Our distant ancestors discovered the healing properties of various plants that we still use today. Developing, science only confirmed the beneficial effect of natural healers on the human body. Traditional healers of the most diverse beliefs and nationalities and now widely use medicinal plants in their practice.
Chamomile officinalis occupies a special place among medicinal herbs. Its medicinal properties were evaluated back in ancient Rome, when it was used to treat snakebites, wounded soldiers, eye diseases and burns with decoctions. Chamomile was credited with the ability to heal people during the epidemic of malaria. Apply a medicinal plant inside and out. How exactly, we will describe in more detail in our article.
Plant description
The name of the plant “chamomile” has a history of several centuries. In Rome, the flower was called "Hamaimelon", which meant "an apple that grows on the ground." In 18th-century Europe, daisy was called the uterus. This is due to the fact that with the help of the plant, gynecological diseases were successfully treated. In Russia, the grass was called "romance", "bathhouse", "romance", "sapling", "color novels". It is not difficult to distinguish a medicinal chamomile from other plant species - its stem is hollow inside, and the smell of a flower resembles a mixture of apple and honey.
Is a description of the medicinal plant necessary? Chamomile is known to many - it is easy to find it in the fields, slopes, along the roads. The plant propagates by seed and easily adapts to various conditions. Therefore, it can be found in the wild on different continents: in Europe, Asia and North America. It is easy to notice the wild-growing chamomile chemist's and in the middle latitudes. In addition, due to the well-known healing properties of the herb, it is specially grown as a raw material for pharmacological products or for export purposes.
A grassy annual plant with a pronounced ethereal odor. Belongs to the group of "medicinal plants" chamomile. A photo of a wild flower is presented below.
Therapeutic composition of chamomile
How does grass help to cure many diseases, how does it affect human health? The secret of healing lies in the beneficial substances that contain medicinal plants. Chamomile officinalis contains in its composition such components, the healing properties of which are proven by medical science:
- organic acids: salicylic, antemisic, caprylic, valerianic;
- acids: ascorbic, nicotinic;
- polyene compounds;
- tannins;
- flavonoids;
- beta carotene and carotene;
- polysaccharides;
- phytosterols;
- vitamins;
- macrocells;
- glycosides;
- alkaloids;
- essential oil, namely the substance is chamazulen.
Medicinal properties of chamomile
Due to the fact that the plant contains a whole complex of substances useful for the human body, chamomile is a medicinal plant with the following properties:
- antiviral;
- anti-inflammatory;
- wound healing;
- painkillers;
- sweatshops;
- choleretic;
- antispasmodic;
- disinfectant;
- anti-allergic;
- exciting effect on the central nervous system.
Preparations containing chamomile, are used for such diseases:
- Influenza, problems of the upper respiratory tract.
- ENT diseases.
- With gynecological problems, chamomile is prescribed, the beneficial properties of the plant help to establish the menstrual cycle, reduce the manifestations of the inflammatory processes of the reproductive system.
- With diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary system.
- In dental practice: with periodontal disease, stomatitis, gingivitis and other diseases of the oral cavity.
- In dermatology: with dermatoses, eczema, burns, allergic rashes.
- Externally used for disinfection of open wounds in the form of lotions, compresses, baths.
Used not only in folk recipes chamomile. The beneficial properties of this plant are evaluated by official medicine. There are confirmed drugs made on the basis of this plant, for example: the anti-inflammatory drug Romazulan and Rotokan, the bedsore remedy Alorom, and the drug for the fight against diabetes, Arfazetin. Chamomile extract is widely used in the cosmetic industry.
Chamomile officinalis: use and contraindications
Despite the long list of useful properties of chamomile, there are contraindications to the use of this plant. Especially they relate to internal use. It is undesirable to use chamomile for treatment with:
- tendency to allergic reactions;
- increased acidity of the stomach;
- kidney problems;
- pregnancy.
Preparations with this plant are prohibited for children under one year old. Mental diseases also exclude the possibility of using drugs that include medicinal chamomile. Useful properties and contraindications must be taken into account when drawing up an individual treatment regimen.
Growing plants
If you have at least a small plot of land, you can try to grow chamomile on your own, especially since the plant is unpretentious in care. A plot of land for cultivation must be cleared, as the growth of a medicinal plant is disturbed by weeds. Sow seeds in prepared soil in spring or late summer / early fall. The depth of planting seeds should be up to 1 cm, the distance between the rows - 45 cm.
In the first week after planting seeds, special attention should be paid to watering the plant, since chamomile needs high humidity. Growing a plant provides for compliance with the optimum temperature, which is 19-21 degrees of heat. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that this grass is photophilous.
