Chamomile as a medicinal plant: application, effects & ingredients

The medicinal properties of chamomile have been known for centuries. But what makes chamomile so healthy, what active ingredients does it contain and what can chamomile be used for? With us you will find out.

Has been for millennia chamomile (Matricaria) grown by us humans - and not only as a beautiful ornamental plant, but above all because of its effect as a Medicinal plant. Healers have known about the positive effects of the plant since ancient times. Teutons and Egyptians even worshiped the flower as a sacred plant of their gods. But even today, many people swear by the beneficial power of chamomile, which helps with all kinds of ailments. Chamomile is used against inflammation as well as against stomach ache or colds.

Ingredients in chamomile: what makes them so healthy?

The high content of chamomile oil is decisive for the medicinal properties of chamomile as a medicinal and medicinal product. The main components of the essential oil are bisabolol and matricin, which have an anti-inflammatory effect. If chamomile oil is obtained with the help of steam distillation, chamazulene is formed - this also not only has an anti-inflammatory effect, but also gives the oil a deep blue color. The content of active substances is highest in real chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), but also the Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) can be used as a medicinal plant.

Use and effects of chamomile as a medicinal plant

The fact that chamomile has always been a must in any medicine cabinet is due in particular to the simple application of the plant, but also to its versatility. The real chamomile can also be used by laypeople as a homemade home remedy. The ingredients it contains have an antibacterial effect, prevent the effects of inflammatory substances and relax cramped muscles. Because of these properties, chamomile can be used against numerous diseases from colds to skin problems.

Chamomile tea: what does it help against?

Chamomile tea is probably familiar to everyone from their childhood. Whether stomach problems or the flu - the warm drink should help with almost all illnesses. But is this an old wives' tale or is chamomile tea actually healthy? In fact, the beneficial essential oils dissolve in hot water and can thus provide relief for minor ailments. Homemade chamomile tea has a calming and antispasmodic effect on gastrointestinal complaints and can also be beneficial for gastritis. Chamomile also helps against inflammation in the mouth and throat - applied several times a day, a mouth rinse with chamomile has an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect. In southern Europe, healthy chamomile tea is also widely used as a sleeping and sedative. And even with menstrual cramps, the healing plant is said to have an antispasmodic effect.

As a home remedy, chamomile tea is not only healthy, but also extremely popular. No wonder, after all, it can be easily made from the medicinal plant. For a chamomile infusion, the flowers (fresh or dried) are used, whereby the best harvest time is before the bloom is fully bloomed. Two to three teaspoons of the flowers are poured into a cup with hot, but no longer boiling, water. After the tea has steeped for about ten minutes, you can strain the flowers and enjoy the healthy chamomile tea.

Inhale chamomile

Chamomile is probably best known for its beneficial effects on respiratory problems and colds. In fact, chamomile tea should not be used here - if you have a nasty cold, it is worth sweating. Inhaling a hot chamomile bath can be uncomfortable for some, but it has a positive effect on the discomfort in the airways. To do this, hot water and two handfuls of chamomile flowers are poured together in a saucepan: Simply the head for Cover it with a towel and hang it over the pot for a few minutes and breathe deeply for about 10 to 20 minutes exhale. This is often not particularly pleasant, but it works wonders. The dry and irritated mucous membranes are re-moistened by the steam, the essential oils of chamomile have a calming effect and alleviate inflammation.

Chamomile in ointments

Not only can chamomile have a great effect as a tea, chamomile has also proven itself as a home remedy for the skin. A camomile-based ointment can be applied, for example, to skin or mucosal inflammation or bacterial skin diseases. Here chamomile helps with wound healing and has an antibacterial effect. Chamomile ointment can also bring relief when used in the case of infections in the oral cavity or on the gums.

Chamomile as a bath additive

Not only ointments are suitable for the external use of chamomile, a (partial) bath or hip bath can also have a healing effect. Real chamomile has a healing effect on skin ailments such as neurodermatitis or light sunburn, where it provides anti-inflammatory and antibacterial relief. To make a suitable bath additive, 100 grams of the chamomile flowers are infused with one liter of hot water. After ten minutes, the flowers are strained and the bath additive is added to the bath water. Chamomile also has an anti-inflammatory effect on diseases in the anal and genital area, such as hemorrhoids or infections. When used in a hip bath, the essential oils in the flowers alleviate the discomfort and accelerate healing.

Chamomile as a medicinal plant: risks and dangers

Fortunately, chamomile is one of the medicinal plants that can also be used by laypeople without any problems, as it shows hardly any negative effects even if it is incorrectly prepared or dosed. Even so, there are a few things to keep in mind when using real chamomile as a remedy: Chamomile as a home remedy is especially recommended for people with an allergy to daisy family refrain. Especially as a result of contamination by other sunflower species (e.g. dog chamomile (Anthemis)), some of which there is a high risk of confusion, severe allergic reactions can occur in such people. more on the subject Variety differences and likelihood of confusion with chamomile, can be found in our special article. Even chamomile solutions that you have prepared yourself should not be used on or in the eye - they can be contaminated with germs and thus cause infections in the eye.

Would you like to find out more about chamomile? You can find our article on the subject here Harvest and store chamomile.