Chamomile, a plant with a diminutive, daisy-like flower and apple scent, has been used since ancient times; by the Egyptians as a fever-reducer and by the Greeks and as an ulcer cure by the Egyptians (ref 9). Nowadays mostly used as a soothing herbal tea, modern science has identified numerous potential health benefits of chamomile.
Chamomile tea may offer similar anti-inflammatory benefits to some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS, according to a cell culture study published in the November 2009 issue of the journal "Life Science." Chamomile inhibited release of inflammatory prostaglandin molecules from white blood cells in a manner similar to that of the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2, or COX-2, one of the inflammatory enzymes targeted by NSAIDS. Researchers concluded that drinking chamomile tea may help prevent inflammatory conditions. In a study published in the September 2011 issue of the journal "Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral, y Cirugia Bucal," chamomile helped heal mouth sores in laboratory animals. Chamomile decreased inflammation, promoted regrowth of tissue around the wounds and increased production of collagen protein.
Anxiety and Depression
Herbalists recommend drinking 1 to 3 cups per day of chamomile tea as a remedy for anxiety and depression, according to CoxHealth. A study published in the September 2012 issue of the journal "Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine" found that chamomile supplementation successfully alleviated depression. In the study, participants who took standardized supplements containing 220 milligrams of chamomile extract showed significant improvements in mood as measured on a depression rating scale. Chamomile relieved symptoms of anxiety in a study published in the August 2009 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology." Participants took chamomile extract daily for eight weeks. Results showed up to 50 percent reduction in anxiety symptoms. Researchers concluded that chamomile may be useful for management of mild to moderate anxiety disorders.
Chamomile is used in herbal medicine to treat a variety of digestive conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea and colic, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A study published in the 2006 issue of the journal "Arzneimittel Forschung" found that a combination of chamomile and apple pectin significantly decreased the duration of diarrhea in children aged 6 months to 6 years.
An herbal combination consisting of ginseng, cranberry, green tea, grape skin and seed, reishi mushroom and chamomile inhibited an aggressive form of prostate cancer in a laboratory animal study published in the October 2009 issue of the journal "Anticancer Research." Each of the herbs has been shown to have anticancer benefits individually, note researchers. Together they showed significant inhibition of tumor growth and invasion of surrounding tissues. The combination was also safe, with few adverse side effects. Apigenin, one of the active constituents in chamomile, may help prevent some forms of gastrointestinal cancer, according to a study published in the November 2012 issue of the journal "Molecular Nutrition and Food Research." Apigenin, which is formed in the digestive tract from an inactive precursor, inhibits cancer cell growth and blood supply to cancerous tumors.
- Life Science: Chamomile, a Novel and Selective COX-2 Inhibitor with Anti-Inflammatory Activity
- Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral, y Cirugia Bucal: Effects of Chamomilla Recutita (L.) on Oral Wound Healing in Rats
- Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine: Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita) May Provide Antidepressant Activity in Anxious, Depressed Humans: An Exploratory Study
- Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Oral Matricaria Recutita (Chamomile) Extract Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- University of Maryland Medical Center: German Chamomile
- Arzneimittel Forschung: Double-Blind, Randomized Evaluation of Clinical Efficacy and Tolerability of an Apple Pectin-Chamomile Extract in Children with Unspecific Diarrhea
- Anticancer Research: The Effect of a Novel Botanical Agent TBS-101 on Invasive Prostate Cancer in Animal Models
- Molecular Nutrition and Food Research: Apigenin and Its Impact on Gastrointestinal Cancers
- Campbell University: Herbal Pharmacy: Chamomile
- chamomile image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com