Chamomile has been used to treat a variety of health conditions in both adults and children throughout the world. Since the use of chamomile has been widely accepted for many years, it is currently listed as an official drug in 26 pharmacopoeias, including those of many European countries (Ross, 2008). Chamomile is most commonly consumed in the form of herbal tea due to its sedative effects and ability to calm the stomach by relaxing the smooth muscles of the intestines (Natural Standard Monograph, 2010). Furthermore, chamomile is also used in a topical form to treat skin conditions and mouth ulcers caused by chemotherapy (NCCAM, 2010). Despite the widespread use of chamomile, very few studies have been conducted to scientifically support its use in treating various health issues (Table 1) (Natural Standard Monograph, 2010).
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| Table 1: Scientific evidence for common and/or studied uses of chamomile. Natural Standard Monograph, 2010. |
Can Chamomile Cure Anxiety?
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder that is mainly characterized by feelings of excessive and intense worry. Benzodiazepine anxiolytics have generally been used to treat GAD, however, such drugs often cause adverse effects in many patients (O’Conner et al., 1999). Thus, some patients are now turning to complementary and alternative medicine to treat their disorders (Mao et al., 2007). In a recent study conducted by Amsterdam et al. (2009), the effects of chamomile on treating the symptoms associated with GAD were investigated. In this study, 57 patients were randomly assigned to receive either chamomile extract or placebo therapy (in capsule form) for a duration of eight weeks. Anxiety levels were assessed before and after treatment using Hamilton Anxiety Rating scores (HAM-A score) (Hamilton, 1959) and statistical analysis was performed on the data to verify the findings.
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| Fig 1. Mean total HAM-A scores decreased with chamomile treatment. Amsterdam et al., 2009. |
Upon completion of the study, chamomile extract was found to improve symptoms associated with GAD, resulting in significantly lower HAM-A scores (Fig 1). This well-designed study met the requirements of the “gold standard” as it was randomized, double-blind, and placebo controlled. However, despite its superior design, the small sample size and short treatment duration may have negatively impacted the results. Therefore, future studies are still needed to confirm the efficacy of using chamomile to treat GAD.
Is Chamomile a Natural Healer?
Chamomile is commonly used for its healing properties and ability to relieve various skin disorders, however, its therapeutic benefits in terms of wound healing have not been well researched. In a recent study, conducted by Jarrahi et al. (2010) the effect of using chamomile extract to promote healing of linear incisional wounds in albino rats was investigated. 30 rats were given a small incision and were randomly divided into three groups: a control, olive oil treatment and chamomile treatment. Topical treatments were administered daily and the percentage of wound healing was calculated by measuring the area of the wound as time progressed. Statistical analysis was then performed on the data.
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| Fig 2. Positive effect of chamomile on wound healing process. Jarrahi et al., 2009. |
