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GERMAN CHAMOMILE

Matricaria chamomilla L o Chamomilla recutita L

Description

Herbaceous annual plant of strong scent, leafy, creeping, glabrous (hairless), 40-60 cm high. Stem is whitish-green, smooth, shining, cylindrical, grooved, villose and very branched. Leaves are sessile, alternate, bipinnated at the top and tripinnated at the bottom, with linear segments of an intense green color. Flowers are grouped in small capitules, pedunculate, with a cone-shaped and hollow receptacle surrounded by an imbricate and flat involucre. Female peripheral flowers with no pappus are white and ligulate; hermaphrodite central flowers are yellow and tubular. Fruits are small achenia of a yellowish-green color. Scent is pleasant, aromatic and characteristic; the taste is somewhat bitter. It belongs to the Compositae family.

It is native to south east Europe and Asia Minor (the eastern Mediterranean half) where it’s been known before the Christian Era. It can easily survive in other zones, though, as long as the weather is not extremely cold. It grows in gardens, flowerpots. In fact, it is able to develop in uncultivated land. It’s found in roadsides, meadows, fields, cultivated and non-cultivated, in light and dry soil. Its propagation is by means of sowing.

Part used

The floral capitules. The flower-heads are gathered when they are blooming, which can be done 3 to 4 times a year and are to let dry outside in the shadow displayed in fine layers.

Indications

Internal use

  • Digestive alterations: gastritis, peptic ulcer, enteritis, diarrhea, light gastrointestinal spasms, biliary dyspepsia, epigastric distention, irritable colon syndrome, flatulence, vomit and nausea.
  • Menstrual disorders, dysmenorrhea.
  • Respiratory disorders: dry cough, common cold, flu, bronchitis, pharyngitis, fever, asthma.
  • Nervous disorders: nervousness, anxiety, insomnia.
  • Muscle pains.

External use

  • Stomatitis and glossitis (mouthwashes).
  • Conjunctivitis, blepharitis (eyewashes. It has to be filtered thoroughly to prevent irritating substances or solid matter).
  • Eczema, skin irritation, wounds, bacterial skin infections, bruises, sun burns, insect bites, swelling (compresses, poultices, rubbing, sitz bath).
  • Anal and genital disorders such as vaginitis, vulvovaginitis (rinse, poultice, sitz bath).
  • Inhalations in case of respiratory disorders.

Bibliography

- Benigni, R; Capra, C; Cattorini, P. Piante Medicinali. Chimica, Farmacologia e Terapia. Milano: Inverni & Della Beffa, 1962, pp. 706-8.

- Bézanger-Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M. Les Plantes dans la Therapeutique Moderne. 2ª. Paris: Maloine, 1986, pp. 237-8.

- Bézanger-Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M; Trotin, F. Plantes Médicinales des Regions Tempérées. Paris: Maloine, 1980.

- Bruneton, J. Elementos de Fitoquímica y Farmacognosia. Zaragoza: Acribia, 1991.

- Fernández, M; Nieto, A. Plantas Medicinales. Pamplona: Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, 1982.

- Paris, RR; Moyse, M. Précis de Matière Médicale. Tome III. Paris: Masson, 1971.

- Peris, JB; Stübing, G; Vanaclocha, B. Fitoterapia Aplicada. Valencia: M.I. Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos, 1995.

- Trease, GE; Evans, WCh. Farmacognosia. México D.F. Interamericana--MacGraw-Hill, 1991.

- Van Hellemont, J. Compendium de Phytotherapie. Bruxelles: Association Pharmaceutique Belge, 1986.

- British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Vol. I. Bournemouth, Dorset: British Herbal Medical Association, 1990.

- Real Farmacopea Española, 1997.

- Pharmacopée Française IX Édition.

- British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, 1983.

- Plantas Medicinales. Thérapeutique-Toxicité. Christiane Vigneau. Masson, Paris 1985.

- Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. Norman Grainger Bisset (Ed). Max Wichtl. CRC Press.1994.

- Plantas Medicinales y Drogas Vegetales para infusión y tisana. Edición española a cargo de: Salvador Cañogueral, Roser Vila, Max Wichtl.1998.

- Matière Médicale. RR Paris- H. Moyse. Masson 1981.

- Fitoterapia: Vademecum de Prescripción. Plantas Medicinales. Colaboran: Asociación española de médicos naturistas. Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de Vizcaya.

- Plantas Medicinales. El Dioscórides Renovado. Pio Font Quer.

- Guía de Campo de las Flores de Europa. Oleg Polunin. Ediciones Omega S.A. Barcelona, 1977.

- Pharmacognosy 9th edition.  Varro E. Tyler – Lynn R. Brady – James E. Robbers.

- Farmacognosia. G.E. Trease y W. C.Evans. CECSA.

- 100 Plantes Medicinales. Max Rombi. Romart 1998.

- Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. Jean Bruneton. Lavoisier Publishing.

- The Complete German Commission E Monographs. Therapeutic Guide To Herbal Medicines. Mark Blumenthal. American Botanical Council 1998.

- Bulletin officiel Nº 90/22 bis. Ministère des Affaires Sociales et de la Solidarité.

- French Public Health Code.

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