Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Medicinal Profile of
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is one of the most widely cherished herbs, treasured for its ability to gently calm the mind, soothe the stomach, and ease irritated tissues. In European and Western herbal traditions, it has long been a household remedy for restless children, tense digestion, and inflamed skin. Its golden flowers are rich in volatile oils and flavonoids that act as mild nervines, carminatives, and anti-inflammatories, relaxing spasms, reducing heat and irritation, and softening states of agitation. Chamomile shines wherever there is hyperreactivity: a racing mind that won’t settle, a gut that cramps under stress, or skin that flushes or flares with irritation. Used as a tea, extract, or topical wash, it works gently yet deeply, restoring balance to sensitive systems without overwhelming them.
-
👉 Tastes describe the initial impression a food or herb leaves on the tongue, and they reveal its deeper actions in the body, shaping digestion, circulation, and tissue response.
Bitter – Lightly stimulates digestion and clears mild heat.
Sweet (Mild) – Nourishing and calming, grounding to the system.
Pungent (Mild) – Stimulates circulation, warms the body, and disperses blockages or stagnation.
Aromatic – Lifts stagnation and soothes spasms through volatile oils.
-
👉Qualities describe the felt nature of a substance or practice, and how it acts in the body beyond nutrients or chemistry.
Light – Gentle and easy to digest.
Drying (mild) – Reduces dampness and mucus when excess is present.
Cooling (Stabilizing) – Calms irritation, inflammation, and heat.
Relaxing – Releases tension in the gut, muscles, and nerves.
Aromatic – Moves stagnation, lifts mood, and clears excess
-
Infusion (tea) – Dried flowers steeped in hot water, covered to retain volatile oils.
Steam inhalation – Flowers steeped in hot water, vapors inhaled to open airways.
Compress / wash (topical) – Strong infusion applied to skin, eyes, or wounds.
Culinary use – Occasionally added to sweets, syrups, or herbal blends.
Tincture – Alcohol extract of flowers, concentrating flavonoids and volatile oils.
Indicated Patterns by Affinity
👉 Indicated patterns describe the functional state of the body and its organs and/or tissues, showing whether they are dry, atrophied, too damp (pressure), stagnant, lax, inflammed, sluggish, tense or underactive. The Primary Indicated Pattern is the main state where this remedy works best. Secondary Indicated Pattern(s) are the patterns that often develop over time when the primary state is left unaddressed. The primary pattern must be supported first, as this allows the secondary patterns to naturally ease or resolve.
👉Affinities are the organ systems and tissues where the remedy acts most strongly.
-
Excitation (Primary Indicated Pattern) – When the nervous system is overstimulated, producing tension, irritability, or restlessness. Examples: Irritable restlessness in children or adults, Insomnia with agitation or bad dreams, Nervous tension headaches.
Dysregulated (Secondary Indicated Pattern) – When the nervous system flips between agitation and collapse.
Examples: Stress reactivity followed by fatigue, Anxiety with digestive upset, Irritable mood swings in stress-sensitive constitutions. -
Irritative (Primary Indicated Pattern) – When the gut lining is raw, sensitive, or inflamed. Examples: Gastritis or burning indigestion, Sensitive stomach reacting to stress, Colicky pains in infants or adults.
Spasmodic (Secondary Indicated Pattern) – When gut tension creates cramping or irregular motility.
Examples: Gas pains relieved by passing wind, Menstrual cramps with gut overlay, IBS with crampy, alternating patterns. -
Tension / Spasmodic (Secondary Indicated Pattern) – When muscle tightness or spasm is linked to stress or irritability. Examples: Jaw clenching (TMJ), Menstrual cramps with irritability, Stress-induced muscle tightness.
-
Inflammatory (Secondary Indicated Pattern) – When the skin is red, hot, and irritated. Examples: Red, itchy eczema, Mild sunburn or skin rash, Irritated skin in children.
