Sunday 15 January 2012

Essential Oil in Focus - Roman Chamomile

Essential Oil                                    Chamomile Roman
Latin / Botanical Name             Anthemis Nobile

Family                                                 Compositae 
(or Asteraceae )

Family Description                     Most members of Asteraceae are herbaceous, but a significant number are also shrubs, vines and trees.   Compositae is considered the most highly evolved dicotyledonous plants, characterized by florets arranged in dense heads that resemble single flowers.

Synonyms                                       Chamaemelum nobile, Garden chamomile, chamomile, English chamomile, sweet chamomile, true chamomile.

Note                                                     Middle

Method of Extraction               Steam distillation of the flower heads.

Colour                                                 Paul Blue / Pale yellow

Consistency                                    Thin

Aromatic Description                Bright, crisp, sweet, fruity, apply like scent, herbaceous

Description                                      A small, stocky, perennial herb, up to 25 cms high, with a much branched hairy steam, half spreading or creeping.  It has feathery pinnate leaves, daisy-like white flowers which are larger than those of the German chamomile.  The essential oil is found in the flowers.

Distribution                                    Native to southern and western Eurpoe, naturalized in North America.  Cultivated in England, Belgium, Hungary, United States, Italy and France.

Personality                                      Full of sunshine and joy, with a harmonious disposition and emotional life.  They are serene and gentle, but the sometimes appear to be in a dreamlike state.

History and Myth                       Since antiquity, chamomile flowers have been used internally for digestive disorders and externally for skin and mucous membrane irritations. It was used by the Egyptains and the Moors, and it was one of the Saxon’s nice sacred herbs, which they called ‘maythen’.  It was also held to be the ‘plant’s physician’, as it promoted the health of plants nearby.

Blends                                                Blends will with bergamot, clary sage, oakmoss, jasmine, labdanum, neroli, rose, lavender, geranium.

Points of Interest                       Chamomile tea with lactose (mile sugar), if taken after antibiotics, will help restore the normal balance to the intestinal flora.
                                                                Roman Chamomile is considered one of the gentlest of essential oils and is particularly beneficial for treating children and may be used to alleviate the pain associated with teething infants.
                                                                It is harmonising, peaceful and soothing to the spirit.
                                                                It relates to the throat chakra and can be used to help individuals to express their highest spiritual truth.

Therapeutic Uses                       Skin:     Acne, allergies, boils, burns, cuts, chilblains, dermatitis, earache, eczema, hair care, inflammations, insect bites, rashes, sensitive skin, teething pain, toothache, wounds.
Circulation, muscles and joints:         Arthritis, inflamed joints, muscular pain, neuralgia, rheumatism, sprains.
Digestive System:        Dyspepsia, colic, indigestion, nausea.             
Genito-Urinary system:           Dysmenorrhoea, menopausal problems, menorrhagia.
Nervous System: Soothing, calming and antidepressant, alleviates anxiety and stress, migraines, headaches, insomnia and nervous tension, stress related complaints.
Respiratory System: Recommended as an emergency remedy during an asthma attack (rub on solar plexus, wrists and temples).

Therapeutic Actions                  Analgesic, antipholgistic, anti-anaemic, antineuralgic, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, bactericidal, carminative, cholagogue, cicatrisant, digestive, emmenagogue, febrifuge, hepatic, hypnotic, nerve sedative, stomachic, sudorific, tonic, vermifuge, vulnerary.

Mode of Administration        Massage, compress, bath, douche, ointment, inhalation – direct, diffuser, oil vaporiser.

Safety Information                     Non-toxic, non-irritant, can cause dermatitis in some individuals.

Contra-indications                     Not to be used if allergies to Roman Camomile and other Compositaes exists.

Principle Constituents            Mainly esters of angelic and tiglic acids with pinene, farnesol, nerolidol, chamazulene, pinocarvone, cineol.