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Chamomile Flowers
Chamomile Flowers refer to the flowers used from Chamomile, a plant that is
a member of the daisy family. Native to Africa, Europe and western Asia, a myth
exists that Chamomile was dedicated to the sun by the Egyptians due to its ability
to treat ague. Also known as camomile, matricaria, anthemis, ground apple, Roman
chamomile, garden chamomile, low chamomile, whig plant, German chamomile, and
wild chamomile, Chamomile has been used as an herbal medical treatment for centuries.
The most commonly used Chamomile in herbal medical treatment is German Chamomile.
There are a variety of different Chamomile plants. Roman Chamomile or Chamaemelum
nobile (L.) is a creeping, herbaceous plant that is native to Western Europe
and North Africa. It is a perennial plant that can grow up to 12 inches. It
is characterized by downy stems and grows flowers that appear in late spring
or early July which have a yellow-disc with white-rays. Its essential oils consist
of chamazulene, angelic acid, tiglic acid, several sesquiterpene lactones, anthemic
acid, atheserol, anthemene, resin, and tannin. Roman Chamomile is also known
as English Chamomile and Russian Chamomile. German Chamomile or Matricaria recutita
(L.) is a many-branched, erect growing plant that can grow up to 16 inches.
It is an annual plant that has yellow-disc white-ray flowers. It is native to
Europe and Western Asia and is also known as matricaria, wild chamomile, Hungarian
chamomile, and sweet false chamomile. German Chamomile’s essential oil consist
of chamazulene, bisabolol, biasaboloxides A and B, spathulenol cis-En-yn-dicolether,
farnesene, volatile oil, anthemic acid, anthemininide, tannin, matricarin, and
apigenin. In both the German and Roman Chamomile plants, the flowers contain
medicinal properties.
Used historically as an herbal medical treatment for gastrointestinal complaints,
Chamomile flowers are currently used as a treatment for a variety of medical
problems. It has been used as: a digestive aid due to its ability to relax the
digestive system and also papaverine, an opium-based drug; a preventative against
stomach ulcers; a remedy to speed up healing in individuals that are afflicted
with ulcers; a stimulant for menstruation due to its antispasmodic action that
aids in the soothing of menstrual cramps; a tranquilizer due to its ability
to depress the central nervous system; a treatment to arthritis due to it anti-inflammatory
properties; a method in speeding up wound care due to the presence of an essential
oil that reduces the time required to heal burns; and an immune stimulant due
to the presence of properties that stimulates the white blood cells, macrophages
and B-lymphocytes, in the immune system responsible for infection fighting.
Chamomile is available in a number of different forms that include: dried flower
heads, liquid extract, tablet, tea, and topical ointment. It is recommended
that chamomile flowers be taken as a tea three to four times per day between
meals. If used in a tablet or capsule form, the recommended dosage of the capsule
is 2 to 3 grams of the herb. This should be taken three times per day. If using
chamomile flowers as a topical ointment, it is recommended that it be applied
to the affected area three to four times per day. Although chamomile flower
use is considered safe, individuals that have allergic reactions to plants of
the Asteraceae family (ragweed, aster, and chrysanthemums) and mugwort pollen
should avoid using chamomile flowers. Allergic reactions are the most common
side effect of chamomile flower use and can lead to bronchial constriction if
taken internally or lead to allergic skin reactions when used as a topical ointment.
Instances of allergic reaction to chamomile flowers, however, are rare.
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