-
Inflammatory (Primary Indicated Pattern) – When immune activation leads to heat, irritation, or pain.
Examples: Fever with irritability, Sore, hot throat, Red, inflamed eyes.
-
👉 Medicinal actions describe the specific ways a food influences organ systems and body functions.
Digestive System
Carminative – Relieves gas, bloating, and abdominal tension by relaxing smooth muscle.
Anti-inflammatory – Calms irritation in the gut lining, helpful for gastritis or mild colitis.
Antispasmodic – Reduces cramping and spasms in the stomach or intestines.
Mild bitter – Gently stimulates appetite and digestion.
Nervous System
Nervine relaxant – Calms agitation, anxiety, and restlessness.
Mild sedative – Promotes sleep without being overly heavy.
Antispasmodic – Eases tension headaches and nervous stomach.
Integumentary System (Internal)
Anti-inflammatory – Reduces skin irritation and redness via systemic calming of immune reactivity.
Antioxidant – Protects skin tissues from oxidative stress and premature aging.
Integumentary System (Topical Actions)
Anti-inflammatory – Compresses and washes soothe eczema, rashes, and irritated skin.
Antipruritic – Reduces itching from allergic reactions or dermatitis.
Wound-healing – Promotes healing of minor wounds, ulcers, or inflamed eyes when used as a wash.
Antimicrobial – Inhibits bacteria and fungi on the skin surface.
Soothing rinse – Infusion used as a hair or skin rinse for inflammation, irritation, or sensitivity.
Respiratory System
Anticatarrhal – Reduces mucus formation in the upper respiratory tract.
Anti-inflammatory – Calms inflamed mucosa in throat or sinuses.
Steam inhalant – Volatile oils open and soothe irritated airways.
-
👉 Constituents are the natural compounds in a food that give rise to its actions in the body.
Volatile oils (chamazulene, bisabolol, matricin) – Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic.
Flavonoids (apigenin, luteolin, quercetin) – Antioxidant, nervine-calming.
Coumarins – Mildly anticoagulant, circulation-supporting.
Polysaccharides – Immune-modulating and mucosal-soothing.
Tannins – Astringent, toning to tissues.
-
Mild to Moderate – Gentle enough for children and daily use, but noticeable systemic effects in sensitive individuals or regular use.
-
Anticoagulants (blood thinners) – Coumarins in chamomile may enhance anticoagulant effect.
Sedatives – May increase drowsiness if combined with pharmaceuticals.
Allergy cross-reactivity – Possible reaction in individuals sensitive to Asteraceae family (ragweed, daisies).
-
Dry / Atrophic terrain – May aggravate dryness if overused in strong preparations.
Pregnancy – Generally safe in food and mild tea amounts; avoid excessive use in concentrated extracts.
Allergy – Rare reactions possible in those with ragweed or daisy family sensitivity.
Children – Safe in gentle infusions; avoid concentrated tinctures or essential oil internally.
-
Traditional Sources
Grieve, M. (1931). A Modern Herbal. Penguin. (Chamomile noted as carminative, anti-inflammatory, and nervine.)
Culpeper, N. (1653). The Complete Herbal. (Chamomile described as a remedy for digestion, relaxation, and inflammation.)
Weiss, R. F. (1988). Herbal Medicine. Beaconsfield Publishers. (German herbalist text highlighting chamomile’s anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic uses.)
Modern Sources
McKay, D. L., & Blumberg, J. B. (2006). “A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of chamomile tea (Matricaria recutita L.).” Phytotherapy Research, 20(7), 519–530.
Srivastava, J. K., Shankar, E., & Gupta, S. (2010). “Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future.” Molecular Medicine Reports, 3(6), 895–901.
European Medicines Agency (EMA). (2015). Assessment report on Matricaria recutita L., flos. (Scientific monograph detailing safety, efficacy, and clinical uses.)
USDA FoodData Central. (2024). Nutrient data for chamomile tea infusion. U.S. Department of Agriculture.
