Chamomile

There are two main types of Chamomile that are used medicinally, Matricaria recutita and Chamaemelum nobile.
The studies aren’t always clear on which one they are looking at and there are many other varieties as well. Even the scientific names often seem to get confused and/or mixed.

Antidepressant

• May be a useful antidepressant as well as an anti-anxiolytic Altern Ther Health Med. 2012 Sep-Oct;18(5):44-9.

Anti-genotoxic

• C. recutita essential oil has antioxidant activity and was chemo-protective against damage caused by daunorubicin. Int J Mol Sci. 2010 Sep 30;11(10):3793-802.

Anti-oxidant

• “Chamomile induces both the nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 protein and the induction of phase II enzymes, including HO-1, Trx-1 and Prx-1 in RAW 264.7 macrophages.” Life Sci. 2012 Jun 27;90(25-26):1027-33.

Anxiolytic

• “Modest” anxiolytic activity. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2009 Aug;29(4):378-82.
• M. chamomilla was used in the diet of calves. The result was that it “decreases handling stress”. J Vet Sci. 2006 Jun;7(2):189-92.

Drug Dependence

• M. chamomilla inhibited the development of morphine dependence as well as the expression of abstinence syndrome in rats.
  J Pharmacol Sci. 2003 May;92(1):50-5.

Inflammation

• C. recutita was effective in reducing phlebitis Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2011 Jan-Feb;19(1):3-10.
• “Chamomile: an anti-inflammatory agent inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase expression” Int J Mol Med. 2010 Dec;26(6):935-40.
• German Chamomile’s “immunoregulatory potential for alleviating atopic dermatitis through influencing of Th2 cell activation”. J Vet Sci. 2010 Mar;11(1):35-41.
• Water extract (i.e. tea) of chamomile may be effective for preventing inflammation and cancer. COX-2 inhibitor. Life Sci. 2009 Nov 4;85(19-20):663-9.

Insomnia

• While not effective in promoting sleep chamomile did show benefit for “daytime functioning” BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011 Sep 22;11:78
• Sleep latency was reduced in rats by chamomile. Biol Pharm Bull. 2005 May;28(5):808-10.

Kidney Protection

• This study tested its ability to protect the kidney from cisplatin nephrotoxicity. Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl. 2012 Jul;23(4):765-72.

PCOS – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

• Chamomile can decrease the signs of PCOS in ovarian tissue of rats. J Reprod Infertil. 2010 Oct;11(3):169-74.

Ticks

• May be useful for controlling cattle fever tick disease. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2007 Sep;8(9):693-6.

Wound healing

• “Animals treated with chamomile showed the best results regarding epithelialization and percentage of collagen fibers after 10 days.” Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2011 Sep 1;16(6):e716-21.
• In a study done on rats, an extract of chamomile (M. recutita) demonstrated faster and better wound healing than in the control groups. J Wound Care. 2007 Jul;16(7):298-302