German Chamomile

Chamomilla Recutita

See also : Chamomilla (Homeopathy)
Other Names: Blue Chamomile, Camomèle, Camomilla, Camomille, Camomille Allemande, Camomille Sauvage, Camomille Tronquée, Camomille Vraie, Chamomile, Chamomilla recutita, Echte Kamille, Feldkamille, Fleur de Camomile, Hungarian Chamomile, Kamillen, Kleine Kamille, Manzanilla, Manzanilla Alemana, Matricaire, Matricaire Camomille, Matricaria chamomilla, Matricaria recutita, Matricariae Flos, Œil du Soleil, Petite Camomille, Pin Heads, Sweet False Chamomile, True Chamomile, Wild Chamomile.
German chamomile is an herb. People use the flower head of the plant to make medicine. Contains more active ingredients then Roman Chamomile which make it a more potent oil.
See also : Bitters

Special Precautions of German Chamomile

• German chamomile is LIKELY SAFE when taken in amounts found in food. In fact, it has “Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)” status in the U.S. German chamomile is POSSIBLY SAFE for adults and children when taken by mouth for short periods of time as medicine. The long-term safety of German chamomile is unknown.
• German chamomile can cause allergic reactions in some people. It is in the same plant family as ragweed, marigolds, daisies, and other related herbs.
• When applied to the skin, German chamomile can cause allergic skin reactions. When applied near the eyes, German chamomile may cause eye irritation.
• Allergies to ragweed or related plants: German chamomile may cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to the Asteraceae/Compositae family of plants. Members of this family include ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies, and many other herbs.
• Hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: German chamomile might act like estrogen in the body. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, don’t use German chamomile.
• Birth control pills (Contraceptive drugs) interacts with GERMAN CHAMOMILE
• Estrogens interacts with GERMAN CHAMOMILE
• Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates) interacts with GERMAN CHAMOMILE
• Sedative medications (Benzodiazepines) interacts with GERMAN CHAMOMILE
• Sedative medications (CNS depressants) interacts with GERMAN CHAMOMILE
• Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) interacts with GERMAN CHAMOMILE
• Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with GERMAN CHAMOMILE

Benefits and uses of German Chamomile are

German chamomile contains chemicals that might seem to promote relaxation and reduce swelling (inflammation). German chamomile might reduce swelling by slowing the production of chemicals called prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and histamines. These chemicals are usually released to create a swelling response in the body.

• anti-inflammatory properties : It contains the terpenoids chamazulene and bisabolol both of which show great anti-inflammatory action in animal studies.
• antioxidant activity (thanks to some other active ingredients called matricine, apigenin and luteolin).
• Upset stomach (dyspepsia), when a specific product (Iberogast, Medical Futures, Inc) that combines German chamomile with other herbs is used. The combination includes German chamomile plus peppermint leaf, clown's mustard plant, caraway, licorice, milk thistle, celandine, angelica, and lemon balm. This combination product seems to reduce the severity of acid reflux, stomach pain, cramping, nausea, and vomiting. But it takes about 4 weeks of treatment to get these results.
• Colic in breast-fed infants when used in combination with other herbs. A specific product containing 164 mg of fennel, 97 mg of lemon balm, and 178 mg of German chamomile (ColiMil, Milte Italia SPA) taken twice daily for a week seems to reduce crying in breast-fed infants with colic.
• Treating or preventing swelling and deterioration (mucositis) of the mouth lining caused by radiation therapy and some types of chemotherapy, when used as a mouth rinse.
• Cancer : Apigenin is a flavonoid that binds to about 160 different proteins in the human body. The average chemo drug has trouble targeting just one damaged protein at a time. And a Japanese study points to a different substance in chamomile that can actually cause cancer cells to kill themselves. Called bisabolol oxide A (BSBO), this powerful compound gives chamomile its anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers found that it causes cancerous cells to shrink…within just 24 hours.
• Thyroid Cancer : A small Greek study study compared the dietary habits of 113 Greek patients with thyroid cancer to those of 138 people without thyroid cancer. People who drank chamomile tea more frequently were less likely to have thyroid cancer.
• Chamomile can also help calm and relieve muscle spasms, including menstrual cramps. A study discovered that this was related to increased levels of glycine in the body that comes with regular consumption of chamomile tea. Glycine is an amino acid linked to reduced muscle aches and cramps and also calms the nerves, which is why it often is seen as having calming sedative effects.
• Eye care : In addition to being a relaxing tea, chamomile makes a great cold compress. It’s much more soothing than a regular cold compress. The herbs from the chamomile will sooth any irritation on the skin around the eyes and will alleviate redness, too. Chamomile will also reduce puffiness. To make a chamomile compress, all you need to do is soak the chamomile teabags it in lukewarm water. Lukewarm might not seem cold, but it will feel cold on the thin skin of your eyelids. Place the teabags over your eyes and sit back and relax.