Chamomile history begins in Ancient Egypt, where it was first mentioned as a cure for fever, often called the "ague". The crushed flowers were also rubbed on the skin as a cosmetic. The Egyptians used its essence as the main ingredient in embalming oil for preserving deceased pharaohs.
The Chamomile plant was listed first in the pharmacopoeia of Würtenberg as a carminative, painkiller, diuretic and digestive aid.
“ Did you know the ancient Egyptians used chamomile because of its extensive healing properties "
Description
Wild Chamomile flowers looks alot like daisy flowers the difference lies in the leaves; the leaves are alternate, bipinnate, finely dissected, and downy to fern like. The single flower grows from a 20–30 cm (8–12 in) stem, consist primarily of prominent yellow disk flowers and silver-white ray flowers. The flowering time in the Northern Hemisphere is typically from June to July. The fragrance is sweet, crisp, fruity and herbaceous. Although the plant is often confused with German chamomile (M. chamomilla), its morphology, properties and chemical composition are markedly different.
Habitat
German chamomile grows well in poor, clay soil whereas its close cousin, the Roman chamomile prefers well-drained and moderately fertile soil. Although both chamomiles thrive in open, sunny locations, Roman chamomile will not tolerate hot, dry weather. German chamomile will also grow in lightly-shaded areas.
Harvesting
Harvesting chamomile can be done a few different ways, one is to cut the flower tops off to obtain the flowers, another is to cut near the bottom to collect the leaves and flowers. If one is only looking to harvest the leaves its best done before flowering occurs.
Medicinal Benefits
It can be applied directly to the skin for pain and swelling, but there is no good evidence it has any beneficial effect.
Chamomile is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs known to mankind. It is a member of Asteraceae/Compositae family and represented by two common varieties viz. German Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) and Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile.). The dried flowers of chamomile contain many terpenoids and flavonoids contributing to its medicinal properties. Chamomile preparations are commonly used for many human ailments such as hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia, ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids. Essential oils of chamomile are used extensively in cosmetics and aromatherapy. Many different preparations of chamomile have been developed, the most popular of which is in the form of herbal tea consumed more than one million cups per day. In this review we describe the use of chamomile in traditional medicine with regard to evaluating its curative and preventive properties, highlight recent findings for its development as a therapeutic agent promoting human health.
HEALTH CARE PREPARATIONS OF CHAMOMILE
Chamomile is known to be used in various forms of its preparations. Dry powder of chamomile flower is recommended and used by many people for traditionally established health problems. Medicinal ingredients are normally extracted from the dry flowers of chamomile by using water, ethanol or methanol as solvents and corresponding extracts are known as aqueous, ethanolic (alcoholic) and/or methanolic extracts. Optimum chamomile extracts contain about 50 percent alcohol. Normally standardized extracts contain 1.2% of apigenin which is one of the most effective bioactive agents. Aqueous extracts, such as in the form of tea, contain quite low concentrations of free apigenin but include high levels of apigenin-7-O-glucoside. Oral infusion of chamomile is recommended by the German Commission E (19, 20).Chamomile tea is one of the world’s most popular herbal teas and about a million cups are consumed every day. Tea bags of chamomile are also available in the market, containing chamomile flower powder, either pure or blended with other popular medicinal herbs. Chamomile tincture may also be prepared as one part chamomile flower in four parts of water having 12% grain alcohol, which is used to correct summer diarrhea in children and also used with purgatives to prevent cramping. Chamomile flowers are extensively used alone, or combined with crushed poppy-heads, as a poultice or hot foment for inflammatory pain or congestive neuralgia, and in cases of external swelling, such as facial swelling associated with underlying infection or abscess. Chamomile whole plant is used for making herb beers, and also for a lotion, for external application in toothache, earache, neuralgia and in cases of external swelling (20). It is also known to be used as bath additive, recommended for soothing ano-genital inflammation (21). The tea infusion is used as a wash or gargle for inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat (22, 23). Inhalation of the vaporized essential oils derived from chamomile flowers is recommended to relieve anxiety, general depression. Chamomile oil is a popular ingredient of aromatherapy and hair care (24, 25). Roman chamomile is widely used in cosmetic preparations and in soothing and softening effect on the skin.
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