Friday, August 10, 2012

The uses of Roman Chamomile

Roman chamomile is a perennial with a stem growing to a height of 30-40 centimeters. White or gray white blossoms are arranged in composite inflorescence with an average diameter of 12-20 millimeters.
Roman chamomile is a herb native to Mediterranean area. However, it is cultivated as ornamental and medical herb in many countries, including France, Great Britain, Hungary, Belgium, America and other. You should collect blossoms just before they are completely opened. It is due to the greatest amount of essential oil they contain during that period of time.
Roman chamomile blossoms contain essential oil, flavonoids, phenyl carbolic acids, catechin tannins, coumarins, phytosterols and other biologically active substances. Catechin tannins form when the blossoms become brown and if they are stored for a long time. The herb has sedative, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory action. In addition, it prevents menstrual disorders, nausea and digestive disorders. Essential oil the blossoms contain is said to have anti-inflammatory and sedative action. Flavonoids, in their turn, have local anti-inflammatory activity and antispasmodic action. The herb is used to deal with nausea and vomiting, stimulate appetite, as well as, prevent menstrual disorders. A decoction, dried blossoms and liquid extract are great remedies to prevent digestive disorders caused by mental stress. Mix the blossoms with mallow root, meadowsweet tops and comfrey root to get a great remedy to use in case of digestive diseases. Mix the blossoms with hop and use the remedy to deal with all types of pain and anxiety. You should use these remedies 3 times a day. In order to make the decoction, infuse 1-4 grams of dried blossoms with a glass of water and boil the tincture for some time. Afterwards, decant it and drink 3 times a day. The liquid extract should be made by infusing the blossoms with ethanol at 70 percent concentration (proportion 1:1). One dose of the extract should be 1-4 millilitres. Folk medicine uses roman chamomile externally, as well, for compress and rinse. In addition, you can use remedies made of the blossoms to wash fair hair.
The herb is included in various compound remedies. It is used in homeopathy to produce various remedies. Roman chamomile is widely used in various home-made cosmetic products.

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