- Region
- Europe
- Origin
- German chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Europe and western Asia
Europe · Herb · № 19
Matricaria chamomilla (Duitse kamille)
Herb · Europe
Chamomile
Matricaria chamomilla (Duitse kamille)
Flowers are used in teas and topical or oral products. Reliable evidence is insufficient for most claimed conditions.
Safety notes
May trigger allergy, especially with ragweed, chrysanthemum, marigold, or daisy allergy. Possible interactions include warfarin and sedatives.
Cautions by tradition (5)
- Herbal medicine worldwide: Oil not in pregnancy.
- Herbs for viral infections: Not with sedatives, blood thinners or painkillers.
- Natural skin and hair care: Not with an allergy to the daisy family. Keep cleansers with water in the fridge and replace them after a week.
- Kallawaya healing in Bolivia: Not with an allergy to the daisy family.
- Curanderismo of northern Peru: Can cause allergy in people sensitive to the daisy family.
Preparation
Dried flowers are commonly steeped as an infusion; product forms and strengths vary.
Use in traditions
NCCIH notes descriptions in ancient medical writings and use in several historical traditions, including Egypt, Greece, Rome, and China.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Herbal medicine worldwide
Attributed effects
Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, bitter, calming, anti-emetic.
Preparation and amount
Tea for irritable bowel, stomach ulcers, poor appetite, indigestion, menstrual complaints; in the evening for insomnia, anxiety and stress; steam inhalation (2 tsp flowers) for catarrh, hay fever and asthma; 200–400 ml tea in the baby's bath; tincture up to 5 ml 3 times a day; mouthwash.
Caution: Oil not in pregnancy.
Herbs for viral infections
Attributed effects
Calming and anti-inflammatory (terpenoids, flavonoids, coumarins); especially for chickenpox and similar viral skin conditions; further for insomnia, heartburn, digestive disorders, vomiting, colic, skin complaints.
Preparation and amount
Capsule 400–1600 mg a day, cream, or tea (steep flowers 5–10 min), 1–4 cups a day.
Caution: Not with sedatives, blood thinners or painkillers.
Natural skin and hair care
Attributed effects
Soothing for sensitive or irritated skin; as a tea traditionally used for restlessness and a tense stomach. The European Medicines Agency recognises its traditional use for mild digestive complaints and skin irritation.
Preparation and amount
External: flowers, powder or oil in cleansers, an exfoliant, toners, sprays, bath products and hair treatment. Internal: in sleep tea, stress tea and a nerve tincture (see the recipes).
Caution: Not with an allergy to the daisy family. Keep cleansers with water in the fridge and replace them after a week.
Kallawaya healing in Bolivia
Attributed effects
For biliary colic after fatty or 'cold' food, and as a daily replacement for coffee or tea; warm compresses on the lower back for kidney pain.
Preparation and amount
Steep a teaspoon of flowers for 5 minutes.
Caution: Not with an allergy to the daisy family.
Curanderismo of northern Peru
Attributed effects
Manzanilla is the best-selling herb on the markets: for nerves, sleeplessness, heartache, stomach cramps and cough, and externally for wounds and inflamed mucous membranes.
Preparation and amount
Steep the flowers in hot water; externally as a warm compress or steam bath.
Caution: Can cause allergy in people sensitive to the daisy family.
Folklore and herbal magic
Symbolic meanings from folk use and modern herbal magic. These are handed-down associations, not effects.
Reduces stress, boosts self-confidence, attracts abundance and love, protects, removes curses, prosperity, peace, healing, harmony, luck, purification, calms anxiety, softens bad luck, calms children.
Herbal magic and rituals
Attributed effects
In herbal magic associated with calm, sleep, luck and money.
Preparation and amount
The Egyptians dedicated chamomile to the sun god Ra. In the Anglo-Saxon Nine Herbs Charm chamomile is called maythe, and in European gardens it was known as the 'plant's physician' that would revive sickly neighbours. In Spain manzanilla is the everyday name for both the herb and the tea.
Home, kitchen and folk use
Attributed effects
Soothes stomach complaints, headache and nerves; promotes sleep.
Preparation and amount
Sleep tea; edible flower; suitable for children.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- Tea (infusion)TinctureSalve and balmCompress, poultice and pasteSteam and bathPowder and kitchen
- Recipes
- Mild lavender cleanserChamomile cleanser for dry or mature skinChamomile powder cleanserChamomile exfoliantAlmond scrub for all skin typesAcne oil or cleanserHealing facial tonerToner for sensitive skinLight moisturizing oil or cleanserCooling chamomile after-sun spraySleep teaStress teaHeadache teaNerve tinctureBath for joints and musclesRelaxing bath bagSkin-softening milk bathNourishing hair treatment
Sources
- www.nccih.nih.gov
- Penelope Ody, The Complete Medicinal Herbal (1993; 2017)
- Stacey Dugliss-Wesselman & Susan Gregg, Herbal Remedies Made Simple (2018)
- Rainer W. Bussmann & Douglas Sharon, Medicinal Plants of the Andes and the Amazon (2015)
- Joseph W. Bastien, Healers of the Andes: Kallawaya Herbalists and Their Medicinal Plants (1987)
- Louis Girault, Kallawaya. Guérisseurs itinérants des Andes (1984)