. Used
as a lotion or added in oil form to a cool bath, chamomile may ease the
itching of eczema and other rashes and reduces skin inflammation. It
may also speed healing and prevent bacterial infection.
- Treat eye inflammation and infection. Cooled chamomile tea can be
used in a compress to help soothe tired, irritated eyes and it may even
help treat conjunctivitis.
- Heal mouth sores and prevent gum disease. A chamomile mouthwash may help soothe mouth inflammations and keep gums healthy.
- Reduce menstrual cramps. Chamomiles believed ability to relax the
smooth muscles of the uterus helps ease the discomfort of menstrual
cramping.
Chamomile Essential Oil
Chamomile oil is an essential oil extracted from the chamomile flower.
Chamomile essential oil is extracted from the blossom (flowers) of
the plant. To extract oil from the plants, most manufacturers use steam
distillation. The flowers are placed in a still, where hot steam is then
applied. The steam — which must be hot enough to penetrate the plant
without burning it — forces the essential oil out of the plant so it can
be collected independently. The amount of oil each plant yields depends
on the variety - fresh Roman chamomile flowers tend to yield 1.7%
essential oil, while German chamomile flowers yield only 0.2–0.4%
essential oil.
Relaxation
The oil serves many medicinal purposes, but one of the
best-documented uses is for relaxation. The oil has a calming effect on
people, and can be used to help induce sleep, ease frayed nerves, and
promote a general sense of calmness and well being. It is great for
those with nervousness or anxiety problems. Aside from having mental
calming properties, chamomile is also good at relaxing sore muscles and
tight joints. It can ease menstrual cramps and back aches, as well as
relax the digestive system to ease upset stomach or indigestion issues.
When applied topically to the skin, it soothes redness and irritation.
For this reason, it is a common ingredient in skincare. It also
eliminates itchiness and is good for those with allergic reactions.
Sometimes chamomile is used on rashes. Because of its anti-inflammatory
properties, it can work to take down swelling caused by rashes or skin
irritants.
Finally, the oil has antibacterial properties and can help to clean and protect wounds from infections. It is commonly used as an all-natural remedy for dental abscesses, conjunctivitis, and other infections.
Consumption
There are a wide variety of ways in which chamomile essential oil can
be ingested or applied on the body, depending on the reason the product
is being used. For example, the oil can either be applied
topically—when dealing with skin problems, or ingested orally—for upset
stomach or other gastrointestinal issues. To ingest the oil, it should
be diluted into water, as only a small amount is highly potent. One to
two drops in a glass of water should be sufficient for using as a
mouthwash or ingesting for stomach problems. To use in a bath as an
aromatherapy agent and muscle relaxant, less than 10 drops should still
be sufficient.
The scent of the essential oil can be inhaled as a form of
aromatherapy. The oil can be vaporized for aromatherapy use. This method
works well to soothe nerves and headaches. It can be blended with
another oil, such as such as sesame, mineral, or olive,
to be used for massaging aching muscles and joints. Finally, the oil
can be blended with other cream based lotions to provide relief from
rashes and irritated skin.
Other Uses
In addition to medicinal use, chamomile enjoys wide usage, especially
in Europe and the U.S., as a refreshing beverage tea and as an
ingredient in numerous cosmetic and external preparations. Rob McCaleb,
President of the Herb Research Foundation in Boulder, Colorado estimates
that over one million cups of Chamomile tea are ingested worldwide each
day, making it probably the most widely consumed herbal tea.
Cautions
While chamomile essential oil is generally quite safely used by
people of all ages, it is not recommended for those who are pregnant.
Additionally, it is recommended that those with strong allergies to
plants such as ragweed do a spot check on a small patch of skin before
applying to the whole body. This is because chamomile can, on occasion,
cause allergic reactions.
If you suffer from allergies to plants of the Compositae family (a
large group including such flowers as daisies, ragweed, asters and
chrysanthemums), you may wish to be cautious about using chamomile at
first. While there have been isolated reports of allergic reactions,
causing skin rashes and bronchial constriction, most people can use this
herb with no problem.
Latin Names
Matricaria recutita, Chamomilla recutita
Common Names
Bodegold, Camomile, Chamomile, Common chamomile, German chamomile,
Roman Chamomile, Hungarian chamomile, Sweet false chamomile, Wild
chamomile
Suggested Properties
Anthelmintic, anti-allergenic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal,
anti-inflammatory, anti-peptic, anti-pyretic, anti-septic,
anti-spasmodic, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, sedative,
stomachic
Indicated for
aiding digestion, aiding sleep, allergy relief, asthma, bacterial
infections, burns and sunburn, burns (minor), Crohn's disease, colic,
colds, conjunctivitis, diverticular disorders, eczema, eye inflammation
and infection, facilitate bowel movement, gastritis, gastrointestinal
problems, hemorrhoids, heartburn, inflammation, inflammatory bowel
conditions, insomnia, irritable bowel problems, lumbago, menstrual
cramps, nausea, nervous complaints, peptic ulcers, rashes, relieving
morning sickness, restlessness, rheumatic problems, skin ulcers,
stress-related flatulence, stress relief, teething problems, ulcerative
colitis, wounds
If you suffer from allergies to plants of the Compositae family (a
large group including such flowers as daisies, ragweed, asters and
chrysanthemums), you may wish to be cautious about using chamomile at
first. While there have been isolated reports of allergic reactions,
causing skin rashes and bronchial constriction, most people can use this
herb with no problem.
Source: http://www.herbwisdom.com
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