2015, Pages 171–183
Chapter 18 – Chamomile: A Herbal Agent for Treatment of Diseases of the Elderly
- Available online 4 February 2015
- doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-418680-4.00018-X
Chamomile
is a centuries-old established traditional medicinal herb popular in
the Western world. It is available in two varieties, namely German
chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile).
The dry flower of chamomile contains approximately 120 secondary
metabolites, comprising terpenoids and flavonoids, which contribute to
its medicinal properties. Chamomile preparations are found to be
beneficial in many human ailments. Chamomile is also well known for its
essential oils with a pleasant aroma. It is used extensively for
supplementing cosmetic products and in aromatherapy. Chamomile in the
form of herbal tea is becoming increasingly popular, with more than a
million cups of chamomile tea consumed daily worldwide. Chamomile has
gained significant attention as a health-promoting herb with
demonstrable effects against several diseases of old age. Because of its
longstanding widespread use in traditional medicine, chamomile has
attracted considerable attention in the field of biomedical research.
This chapter discusses in detail the curative and preventive properties
of chamomile in health-promoting strategies that are safe and clinically
useful in the elderly population.
Keywords
- chamomile;
- dietary agents;
- flavonoids;
- polyphenols;
- health promotion;
- complementary and alternative medicine