Chamomile will delight the first seedlings about 15 days after sowing seeds. The full cycle of grass development is 3-4 months. During this period, it is necessary to regularly monitor the level of hydration of the plant, uproot weeds and feed chamomile with fertilizers.
Collection and storage of chamomile
Subject to all the rules, you will have at hand all year round a home remedy for various diseases - chamomile. Growing this plant does not present any special difficulties, but storage has its own characteristics.
It is necessary to collect chamomile during the early flowering period, when the petals are still horizontal. This stage of plant development lasts about a month, so the collection is carried out several times. Only inflorescences need to be plucked, capturing a small section of the stem. To do this, you can use a special metal device - combs, but to better preserve the medicinal properties of the plants, manual harvesting is recommended. If you plan to continue sowing medicinal chamomile, it is necessary to leave several plants evenly in each row for subsequent independent reproduction.
Chamomile is a medicinal plant, so it is extremely important to maintain its healing properties. The peculiarity of the collection of chamomile pharmacy is that immediately after picking the flowers, it is necessary to decompose the plant in a place for drying, since storing fresh flowers in a basket or bag for 3-4 hours will lead to spoilage of the product.
Chamomile is dried in the shade under awnings or in special dryers at a temperature that does not exceed 45 degrees, spreading out uniformly with a thin layer (about 5 cm thick) on a cardboard platform or special frame. It is extremely important to exclude direct sunlight during drying of raw materials, as they destroy chamomile essential oil and some other medicinal substances that make up the plant.
During drying, you should periodically gently mix the grass so that it does not harden and does not chamomile. The medicinal plant is dried correctly if the flowers become more stringent and the smell is saturated. Remember that overdried chamomile loses its valuable properties, and insufficiently dried chamomile will soon decay.
It is recommended to store chamomile in plywood or wooden boxes, boxes. The container must be dry and be able to close tightly. Preserve herbs in dry, dark places. If all conditions are met, chamomile flowers can be stored for up to 2 years without loss of medicinal properties.
Pharmacy ready fees for chamomile officinalis
Properly growing, collecting and preserving chamomile is a laborious and lengthy task. It is much easier to purchase a finished product in a pharmacy. Depending on the purpose of using the plant, various forms of preparations with chamomile are produced: packaged dry raw materials, tea bags with chamomile, extract and essential oil.
For the treatment of skin diseases, it will be more convenient to use dried chamomile flowers, having the medical name Matricariae flos. Their cost in a pharmacy is about 40 rubles. for 50 grams. Chamomile (the instructions for the drug describes the dosage and method of administration) is also used for the manufacture of decoctions and compresses for various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, colds and for external use.
Packaged in tea bags, dried chamomile flowers, respectively, are consumed as a hot drink for colds and problems of the gastrointestinal tract. A delicious aromatic drink will give strength and energy for the whole day. But a cup of such warm tea with honey before bedtime, on the contrary, will calm the nervous system and become an effective tool in the fight against insomnia.
Aromatic oils are made by distillation, based on medicinal plants. Chamomile is also available in the form of essential oil. It has a wide spectrum of action: it soothes, relieves nervous tension, helps fight colds and problems of ENT organs, improves immunity, is a wound healing agent, is applied topically for burns and insect bites. Use oil directly by direct application to the damaged area of the body or conduct aromatherapy sessions using special lamps. Cosmetics are also enriched with essential oil and added to the bath. But such a tool is not cheap - about 450 rubles. for 5 ml.
The treatment of colds
Chamomile, a medicinal plant, is often used in the treatment of colds in uncomplicated cases or as an adjuvant in a medical course. Plant-based products gently relieve inflammation, reduce swelling of the mucous membranes, and essential oil boosts immunity.
Chamomile warm tea is conveniently purchased in pre-packaged form. The instruction attached to the herbal preparation offers such a method of preparation:
- Pour boiling water over tea bag.
- Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
- Take in a warm form without adding sugar or sugar substitutes in small sips. It is recommended to drink tea in the morning while in bed, changing after a few minutes the body position from one side to the other, from the back to the stomach.
In folk medicine, inhalation is widely used using medicinal plants. Chamomile is an effective tool to combat dry cough and runny nose. For this procedure, it is necessary to pour boiling water (0.5 l) a tablespoon of dry plant raw materials. Close the lid and let the broth brew for 15 minutes. Then you can put the infusion in a heating pad, pan or other convenient dishes. With your head bowed over a hot broth and covered with a towel, you need to inhale deeply for 10-15 minutes. Such a procedure should be carried out with extreme caution to children, since there is a high probability of a burn of the respiratory tract and bronchospasm. It is better for kids to carry out the inhalation procedure using a special device - a nebulizer.
