Chamomile, the Ginseng of Europe: Profile of an Herbal Cure-all

Of all medicinal herbal teas and tisanes, chamomile is one of the world's best-loved. Chamomile tea is an ancient herbal home remedy that dates back to the days of the Pharaohs, who revered it for its ubiquitous healing properties. It was also a popular medicinal herb in ancient Greece and Rome. For centuries, Europeans have valued chamomile as a medicinal cure-all. Many swear by this herb as a remedy for a whole host of common ailments - much like a European counterpart of Asian Ginseng. A German phrase for Chamomile sums it up aptly: Allen zutraut - "capable of anything."

Chamomile is a sweetly aromatic herb, in the sunflower family Asteraceae. It bears pretty, daisy-like flowers atop long, thin stems that grow 1-2 feet high. It has a distinctive apple-scent and flavor. In fact, it gets its name from the Greek word kamai-melon, meaning "ground apple." Pliny the elder described Chamomile as having the aroma of ' apples or quinces', while the Spaniards call it manzanilla, meaning "little apple".

There are many varieties of chamomile, but the two that are most commonly used are German chamomile ( Matricaria recutita ) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile). Although they are bio-chemically different from each other, both have traditionally been used as remedies for similar ailments and conditions. Of the two, the more popular German variety is less expensive and more widely available in the herbal market

Medicinal Uses and Benefits of Chamomile
This versatile herbal medicinal is used both internally and externally as a remedy for an extensive list of conditions. Over the past 25 years, extensive scientific research has confirmed many of the traditional therapeutic uses for the herb. These include: