What is chamomile flower?
The German chamomile flower plant is characterized by its growth up to a height of 20-40 cm, and its flowers are white with a yellow center. Its original habitat is Europe and northwest Asia, and it is grown in North America and elsewhere. Chamomile has been popularly used for thousands of years as a sedative and as a treatment for stomach disorders, and it is used Also by many in aiding sleep, and the active substances in chamomile include volatile oil and its components, many flavonoids, hydrocoumarins, and what is called mucilages, and the whole flowering chamomile herb is used Or its flowers alone for therapeutic purposes.
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| Medical and therapeutic benefits of chamomile flower |
Medicinal and therapeutic benefits of chamomile flower:
The benefits of chamomile include the following:
- Treatment of anxiety disorders, as it was found that taking 220-1110 mg of chamomile daily for 8 weeks reduces anxiety and depression in adults with depressive disorders, and flavonoids and their effect on the central nervous system are responsible for this anxiolytic and slightly narcotic effect, and the effects can be The narcotic flavonoid apigenin is responsible for the common use of chamomile as a sleep aid, and despite the lack of adequate research, 10 people with heart disease slept soundly for 90 minutes after drinking chamomile tea.
- Chamomile helps in the treatment of colic, and it is also used to treat inflammatory diseases of the digestive system that are associated with cramps, and it also helps in treating stomach disorders that include gastric acid reflux, stomach pain, cramps, nausea, and vomiting.
- Chamomile helps treat diarrhea in children.
- Rinsing with chamomile helps treat swelling and damage to the mucous tissue of the mouth caused by radiation or chemotherapy.
- Chamomile helps treat irritation of the pharyngeal mucous tissue. Chamomile is considered a treatment for colds and heat by the German Agency for Medicinal Herbs, and some preliminary studies have found that inhaling chamomile steam for ten minutes reduces the symptoms of the common cold.
- Chamomile also helps in treating skin infections, and some research has found a role for it in the treatment of eczema.
- Chamomile helps treat cough, bronchitis, wounds, and burns.
- Chamomile can have positive effects in raising the body's immunity, and resisting bacteria and diseases, as a study found that drinking chamomile raises the levels of both hippurate and glycine in the urine, which are associated with increased antibacterial activity.
- Some preliminary studies showed that the external use of an ointment containing chamomile, in addition to the usual treatment for hemorrhoids, reduces bleeding, itching, and burning.
- Some preliminary studies found that the use of chamomile aqueous extract lotion may help treat gynecological infections.
- Some research has found a role for chamomile in treating intestinal gas, travel sickness, rhinitis and flatulence, hay fever, fibromyalgia, insomnia, menstrual cramps, attention deficit disorder, and hyperactivity.
- Chamomile contains anti-inflammatory properties when consumed, and a study found that the anti-inflammatory components present in chamomile penetrate the surface of the skin into the deeper layers of the skin, which justifies its external use in the treatment of skin infections.
- Chamomile extracts were found to have anti-cancer effects in research cell lines, while they did not have effects that cause the death of normal cells.
- Chamomile can have protective effects against cardiovascular diseases due to its content of flavonoids, whose continuous intake has long been found to have a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases, and in a study conducted on 11 people with heart disease who underwent catheterization, it was found that drinking chamomile tea raised arterial pressure humerus was significantly increased when it was measured 30 minutes after drinking chamomile, in addition to that ten of them slept deeply after drinking it shortly.
- A study found that chamomile reduces symptoms of blood pressure, and reduces the level of systolic blood pressure, which increases diuresis.
- Chamomile can play a role in fighting osteoporosis and fractures, as scientific research has found effects of chamomile in stimulating the differentiation of bone cells and resisting the effects of estrogen, which suggests a mechanism related to estrogen receptors.
- Some studies suggest a role for chamomile in controlling diabetes by reducing high blood sugar, increasing glycogen storage in the liver, and inhibiting sorbitol in red blood cells.
- A study found that an aromatherapy massage using chamomile, lavender, rosemary, and lemon reduces stress and improves self-confidence.
Side effects and damages of chamomile:
- Eating chamomile is considered safe when it is eaten in normal amounts in the diet, and its therapeutic use is also considered safe for adults and children for short periods, and there is not enough information about the extent of its safety for long periods of time, and it was also found that its external use on the skin for short periods is safe for adults.
- Chamomile can cause allergic reactions in a small percentage of people. Also, people who are allergic to other herbs of the same family, such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and other herbs, may also be allergic to chamomile, and they should avoid it.
- Its use on the skin can cause sensitivity, and its use near the eyes can cause irritation in them.
- There is not enough information about the safety of using chamomile for women during pregnancy and lactation, and therefore it should be avoided.
- It should also be avoided in diseases sensitive to hormones, such as breast cancer, uterus, ovaries, endometriosis, and benign uterine fibroids. You should also stop taking chamomile at least two weeks before surgeries. This is due to the possibility of its interaction with anesthesia drugs.
- Pharmaceutical interactions of chamomile Chamomile interacts moderately with the following drugs: estrogen-containing contraceptive drugs and estrogen drugs, as it can reduce the effectiveness of these drugs due to the effects they can cause similar to estrogen.
- Chamomile can slow down the ability of the liver to analyze some drugs that change and break down by the liver, specifically by , which increases their side effects, and these drugs (Lovastatin), (Ketoconazole), (Itraconazole), and (Fexofenadine), (Triazolam), and many others.
- Narcotic drugs interact with chamomile due to the drowsiness and dizziness it causes.
- Chamomile interacts with tamoxifen, which is used in the prevention and treatment of estrogen-sensitive types of cancer, as it can reduce its effectiveness, and you should avoid taking chamomile while taking this drug.
- Chamomile interacts with Warfarin, which reduces blood clotting, which increases the possibility of bleeding.
- Chamomile interacts less significantly with drugs that are broken down and changed by the liver, specifically by Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates, such as amitriptyline, haloperidol, ondansetron, theophylline, and verapamil. ), and propranolol, among others.
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