Chamomile Monograph

Matricaria recutita, better known as German chamomile, is one of my absolute favorite herbs! German chamomile is often mistakenly overlooked, thought to be a simple, gentle herb that’s good for a delicious tea, nothing more. However, although it is quite gentle, German chamomile is a potent, powerful medicine that can be used for a variety of ailments.

Botanical Information

As a member of the Aster family, chamomile has a combination of disc and ray flowers. More specifically, it has central yellow disk flowers surrounded by white ray flowers. It has translucent bracts, characteristic of its subfamily anthemideae (chamomile tribe) along with a strong, aromatic odor (Elpel). German chamomile is sometimes confused with Roman chamomile (chamaemelum nobile), which has a similar common name but is a different plant entirely and, though there are similarities between the two, they cannot be used interchangeably. However, a lookalike that is used interchangeably by many herbalists because of its comparable energetics and herbal actions is commonly known as “pineapple weed” (matricaria discoidea).

German chamomile is native to south and eastern Europe and was introduced to Canada, Greenland, and the continental United States. The map images below are taken from http://plants.usda.gov and show the different distributions of pineapple weed, German chamomile, and Roman chamomile.

Chamomile in the Garden

Chamomile is easily grown from seeds and prefers dry, well-drained soil, full sun, and cooler weather. It’s best to plant chamomile in your garden in early spring if you live in a hot climate to allow it to flower before summer, as intense heat will cause the plant to bolt. It is sometimes possible to get two harvests of chamomile, one in spring and the second in late fall. The flowers can be harvested when they are fully open and fragrant. Chamomile is known as a wonderful companion plant to just about anything else you might have in your garden. As with any herb, take care not to harvest from areas that are contaminated.

Evidence for Chamomile’s Medicinal Properties

Chamomile is revered by herbalists for its wide variety of medicinal properties. It has been used to support healthy digestion, calm the nerves, reduce pain, relieve migraines, support the fever process, promote tissue healing, modulate inflammation, soothe menstrual cramps, and even improve arthiritis pain, as described on Rosalee DeLaForet’s website page “Chamomile Benefits” as well as the chamomile monograph that she wrote for the online herbal resource Herb Mentor.

According to Dr. Sharol Tilgner’s Herbal ABC’s The Foundation of Herbal Medicine, the main constituents of the flower are several anti-inflammatory phenols including flavonoids such as quercetin and apigenin as well as the notable constituents of its volatile oils such alpha-bisabolol and azulenes. Phenols are thought to be oxidative damage inhibitors (acting as protectors to the body’s tissues), while alpha-bisabolol and azulenes are anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antispasmodic. Additionally, alpha-bisabolol is said to be useful in the treatment of gastric and upper instestinal diseases (Singh). Chamomile also contains tannins, bitter glycosides, salicylates, coumarins, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous (Gladstar).

In 2015, a randomized controlled double-blind human study found that the regular application of topical chamomile oil significantly improved the symptoms and functional status of patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome (Hashempur). Another single-blind, randomized controlled human study found that participants with type 2 diabetes who consumed 1 cup of chamomile tea after each meal for 4 weeks experienced significantly reduced blood sugar levels and increased antioxidant activity as compared to the control group (Zemestani). The results of this study suggest that regularly drinking chamomile tea could have beneficial blood sugar-regulating properties that might serve the ever-increasing diabetic population tremendously, though studies done on a larger scale are needed to determine this with certainty.

Chamomile’s anti-inflammatory properties are thought to be partially attributed to its ability to inhibit arachidonic acid metabolism in the body (Tilgner). Other studies have shown anti-anxiety and anti-depressant potential. In one randomized, controlled, double blind human study, oral administration of alcohol chamomile extracts were shown to signficantly reduce symptoms in patients who suffered from anxiety and depression (Amsterdam). Another double blind, randomized clinical human trial demonstrated that its participants experienced a significant reduction in psychological symptoms associated with PMS, and that the use of chamomile extract worked as efficiently for premenstrual cramps as NSAIDS (Sharifi).

