Chamomile Essential Oil Its Uses And What It Is
Chamomile Essential Oil comes from two main variants of the Chamomile flower, Anthemis nobilis also known as Roman Chamomile or Chamaemelum nobile is one. German Chamomile also known as Matricaria chamomilla or Matricaria recutita, is the other. Both have a wide reputation for being calming, due to a very pleasant sedative effect which works particularly well on the nerves, relieving conditions such as anxiety and insomnia amongst others. Various properties combine well to make it useful for other conditions including eczema, asthma, muscle pains and more. You can discover more about Chamomile Essential Oil Uses further down and the way in which each type, Roman and German, can help you best.
Plant
Chamaemelum nobile is a small perennial which is found in gardens, dry fields and is cultivated in various areas of Argentina, Europe and North America. It can grow to around 30 centimeters in height and has daisy like flowers at the end of procumbent stems. The flowers themselves have a yellow disc which is surrounded by white petals, bloom from June to July and have a sweet, fruity, herbaceous yet crisp fragrance. The leaves on the stems are bipinnate and often downy in nature.
In contrast Matricaria chamomilla grows up to 60 centimeters in height with branched, smooth erect stems. It is found in many parts of Europe and temperate Asia. It has also been introduced to Australia and temperate parts of North America.
Essential Oil Characteristics
The principle constituents which yield the useful properties of Roman Chamomile are a-pinene, b-pinene, camphene, caryophyllene, myrcene, sabinene, 1,8-cineole, y-terpinene, butyl angelate and propyl angelate.
Whilst those which form the principles of German Chamomile are chamazulene, a-bisabolol, bisabolol oxide A, bisabolol oxide B and bisabolone oxide A. The high content of azulene which is present within the oil is in crystal form and not actually a part of the oil, and causes the blue color.
Constituents
The oil itself is valued highly due to the constituents present, the prime ones being methyl chavicol, eugenol linalool, camphor, and methyl cinnamate. These have been tied to a number of different applications, commonly the oil is used to treat respiratory and digestive issues, though there are a far wider range of things that it helps with.
Safety Note For Chamomile Essential Oil
In high concentrations both have an Emmenagogue action so be very careful or avoid during pregnancy.
Cautionary Note For Chamomile Essential Oil
It has been known for some companies to substitute different species within the Chamomile family when selling oils. Ormenis multicaulis, or Maroc, is one such example, and so is Artemisia Arborescens, a form of Mugwort, which is a powerful emmenagogue. Be very careful and use a high quality source that is ethical.
Octulosonic Acid Derivatives from Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) with Activities against Inflammation and Metabolic Disorder.
"Six new octulosonic acid derivatives (1-6) were isolated from the flower heads of Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)...This is the first report of biological activity of octulosonic acid derivatives toward multiple pathways related to inflammation and metabolic disorder. The reported anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, antiedemic, and antioxidant activities of Roman chamomile could be partly explained as due to the presence of these constituents."
Zhao J, Khan SI, Wang M, Vasquez Y, Yang MH, Avula B, Wang YH, Avonto C, Smillie TJ, Khan IA.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24471493
Chamomile Essential Oil Uses
Chamomile essential oil uses are mostly related to calming and relaxing. Though the way this occurs is related differently for varying conditions, and also by each variant of the oil. The two main oils Roman Chamomile essential oil and German Chamomile essential oil have slightly different compositions, and their uses vary slightly too in certain key aspects. One is primarily used as a relaxant and the other as an anti-inflammatory.
The Specifics On Each Chamomile Oil And Its Uses
Major Points For Both Oils
Both essential oils can be emmenagogues in high concentrations, so be incredibly cautious with usage during pregnancy or just avoid them altogether during that time.
Other than that they are both considered very mild and easy to use oils. Chamomile is one of the gentlest essential oils available. This gentleness is part of the reason it is used in the treatment of many allergies. The fact that it can interact with the tissues in distress without causing an exacerbation of an allergy is key to its use in treatment. It is able to interact in a non-adverse way with many allergic conditions, imparting its various therapeutic properties in a manner that eases the issues and helps you to enjoy a more comfortable life.
Whilst they are both noted as being good for relaxation and helping you to become calm, it is Roman Chamomile which has the greatest strength in this respect. German Chamomile has the greater strength when it comes to usage as an anti-inflammatory.
Top Chamomile Essential Oil Uses
For issues around nervous tension, anxiety and stress these are good oils to become familiar with. In line with this they also help with conditions such as insomnia, where a calm and at ease mind helps you form a peaceful basis internally that is an aid in getting to sleep. The calming of the mind in conjunction with anti-inflammatory and other therapeutic properties is beneficial in the treatment of eczema and dermatitis.
Roman brings the best results in terms of calming your mind, dispelling nervous issues including anxiety, as well as stress, insomnia and post-natal depression. You can discover more on Roman Chamomile Essential Oil Uses here.
German brings the best results in terms of issues where inflammation is concerned, leading it to be beneficial with many skin conditions. It is also beneficial for burns, including sunburn. Plus an amalgamation of its therapeutic properties lead it to be beneficial for various allergies. You can discover more on German Chamomile Essential Oil Uses here.
As always, and with all essential oils that you get for therapeutic usage, you will get the best results in terms of Chamomile essential oil uses from using a good quality source. It makes a big, and highly worthwhile, difference.