What is camomile

Evaluation of the activity on the mouse CNS of several plant extracts and a combination of them. Riv Neurol. Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity in vitro of chamomile flowers, coneflower herbs, peppermint leaves and thyme herbs — a preliminary report.

Issues Pharm. Goes P, et al. J Oral Sci. Hartman D, Coetzee JC. Two US practitioners' experience of using essential oils for wound care. J Wound Care. Jarry Jonathan.

McGill Office for Science and Society. March 8, Short-term open-label chamomile Matricaria chamomilla L. Martins MD, et al. Comparative analysis between Chamomilla recutita and corticosteroids on wound healing. An in vitro and in vivo study. Phytother Res. Mehrdad Abdullahzadeh, et al. Investigation effect of oral chamomilla on sleep quality in elderly people in Isfahan: A randomized control trial.

J Educ Health Promot. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Spring , Page Rafraf M, et al. Effectiveness of chamomile tea on glycemic control and serum lipid profile in patients with type 2 diabetes. J Endocrinol Invest. Sebai H, et al.

Antidiarrheal and antioxidant activities of chamomile Matricaria recutita L. J Ethnopharmacol. Segal R, Pilote L. Research warfarin interaction with Matricaria chamomilla.

Canadian Medical Association Journal, vol. Hypnotic activities of chamomile and passiflora extracts in sleep-disturbed rats. Biol Pharm Bull. Singh, Ompal, et al. Chamomile Matricaria chamomilla L. Pharmacogn Rev. Effect of German chamomile oil application on alleviating atopic dermatitis-like immune alterations in mice. J Vet Sci. Viola H, et al. Apigenin, a component of Matricaria recutita flowers, is a central benzodiazepine receptors-ligand with anxiolytic effects.

Planta Med. Examination of the efficacy and safety of a standardized chamomile extract for chronic primary insomnia: A randomized placebo-controlled pilot study. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.

We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. What Is Chamomile Used For? Selection and Preparation. Possible Side Effects. Frequently Asked Questions What does chamomile tea taste like? It typically has a mild floral taste with hints of apple. How do you grow chamomile? How do you make chamomile tea? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns?

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. German chamomile thrives in Europe and temperate parts of Asia and is extensively cultivated in Eastern Europe. German chamomile is also known as wild chamomile; it is so wild that it grows like a roadside weed in some areas.

Roman chamomile, on the other hand, thrives in Central Europe and North America. Perhaps as a nod to its ancient origins, much of the commercially available chamomile originates in Egypt. But both chamomile varieties are known to be cultivated in other temperate climates around the world, including India, South America, South Africa and Australia. Depending on where you live, starter plants can usually be found at garden stores for back yard or container herb gardening.

Chamomile flowers usually bloom into little white flowers with yellow centers, like mini daisies. The German chamomile flowers give off a strong, herbal and sometimes pungent scent.

While the Roman chamomile flowers are described as having a sweeter, almost fruity scent. Chamomile flowers are harvested as the flowers open. In Egypt, the flowers are generally by hand or with a tool called a chamomile rake; the flowers bloom over several months and are picked every seven to ten days.

By contrast, in Eastern Europe, harvesting machines harvest a field of chamomile flowers just two or three times over the growing season. The Spanish used chamomile as a flavoring agent in sherry making. The Romans sipped chamomile as a healing beverage and used it as incense.

English brewers used chamomile flowers throughout the Middle Ages as a bittering agent in beer making. In fact, the bitter hops flowers we associate with beer making today eventually replaced chamomile as a key beer flavoring ingredient. Monks during the Middle Ages cultivated the plant not only for beer but also for use in traditional herbal remedies. Chamomile is still used in similar ways as in the days of old. It is still used in beer and wine making today. And the Spanish still flavor their famously traditional Mazanilla sherry with chamomile.

Chamomile is also being explored in many culinary applications, from ice creams to soup bases to French macarons. Its sweet and lightly herbal notes make it a sophisticated and unique flavor to add to desserts as well as savory treats. Ingredients: 2 cups sugar 2 cup water 2 chamomile tea bags. Directions: Bring sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add tea bags and remove from heat.

Cover and let syrup cool. A few studies have found that chamomile extract has the potential to protect against diarrhea in mice. This is attributed to its anti-inflammatory properties 5 , 6. Another study in rats found chamomile to be helpful in preventing stomach ulcers, as it may reduce acidity in the stomach and inhibit the growth of bacteria that contribute to ulcer development 7. Nevertheless, there are many anecdotal claims that drinking chamomile tea is soothing to the stomach.

Traditionally, it has been used to treat several digestive ailments, including nausea and gas 1. The antioxidants found in chamomile tea have been linked with a lower incidence of certain types of cancer.

Chamomile contains the antioxidant apigenin. In test-tube studies, apigenin has been shown to fight cancer cells, especially those of the breast, digestive tract, skin, prostate and uterus 8 , 9 , Additionally, one study of people observed that those who drank chamomile tea 2—6 times per week were significantly less likely to develop thyroid cancer than those who did not drink chamomile tea Drinking chamomile tea may aid in lowering blood sugar levels.

Its anti-inflammatory properties may prevent damage to the cells of your pancreas, which occurs when your blood sugar levels are chronically elevated 1. The health of your pancreas is extremely important, as it produces insulin, the hormone responsible for removing sugar from your blood 1.

In one study of 64 diabetic people, those who consumed chamomile tea daily with meals for eight weeks had significantly lower average blood sugar levels than those who consumed water Additionally, several animal studies suggest that chamomile tea may lower fasting blood sugar levels by a considerable amount, and it may also be beneficial for preventing blood sugar spikes after eating 13 , 14 , Nevertheless, the findings are promising Flavones have been studied for their potential to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which are important markers of your heart disease risk 17 , The following health benefits of chamomile tea are mostly anecdotal and not supported by scientific research:.

Although these health claims lack evidence, that does not mean they are false. They simply have not been studied yet and may be in the future. There have been reports of chamomile allergies, which are most likely to occur in individuals who are allergic to plants in the daisy family, such as ragweed and chrysanthemums 1. Furthermore, cosmetic products that contain chamomile may be irritating to the eyes if they make direct contact with them.

This may lead to conjunctivitis, which is inflammation of the lining of your eye 1. It is also important to note that the safety of drinking chamomile tea has not been established in young children, pregnant or nursing women and people with liver or kidney disease. Nevertheless, there have not been any reports of life-threatening adverse reactions or toxicity from drinking chamomile tea. It is rich in some powerful antioxidants that may have a variety of health benefits, including reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Although the research relating to chamomile tea is promising, there have simply not been enough studies to make a conclusion about its effects on health. Many of the studies relating to chamomile tea have been conducted in animals and test tubes, and the results cannot be translated to humans.

Nevertheless, chamomile is very safe to drink, and many people enjoy drinking it for its delicious taste and comforting aroma.

Shop online for chamomile tea. Do you prefer tea to coffee? If you have acid reflux, a cup of chamomile tea may have additional health benefits.