Herbal Preparations and Dosages

Likely, the most familiar chamomile remedy is a hot cup of tea. According to Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs, you can use 1 teaspoon dried flowers or 2 teaspoons fresh flowers per cup of just-boiled water, cover, and let steep 15-20 minutes. Another well-known herbalist, Rosalee de la Foret prefers a stronger tea of ½ cup dried chamomile per pint of just-boiled water, covered and steeped for 20-30 minutes. A nourishing infusion can be made with 1 ounce of dried or fresh herb per 1 quart water steeped 4-6 hours or overnight. The longer chamomile steeps, the more bitter the infusion will be (and the more potent). You can drink 2-3 cups of tea or nourishing infusion per day, or as often as needed. Another way to take chamomile internally is to use an extract or tincture. Sharol Tilgner recommends taking 1 dropperful of chamomile tincture 1-4 times per day.

Chamomile can also be used externally and makes a lovely infused oil that can be made into a salve, lotion, or even used for soap making. Strong infusions can also be used as a fomentation or rinse to sooth mild rashes and relieve itching, or dried flowers can be added to hot bath water to promote relaxation or reduce itching of the skin (de la Foret).

Chamomile works best if used regularly over the course of several weeks. It pairs well with other relaxing nervines such as rose, lavender, or lemonbalm. In fact, Rosemary Gladstar recommends adding one handful of each of chamomile, lemon balm, and rose petals to a hot bath to unwind and de-stress.

Considerations

Chamomile is a relatively safe herb. However, some people may be allergic to chamomile, especially if they have allergies to other plants in the Aster family. These reactions are rare but important to consider, as chamomile has caused contact dermatitis, anaphylaxis, and other allergic reactions like itchy eyes and runny nose (Tilgner). It’s always best to try new herbs and foods in small amounts.

Works Cited

1. Amsterdam, Jay D et al. “Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) may provide antidepressant activity in anxious, depressed humans: an exploratory study.” Alternative therapies in health and medicine vol. 18,5 (2012): 44-9. Accessed 20 September 2019.

2. De la Foret, Rosalee. “Chamomile Benefits.” HerbalRemediesAdvice.org, https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/chamomile-benefits.html. Accessed 19 September 2019.

3. De la Foret, Rosalee. “Chamomile Monograph.” Http://Www.herbalremediesadvice.org, https://herbmentor.learningherbs.com/herb/chamomile/#marker-470-2. Accessed 20 September 2019.

4. Elpel, Thomas. Botany in a Day The Patterns Method of Plant Identification. Pony, MT: HOPS Press, LLC., 2018.

5. Gladstar, Rosemary. Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs A Beginner’s Guide. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2012.

6. Hashempur, Mohammad Hashem, et al. “A Pilot Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial on Topical Chamomile (Matricaria Chamomilla L.) Oil for Severe Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.” Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Nov. 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26573447. Accessed 22 September 2019.

7. Sharifi, Farangis, Masoumeh Simbar, Faraz Mojab, and Hamid Alavi Majd. “Comparison of the Effects of Matricaria Chamomila (Chamomile) Extract and Mefenamic Acid on the Intensity of Premenstrual Syndrome.” Accessed 20 September 2019.

8. Singh, Ompal et al. “Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.): An overview.” Pharmacognosy reviews vol. 5,9 (2011): 82-95. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.79103

9. Tilgner, Dr. Sharol. Herbal ABC’s The Foundation of Herbal Medicine. Pleasant Hill, OR: Wise Acres LLC., 2018.

10. Zemestani, Maryam, et al. “Chamomile Tea Improves Glycemic Indices and Antioxidants Status in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Request PDF.” ResearchGate, 6 Oct. 2015, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282764304_Chamomile_tea_improves_glycemic_indices_and_antioxidants_status_in_patients_with_type_2_diabetes_mellitus. Accessed 22 September 2019.