Chamomile Uses, Side Effects, & References

Chamomile belongs to the family of Asteraceae. Chamomile is the name given to the daisy-like plants that are used as an herb. It is represented by two common varieties that are German Chamomile and Roman Chamomile. It has many species some of which are as follows:

• Anthemis arvensis
• Anthemis cotula
• Cota tinctoria
• Chamaemelum nobile

Chamomile is used as an herb in many medical conditions. The chamomile flower (Matricaria chamomilla L.) is a popular medicinal herb native to southern and eastern Europe. Hungary, France, Germany, Russia, and Brazil are among the countries that grow it. It was brought to India by the Mughals, and it is presently grown in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Jammu & Kashmir. North Africa, Asia, North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand are all home to the plants. Hungary is the world's largest producer of plant biomass. It grows abundantly on poor soils in Hungary, and it is a source of income for the poor residents of these places. Flowers are shipped in quantity to Germany for oil distillation.

Uses:

1. Medical: Chamomile is a harmless plant that has been used for stomach disorders and as a light sedative in many cultures. Some research, primarily utilizing chamomile in combination with other plants, suggests it may have health benefits. However, like with any combination product, it's difficult to attribute a benefit to a single plant. Chamomile is commonly used as a sedative or calmative, as well as to treat irritable bowel syndrome. Chamomile, on the other hand, is used to treat acute respiratory infections and hence deserves to be included in this review. Chamomile can be eaten as an infusion (chamomile tea) or inhaled by boiling the blooming tops as a classic cold cure. Inhaled vapors from boiling chamomile were found to be beneficial, however, the study was of insufficient quality to draw solid conclusions. Chamomile has many curing properties, some of its uses are in the following conditions:

• Mouth Ulcers: Rinsing with Chamomile containing water heals ulcers.
• Diarrhea
• Hemorrhoids
• Anxiety
• Inflammation
• Skins diseases like dermatitis, acne, pressure sores, etc.
• Bone and Joint diseases such as arthritis, bone pain, etc.
• Muscle Spasms
• GERD: Chamomile is well-known for its mild calming properties as well as its antispasmodic effects on the digestive tract. It is utilized as a no demulcent anti-inflammatory drug in the treatment of GERD.

                    These diseases can be cured by using Chamomile. Chamomile is used by persons in a variety of ways. Some of which are as follows:

• Tea: The most common and easy form of Chamomile use is drinking in the form of tea. Chamomile tea bags or Chamomile flowers are put in the hot water where it is dissolved and mixed. It is then drunk by the person. On average, about 3 cups of tea are drunk. This herb's bioactivity is discussed using evidence-based information. Several phenolic chemicals, particularly the flavonoids apigenin, quercetin, patuletin, luteolin, and their glucosides, are the major ingredients of the flowers. The terpenoids bisabolol and its oxides, as well as azulenes, including chamazulene, are the main components of the essential oil derived from the flowers. In vitro, chamomile has strong antiplatelet action, as well as moderate antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
• Other Drinks: Drinks like beer are made from Chamomile but in this case, no flowers of Chamomile are used, instead the whole plant is extracted to make the drink. It is used by people who lie to drink more.

2. Cosmetics: Oils are derived from the Chamomile plant which is then used for many cosmetic purposes as it has the property of anti-inflammation.
3. Industrial: It is used to make many industrial compounds such as detergents, soaps, cleaners, etc.

Side Effects:

There are many side effects of Chamomile use. Some of which are as follows:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Drowsiness
• Eye Reactions: Chamomile has many irritating factors which when comes in contact with the eye cause severe reactions.
• Allergy: It also has the potential to cause allergic reactions in persons who are allergic to related daisy plants, albeit these are quite rare. If you're allergic to chamomile, ragweed, daisies, marigolds, or chrysanthemums, don't use it.
• Pre-operatively: Chamomile has an effect on the blood. IT has a thinning effect on blood which causes bleeding. Therefore, before the operation or any kind of surgery, its use is stopped so that it doesn’t cause any complications during or postoperatively.
• Abortion: Chamomile has an effect on the uterus that it causes the smooth muscle to contract. Therefore, in pregnant females, there is a chance of abortion or preterm labor if they use Chamomile. So, its use in pregnancy is contraindicated.
• Drug Interactions: Aspirin or non-salicylate NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines) should not be taken with chamomile since it may induce a herb-drug interaction. Coumarin, glycoside, herniarin, flavonoid, farnesol, nerolidol, and germacranolide are among the chemicals found in chamomile. Despite the presence of coumarin, because the effect of chamomile on the coagulation system has yet to be explored, it is unknown if antiplatelet/anticoagulant medications have a clinically meaningful drug-herb interaction. However, using both substances at the same time is not recommended until additional information is known. Apigenin, a phytochemical found in chamomile, has the potential to interact with anticoagulants and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, while other phytochemicals have the potential to interact negatively with sleep-inducing herbal items and vitamins.

References:

1. Srivastava, J. K., Shankar, E., & Gupta, S. (2010). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future. Molecular medicine reports, 3(6), 895-901.
2. Singh, O., Khanam, Z., Misra, N., & Srivastava, M. K. (2011). Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.): an overview. Pharmacognosy reviews, 5(9), 82.
3. Sharafzadeh, S., & Alizadeh, O. (2011). German and Roman chamomile. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, (Issue), 01-05.
4. McKay, D. L., & Blumberg, J. B. (2006). A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of chamomile tea (Matricaria recutita L.). Phytotherapy Research: An International Journal Devoted to Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluation of Natural Product Derivatives, 20(7), 519-530.
5. Aggag, M. E., & Yousef, R. T. (1972). Study of antimicrobial activity of chamomile oil. Planta medica, 22(06), 140-144.

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