It is easy to cook at home and a decoction for rinsing a sore throat. To do this, you need to boil a tablespoon of dried flower in half a liter of water for 15 minutes, then strain and rinse the mouth cavity with this infusion. This recipe also helps with toothache and bleeding gums.
It will clear the room of viruses, soothe, relieve symptoms of the common cold an evening aromatherapy session with chamomile. To do this, you need to drip a little chamomile oil into the aroma lamp and stay in the room for 15-20 minutes. This procedure is completely safe for children. Contraindication is only a tendency to allergic reactions.
Individual adverse reactions in the form of headaches, nausea, dizziness are possible. Most often, such symptoms appear with an overdose of essential oil. Therefore, do not treat yourself on the principle of “recovering in one day” by adding a large amount of oil or by carrying out the procedure for a long time, especially be careful when treating children.
Treatment of gynecological diseases
Helps with female diseases chamomile. The use in gynecology of decoctions, baths and infusions is quite common. Chamomile effectively copes with inflammatory diseases of the female reproductive system, is an additional therapeutic agent for infections of the genital tract, and has a calming, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effect. Therefore, the decoction of the plant is used both for the treatment of gynecological diseases, and for their prevention. Helps with itching, burning, redness of the genitals chamomile. Useful properties in gynecology are used to normalize the menstrual cycle, with vaginal dryness, and also to increase libido. For such purposes, use the chamomile pharmacy as follows:
- Washing with a decoction of chamomile can be carried out as an addition to the medical treatment of various infectious and inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system, as well as for their prevention. To do this, several times a day, it is necessary to rinse the genitals with a decoction of the plant throughout the course of treatment.
- Douching is a common treatment for thrush. To do this, 2 tbsp. boil dry flowers in a liter of water, leave for 10-15 minutes in a sealed container. Then strain and cool to a temperature of approximately 38 degrees. The broth is placed in a rubber pear for douching and with it, the procedure is carried out once a day (preferably before bedtime) for 7-10 days. Douching with a medicinal plant can be done once every six months for preventive purposes.
- Seated steam baths will help with vaginitis, candidiasis, hemorrhoids. For cooking, you need to boil 150 g of dried flowers in 2 liters of water. Insist 20 minutes. Pour the chamomile decoction into the dishes with a wide neck - a saucepan or bucket will do. It is necessary to sit over the pairs of medicinal decoction and sit for about 10 minutes. It is recommended to spend daily for 10 days.
Treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
For various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (pain symptoms, flatulence, colic), it is recommended to take fees, including medicinal herbs and plants. Chamomile is an integral component of such drugs. Often used herbal preparations of chamomile with lemon balm, mint, rosehip or calendula.
But pure chamomile decoction will also bring many benefits in the treatment of various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The tool is prepared in this way: pour a tablespoon of dried flowers with a glass of boiling water. Insist under a closed lid for 20 minutes. Take a decoction three times a day for 1/3 cup. A single dose for children should not exceed a tablespoon (depending on the age of the child). It is recommended to use such a decoction for no more than a week, since prolonged use irritates the gastric mucosa, violates acidity, causes heartburn and other adverse reactions.
Application in cosmetology
Often used in cosmetology medicinal plants. Chamomile pharmacy has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and whitening properties, therefore it is added both to medicinal cosmetics and daily preparations for skin care. Many well-known brands present in their product catalog a line of chamomile products, for example: Avon, Clean Line, Yves Rocher. They produce creams, lotions, masks for face, body and hair, lip balms, shower gels and many other care products. Many girls use chamomile at home. So, they wash their face with a decoction of a medicinal plant, enrich industrial cosmetics: creams, shampoos, lotions, make masks for the face, body, hair. We offer several useful recipes with chamomile:
- An effective remedy for acne and rashes on the face is chamomile lotion. To prepare it, you need to pour half a glass of dry raw material into 200 ml of vodka, let the product infuse in a dark, dry place for a week. Wipe the inflamed skin with lotion twice a day.
- Such a mask will help in the fight against wrinkles: mix the brewed chamomile flowers with honey and egg yolk. Add a few drops of olive oil. Apply the product on gauze, having previously cut openings on it for the eyes and nose. Put gauze on your face, cover with a towel. Hold the mask on your face for 20 minutes.
- Strengthens hair, gives it a golden healthy shade of chamomile decoction. To do this, brew 200 g of chamomile in 0.5 l of water. Insist an hour. Rinse your hair with this product after washing.
Chamomile is a medicinal plant, useful and effective. But do not forget about possible adverse individual reactions of the body, contraindications for use. Chamomile is an excellent assistant in the fight against various diseases, but this does not mean that you need to cancel a visit to a specialist and taking medications. Self-medication can do health more harm than good.