Chamomile

Chamomile

(German: Matricaria chamomilla)

(Roman: Chamaemelum nobile)

Field of white daisies on a hillside with green trees and a blue sky with clouds in the background.

Plant family

  • Asteraceae

Parts used

  • Flos (Flower)

Typical forms of prescription

  • Teas

  • Tinctures

  • Essential oil (topically)

Close-up of white daisies with yellow centers and blurred greenery and yellow flowers in the background.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla / Chamaemelum nobile) - Clinical Snapshot

Primary Actions

  • Anti-inflammatory

  • Antispasmodic

  • Anxiolytic

  • Digestive

  • Carminative

  • Diaphoretic

  • Mild analgesic

  • Vulnerary

Primary Indications

  • Insomnia

  • Digestive issues (especially with pain)

  • Travel sickness

  • Anxiety & nervous irritability

  • Dermatitis/eczema

  • Upper respiratory tract inflammation

  • Fever

  • Hay fever

⚠️ Cautions / Safety ⚠️

  • Asteraceae allergy – may cause sensitivity or reaction

Sesquiterpene Lactones (e.g., Matricin, Chamazulene)

  • Action: Strongly anti-inflammatory, wound-healing.

  • Use: Matricin is converted into chamazulene during distillation. It is especially beneficial for inflammatory conditions affecting the skin, gut, and respiratory system.

Matricaria chamomilla

Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

Essential Oils (e.g., Bisabolol, Chamazulene)

  • Action: Anti-inflammatory, carminative, antimicrobial.

  • Use: These oils are potent inflammation-soothers, making German Chamomile ideal for skin conditions, gut inflammation, and irritated mucous membranes. Chamazulene (formed during distillation from matricin) gives the oil its blue colour and contributes strong anti-inflammatory effects.

Flavonoids (e.g., Apigenin, Quercetin, Luteolin)

  • Action: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic.

  • Use: These compounds help reduce allergic responses, calm spasms (especially in the digestive tract), and protect cells from oxidative stress.

Chamaemelum nobile

Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

Essential Oils (e.g., Isobutyl Angelate, Methacrylate)

  • Action: Antispasmodic, carminative, calming.

  • Use: These esters are muscle relaxants that calm digestive spasms, menstrual cramps, and tension headaches. The oil has a softer, more floral profile than German Chamomile.

Coumarins (e.g., Herniarin, Umbelliferone)

  • Action: Mild antispasmodic, vasodilatory, anti-inflammatory.

  • Use: These help relieve muscle tension, improve peripheral circulation, and reduce discomfort from stress or inflammation.

Flavonoids (e.g., Apigenin, Luteolin)

  • Action: Antioxidant, mild sedative, anti-inflammatory.

  • Use: These contribute to Roman Chamomile’s nervine action, supporting sleep, reducing anxiety, and helping to manage oxidative stress in the nervous and digestive systems.

A glass teapot with chamomile tea inside, surrounded by loose chamomile flowers on a light surface.

Traditional uses

Roman Era

Roman chamomile was used for its anti-inflammatory and calming properties. It was brewed as tea to aid digestion and relaxation, and its essential oil was applied to treat skin irritations.

Anglo-Saxon Tradition

Chamomile was valued for its healing properties and was considered one of the "Nine Sacred Herbs" in the Middle Ages.

Many medicinal uses are still in use today.

Clinical Description

Roman and German Chamomile are two closely related species used by herbalists. They are valuable herbs for both children and adults.

German chamomile is the herb sold as ‘chamomile tea’ in shops. It is the sweeter-flavoured one to create gently soothing bedtime drinks and digestives.

The Roman is intensely bitter and used more for acute digestive issues and inflammation. Both herbs are bitter due to both essential oil content and sesquiterpene lactones.

Both can be used as digestive tonics, treating everything from hyperacidity to flatulence, mild indigestion to gastritis. Chamomiles are also used topically to soothe rashes and eczema and in washes and herbal creams.

The essential oil chamazulene is a potent anti-inflammatory and deep blue (hence the name, which is related to ‘azure’). The colour transformation occurs during steam distillation of the German flowers. This essential oil is added to creams for inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema.

Cultivation/Harvesting

Easily sown from seed. Pick flowers from stems or ‘comb’ them off the plant with a berry picker.

Close-up of white daisies with yellow centers

Key Botanical Features of Camomile (Matricaria chamomilla / Chamaemelum nobile)

Growth

  • German Chamomile: Annual, upright growth, reaching 30–60 cm (12–24 inches) tall.

  • Roman Chamomile: Perennial, low-growing, creeping habit, around 10–30 cm (4–12 inches) tall.

Stem

  • German Chamomile: Slender, erect, and branching.

  • Roman Chamomile: Spreading, woody at the base, forming dense mats.

Leaves

  • Type: Alternate, feathery, finely divided.

  • German Chamomile: Light green, delicate, and thread-like.

  • Roman Chamomile: Darker green, slightly thicker and more compact.

Flowers

  • Type: Small, daisy-like composite inflorescence.

  • Size: 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 inches) in diameter.

  • Ray Florets: White petals surrounding the centre.

  • Disk Florets (Centre):

    • German Chamomile: Yellow, conical, and hollow inside.

    • Roman Chamomile: Yellow, domed, and solid inside.

  • Fragrance: Sweet, apple-like scent (more pungent in Roman Chamomile).

  • Blooming Period: Late spring to early autumn.

Fruits & Seeds

  • Fruit Type: Small, elongated achenes.

  • Dispersal: Wind and self-sowing.

Roots

  • German Chamomile: Fibrous root system, shallow and spreading.

  • Roman Chamomile: Rhizomatous roots, allowing it to spread and form ground cover.

Habitat & Growth Conditions

  • Climate: Thrives in temperate regions.

  • Soil: Prefers well-drained, sandy, or loamy soil.

  • Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade.

  • Distribution: Native to Europe and Western Asia, widely cultivated and naturalised worldwide.

Sustainability/Conservation

A close-up of numerous small white daisies with yellow centers.
A bouquet of white daisies with yellow centers in a clear glass vase, set against a bright, softly blurred background.
A hillside covered with numerous daisies in a green field, with forested mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Daisies growing near a coastline at dusk with water in the background.
White daisy-like flowers with yellow centers in a field with blurred yellow and white flowers in the background.
A butterfly perched on a white and yellow flower with a green, leafy background.

Sources

Bartram, T. (1998). Bartram’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. Constable.

Fisher, C. (2009). Materia Medica of Western Herbs, (2018 edition). Finchley Road, London. Aeon Books.

Hedley, C & Shaw, N. (2020). A herbal book of making and taking. Finchley Road, London. Aeon Books.

Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press.

McIntyre, A. (2019). The complete herbal tutor, revised and expanded edition. Finchley Road, London. Aeon Books.

Plants of the World Online | Kew Science. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org/

Disclaimer: This page is for educational purposes only. Consult a qualified medical herbalist before using herbs, especially during pregnancy, when trying to conceive, while breastfeeding, for medical conditions, or with children.
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