Marticaria chamomilla (Hindi-Babuna,Marathi-Shevanti,Telugu-Chaamanthi,Malayalam-Chingu Kuttan,Popular-Chamomilla/German Chamomile/Wild Chamomile)Asteraceae.Syn-Chamomilla recutita.It is a freely branched short-lived perennial plant growing upto 5-80 cm tall from a thin spindly root.Leaf blades are 0.5-7.8 cm long, very narrow, needle or thread like.Flower heads are daisy like,1-1.5 cm across,borne singly on long stalks.The central disk is yellow and prominently convex,obovoid or spheroid to ovoid.Ray florets are 14-26,white,7-8.5 mm long,2.4-3.3 mm wide.As the flower ages, the ray florets start pointing up.They bloom in early to mid summer and have a strong aromatic fragrance.It grows as a weed all over along parts of India.It has antioxidant, antibacterial,anti inflammatory, antispasmodic, carminative,cholagogue, diaphoretic,emmenagogue, febrifuge, sedative, stomachic,tonic, vasodilator, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, antiallergic,insect repellent, laxative,spasmilytic and immunomodulatory phytoconstituents are sesquiterpenes, flavonoids and azulenes,etc.25 compounds were identified in the essential oil,the main constituents are chamozulene,eucalyptol,coumarin,galaxolide and camphor.Its medicinal usage dates back to antiquity.A common ingredient today is herbal tea due to its calming, carminative and spasmilytic properties.It is also a popular ingredient in topical health and beauty products for its soothing and anti inflammatory effects on the skin.Nowadays, it is a highly favored and much used medicinal plant in folk and traditional medicine.It is an excellent herb for treating various digestive disorders, nervous tension and irritability.It is effective against intestinal parasites like worms.One tablespoon of its powder in a cup of boiling water with 2 slices of ginger is very effective in alleviating menstrual cramps and other pains.Its tea is also useful for acid indigestion and gas, stomachache,lack of appetite and colic pain.It is very useful in aching muscles,hay fever, asthma, morning sickness, eczema,sore nipples and exhaustion.It is used to treat insomnia and other nervous disorders when ingested as a strong tea.The flowers are added as bath for relieving tired, aching muscles and feet and softening skin.It also cures serious leg uocers.
– Mukherjee Bk
