CHAMOMILE - Health Benefits

CHAMOMILE - Health Benefits

German chamomile

Asteraceae
Part used: Flower

CHAMOMILE is a common herb with many tiny yellow flower heads. It is a member of the daisy family. It has been used as a medicine since ancient times. There are two main kinds: German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis). Most of the research has been done on German chamomile. Chamomile is used on the skin in creams or salves, or taken by mouth as a tea or an alcohol tincture. 

1. Chamomile is used on the skin for many different problems including poison ivy,chicken pox, diaper rash and other kinds of rashes. It is also used for eczema, hemorrhoids, and cuts and scrapes.

2. It is used in a mouthwash for mouth sores.

3. The tea is used as a mild sedative to treat anxiety (nervousness) and insomnia (sleep problems).

4. It is also used for digestive problems including indigestion, diarrhea, and nausea.

5. Small amounts of chamomile tea are sometimes given to babies with colic.

6. The results of studies are mixed, but chamomile creams may decrease irritation and swelling from rashes.

7. In one study, a chamomile cream was helpful for eczema.

8. The results of studies are mixed, but a chamomile mouthwash may help mouth sores from radiation or chemotherapy to heal.

9. Substances in chamomile decrease anxiety (nervousness) in animals, but there are no studies of chamomile’s use to treat anxiety in people.

10. In one study in children with diarrhea, the diarrhea stopped sooner in children who took a combination of chamomile extract and apple pectin than in children who did not.

11. In babies with colic, a tea containing chamomile and other herbs decreased crying in more than half of the babies in one study.

Allergic Reactions
Allergic reactions (including hayfever symptoms and rashes) to chamomile are possible. They are more common in people who are allergic to ragweed and other members of the daisy family. No long-term problems have been found from taking chamomile.