Active Ingredient Chamomile (matricaria Recutita, Chamaemelum Nobile)

common name for several daisy-like plants (matricaria; tripleurospermum; anthemis; chamaemelum) native to europe and western asia, now naturalized in the united states and australia.

Source:

medlineplus herbs and supplements: chamomile (matricaria recutita, chamaemelum nobile)

Medical Condition	Uses based on scientific evidence	Grade*
abdominal pain	chamomile is reputed to have anti-spasmodic activity, but there is little research to substantiate this claim. additional research evaluating chamomile alone is needed.	c
acute nasopharyngitis (common cold)	in early study, inhaling steam with chamomile extract has been reported to help common cold symptoms. further research is needed to confirm these results.	c
cardiovascular disease unspecified	chamomile is not well-known for its cardiac effects, and there is little research in this area. large, well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed before a firm conclusion can be made.	c
contact dermatitis and other eczema unspecified cause	the german commission e authorizes the use of topical chamomile for diseases of the skin. however, little research has been done on topical chamomile for eczema and further research is needed.	c
cystitis unspecified	preliminary study reports that the combination of chamomile baths plus chamomile bladder washes and antibiotics is superior to antibiotics alone for hemorrhagic cystitis. additional research is necessary before a conclusion can be reached.	c
diarrhea	preliminary study reports that chamomile with apple pectin may reduce the length of time that children experience diarrhea. further research is needed before a strong recommendation can be made.	c
hemorrhoids	preliminary study reports that chamomile ointment may improve hemorrhoids. better evidence is needed before a strong recommendation can be made.	c
other and unspecified diseases of the oral soft tissues	poor-quality studies have used chamomile mouthwash for the prevention or treatment of mouth mucositis caused by radiation therapy or cancer chemotherapy. results are conflicting, and it remains unclear if chamomile is helpful in this situation.	c
other voice disturbance	chamomile spray has not been found to prevent post-operative sore throat and hoarseness any more than normal saline.	d
posttraumatic wound infection not elsewhere classified	there is promising preliminary evidence supporting the topical use of chamomile for wound healing. however, the available literature is not adequate to support a recommendation either for or against this use.	c
unspecified functional disorder of stomach	chamomile is used traditionally for numerous gastrointestinal conditions, including digestion disorders, "spasm" or colic, upset stomach, flatulence (gas), ulcers, and gastrointestinal irritation. however, currently there is a lack of reliable human research available in any of these areas. additional study is needed.	c
unspecified local infection of skin and subcutaneous tissue	topical chamomile preparations have traditionally been used to soothe skin inflammation. the existing human evidence shows that chamomile may be of little, if any, benefit while animal studies support its anti-inflammatory action. additional human research is needed in this area.	c
vaginitis and vulvovaginitis unspecified	vaginitis may involve itching, discharge, or pain with urination. chamomile douche may improve symptoms of vaginitis with few side effects. because infection (including sexually transmitted diseases), poor hygiene, or nutritional deficiencies can cause vaginitis, medical attention should be sought by people with this condition. better research is needed before a conclusion can be drawn regarding the role of chamomile in the management of vaginitis.	c

*Key to grades
A: Strong scientific evidence for this use;
B: Good scientific evidence for this use;
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use;
D: Fair scientific evidence against this use;
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use.