Chamomile is used as an herbal remedy for
insomnia or sleeplessness. Chamomile is
also often used for anxiety; and gastrointestinal conditions such as upset stomach, gas, and diarrhea.
Chamomile - Two types of chamomile are used for
health conditions: German chamomile and Roman chamomile. While the two kinds are
thought to have similar effects on the body, the German variety is more commonly
used in the United States and is the focus of this fact sheet.
Chamomile
- Two types of chamomile are used for
health conditions: German chamomile and Roman chamomile. While the two kinds are
thought to have similar effects on the body, the German variety is more commonly
used in the United States and is the focus of this fact sheet.
Common Names--chamomile, German chamomile
Latin Names--Matricaria recutita, Chamomilla recutita
- What Chamomile Is Used For
- Chamomile has been widely used in children and adults for
thousands of years for a variety of health conditions.
-
Chamomile is often used as an
herbal remedy for
insomnia or sleeplessness; anxiety; and gastrointestinal conditions such as upset
stomach, gas, and diarrhea.
-
Chamomile is used topically for
skin conditions and for mouth ulcers resulting from cancer treatment.
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- Support the body's natural ability to concentrate, assimilate
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- Help maintain a normal, healthy attitude during over-stimulation
- Naturally facilitate calmness and reasonable clarity of mind
- Promote relaxation and balanced mood
- Encourage the healthy flow of oxygen to the brain.
- How Chamomile Is Used
The flowering tops of the chamomile plant are used to make teas, liquid
extracts, capsules, or tablets.
Chamomile can also be applied to the skin as a
cream or an ointment, or used as a mouth rinse.
- What the Science Says about Chamomile
- Chamomile has not been well studied in people so there is
little evidence to support its use for any condition.
- Some early studies point to chamomile's possible benefits
for mouth ulcers and certain skin conditions. In combination with other
herbs, chamomile may be of some benefit for upset stomach and for diarrhea in
children.
- NCCAM-funded research on chamomile includes studies of
the herb for generalized anxiety disorder and for chronic pain caused by
children's bowel disorders.
- Side Effects and Cautions about Chamomile
- There are reports of rare allergic reactions in people
who have eaten or come into contact with chamomile products. Reactions
include skin rashes, throat swelling, shortness of breath, and anaphylaxis
(a life-threatening allergic reaction).
- People are more likely to experience allergic reactions
to chamomile if they are allergic to related plants in the daisy family,
which includes ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and daisies.
- Tell your health care providers about any complementary
and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do
to manage your health. This helps to ensure coordinated and safe care.
An herb is a plant or part of a plant used for its flavor, scent, or potential
therapeutic properties. Includes flowers, leaves, bark, fruit, seeds, stems, and
roots. Herbal medicine products are dietary supplements that people take
to improve their health. Many herbs have been used for a long time for claimed
health benefits. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts and
fresh or dried plants. However, some can cause health problems, some are not
effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking.
Dietary supplement is a
product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino
acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for
dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.
To use an herbal product as safely as
possible:
-
Consult your doctor first
-
Do not take a bigger dose than the label
recommends
-
Take it under the guidance of a trained
medical professional
-
Be especially cautious if you are pregnant or
nursing
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Why should I use herbal products?
The decision to use herbs to improve your
health is, as with all health decisions, a personal one. There are, however,
many good reasons to consider herbal products to complement your own
health care methods. One of the best reason, however, may be the fact that
herbs and herbal products, continue to provide real health benefits while
maintaining a remarkable safety profile. Readily available natural
substances were the first medicines used by humans. Primitive and ancient
civilizations as well as contemporary cultures throughout the world have
always relied on herbs to provide the benefits that have been observed with
their use. In fact, the World Health Organization has estimated that 80
percent of the world's population continues to use traditional therapies, a
major part of which are derived from plants, as their primary health care
tools. In our own time and culture, most herbs are available in the form of
"herbal supplements." These products are found in the form of teas, tablets,
capsules, liquid extracts, and others. We now have ready access to products
that bring the herbal traditions from all over the world in a variety of
convenient forms. In addition, scientific inquiries continue to develop our
knowledge of the benefits of plants, and often validate the observations
made over the past centuries.
Are herbs safe?
Plants that enjoy broad culinary and
therapeutic usage are generally safe. We can flavor our food with any number
of herbs to make a meal more flavorful. We can appreciate a delicious cup of
peppermint leaf or ginger root tea, or benefit from the soothing properties
of marshmallow root or the bark of slippery elm. We can take an herbal
supplement containing dandelion root or saw palmetto berries, or any number
of the other herbs. Although allergies and reactions have been recorded for
a few herbs that are widely used in foods and supplements, such individual
concerns are also seen with many foods, and do not diminish the safety
profile of the many herbs that are generally recognized as safe. On the
other hand, and as everyone knows, there are any number of plants that are
highly toxic, even deadly.
This is what the U.S. Department of Health and Human Servcies has to
say about Insomnia.
What Is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a condition in which you have trouble falling or staying asleep.
Some people with insomnia may fall asleep easily but wake up too soon. Other
people may have the opposite problem, or they have trouble with both falling
asleep and staying asleep. The end result is poor-quality sleep that doesn’t
leave you feeling refreshed when you wake up
Types of Insomnia
There are two types of insomnia. The most common type is called secondary
insomnia. More than 8 out of 10 people with insomnia are believed to have
secondary insomnia. Secondary means that the insomnia is a symptom or a
side-effect of some other problem. Some of the problems that can cause secondary
insomnia include:
Certain illnesses, such as some heart and lung diseases
Pain, anxiety, and depression
Medicines that delay or disrupt sleep as a side-effect
Caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, and other substances that affect
sleep
Another sleep disorder, such as restless legs syndrome; a
poor sleep environment; or a change in sleep routine
In contrast, primary insomnia is not a side-effect of medicines or another
medical problem. It is its own disorder, and generally persists for least 1
month or longer.
Overview
Insomnia is a common health problem. It can cause excessive daytime
sleepiness and a lack of energy. Long-term insomnia can cause you to feel
depressed or irritable; have trouble paying attention, learning, and
remembering; and not do your best on the job or at school. Insomnia also can
limit the energy you have to spend with friends or family.
Insomnia can be mild to severe depending on how often it occurs and for how
long. Chronic insomnia means having symptoms at least 3 nights per week for more
than a month. Insomnia that lasts for less time is known as short-term or acute
insomnia.
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