Name: Chamomile odorous (medicinal)
FAMOUS CAMOMILE (medicinal, pharmacy )
An annual herbaceous plant up to 40 cm tall. Taproot, thin, branched, light brown. Stem erect, densely branched, glabrous. The leaves are alternate, sessile, doubly pinnately dissected into narrow lobules. The flowers are marginal reed, numerous, small, white, internal – tubular, yellow. Inflorescences – baskets with naked, convex, hollow receptacle. Fruits – achenes without tuft, smooth, brown. Blooms from May to October.
Medicinal raw materials are flowers in baskets without pedicels, collected at the beginning of flowering, when marginal reed flowers in baskets are located horizontally. Collection is carried out in dry weather. Raw materials (baskets) are quickly dried in a well-ventilated room or in dryers at a temperature of 40°C.
The flowers contain an essential oil. The composition of the essential oil includes chamazulene, terpene, sesquiterpene, sesquiterpene alcohols, etc.
Infusion of flower baskets has anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, antiseptic, weakly astringent, analgesic, sedative, anticonvulsant, diaphoretic, choleretic effect. Chamomile essential oil has a disinfectant and diaphoretic effect, reduces the formation of gases, relieves pain, reduces inflammation, normalizes the impaired function of the gastrointestinal tract, has an exciting effect on the central nervous system: increases and speeds up breathing, increases the number of heart contractions, dilates the vessels of the brain. Large doses of essential oil cause headache and general weakness.
Chamazulene, which is part of the essential oil, and its synthetic analogues are used in the treatment of bronchial asthma, rheumatism, allergic gastritis and colitis, eczema, X-ray burns.
In scientific medicine, chamomile products are used internally as a sedative and antispastic agent for intestinal spasms, flatulence, as a laxative, and, conversely, for the treatment of diarrhea, as an antiseptic and analgesic. Outwardly – as a weak astringent, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent in the form of rinses, baths, enemas, lotions, poultices.
In folk medicine, chamomile is used as a sedative (in the form of tea), as an antispasmodic, analgesic, choleretic, diaphoretic, diuretic, carminative and anti-inflammatory agent for dysmenorrhea, intestinal cramps, gastritis, enteritis, flatulence, inflammation of the liver and gallbladder, kidneys , bladder, with hysteria, neurosis and convulsions, trigeminal neuralgia, colds, even with fever, and malaria.
Externally, chamomile products are used for any inflammation of the oral mucosa, for erysipelas, abscesses, boils, wounds and ulcers, eye diseases, in the form of baths for rheumatism and gout; with frostbite, burns and hair loss.
Preparations: infusion of flower baskets, chamomile water, tea and powder.
Mice do not like the smell of dry chamomile.
Chamomile is used to wash the head from dandruff and give the hair a golden hue. 4 tbsp. spoons of dried flowers boil for 5 minutes in 1.5 liters of water, filter and rinse the hair after washing. To color gray hair in a light tone, 1 part of chamomile is brewed with 3 parts of boiling water and insisted in a well-closed container for 2-3 hours. Rinse your hair with this infusion after washing. For a more intense color, the hair moistened with chamomile infusion is covered with a scarf for 40-60 minutes, then dried.
Application
Infusion: 20 g per 200 ml; 2-3 tbsp. spoons 3-4 times every day – as an anti-inflammatory in bowel disease.
The same infusion is for lotions for seborrheic dermatitis. They can also gargle with inflammation of the mouth and throat.
Decoction: 1 tbsp. brew a spoon in a glass of boiling water, filter after cooling. Take 1 – 2 tbsp. spoons 3-4 times every day (carminative) or used for rinsing (tonsillitis, stomatitis) and in enemas (colitis).
Powder (crushed flowers and leaves): 2 g or half a teaspoon 3 times daily.
Bath: 50 g per bucket of boiling water for scrofula, and for gout and rheumatism, swelling of the hands and feet – 200 g of herbs per bucket of water with the addition of 1 glass of salt.
A significant effect of chamazulene has been proven, especially in inflammations resulting from irradiation.
In New York, it is customary to serve chamomile tea with sugar and cream (15 g per 1 liter, leave for 15 minutes); drunk at night, it causes a sound, restful sleep.
Field chamomile – see Common daisy.
And also give respect to the article Chamomile likarska (Romance)