There are two plants known as chamomile. One of them is German daisy (Matricaria recutita), and the other is Roman or English daisy (Chamaemelum nobile). As a rule, herbalists consider German chamomile to be a stronger acting game.
About 120 chemical components in chamomile were identified as secondary metabolites, including 28 terpenoids, 36 flavonoids and 52 additional compounds with potential pharmacological activity (Salamon, 1997). Studies have also shown that German chamomile has strong antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. While Roman chamomile is used for anxiety, stress and other disorders of the nervous system, as well as muscle spasms, etc.
Where does daisy come from?
Romance chamomile is a creeping, grassy perennial, native to northwestern Europe and North Africa. It crawls close to the ground and can reach 30 cm in height, and the German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is native to Europe and Western Asia and naturalized in North America (UMM, 2009).
What are the properties of chamomile?
Medicinal use of chamomile refers to the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks.
German chamomile is often used topically in a cream or ointment to soothe irritated skin due to its antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. Available evidence suggests that it can be moderately effective in treating eczema.
Roman chamomile essential oil consists mainly of chamazulene, angelic acid, tiglinic acid and several sesquiterpene lactones. Other components of roman chamomile include anthemic acid, aterol, anthemene, gum and tannin. German chamomile essential oil contains shamazulen, bisabolol, bisabololaxides A and B, spantulenol cis-en-in-cyclogen and farnesin. Other components of German chamomile include volatile oil, anthemic acid, antheminidine, tannin, matricarin and apigenin (Purdue University, 1997).
The use of chamomile in skin care products
Chamomile is called the main anesthetic, anti-inflammatory and wound healer, relieves pain, redness from any cause and contributes to the restoration of the skin.
It is well suited for dry, red, hot and sensitive skin and is said to have anti-allergic properties, therefore chamomile is a very useful ingredient in natural skin care products that target this skin type.
German chamomile has a stronger effect because of its higher content of chamazulene, which also gives it the name of super-blue. Like most essential oils, chamomile has antiseptic properties there as well, before it is used in natural skin care products, as an anti-skin agent and skin cleanser.
Chamomile is used by herbs as a plant extract, which can be used inside the body for a number of health complaints, such as: a blocked tear channel, ulcers, ulcers (mouth ulcers), colic, diarrhea, eczema, gingivitis (periodontal disease), dyspepsia and heartburn , Insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer and skin irritation.
Externally, it can be used in creams, ointments or applied directly to the skin for any skin problem that has a composition of irritation, inflammation and / or infection. It is often combined with other herbs or essential oils, such as lavender, calendula, and others.
Recommendations:
* Purdue University (1997) Chamomile. Website: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/med-aro/factsheets/chamomile.html (last visited May 22, 2009)
* Salamon, I. (1992) Chamomile: Medicinal Plant. Herbal, Spices and Medicinal Herbal Collection, Volume 1 (1), pp. 1-4.
* University of Maryland Medical Center (UMM), website: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ (last visited May 22, 2009).
