Flavonoids with Preclinical Antidepressant-Like Effects
Scott Mendelson in Herbal Treatment of Major Depression, 2019
Flavonoids almost certainly contribute to the antidepressant effects of herbs. Human studies have shown that high intake of dietary flavonoids has a protective effect against Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). A large study revealed that midlife women who consumed two or more servings a day of foods rich in flavonoids, flavan-3-ol polymers, and proanthocyanidins over a ten-year period had a roughly 10% lower risk of developing MDD than those that consumed less than one serving a day of such food. Amentoflavone is unique biflavonoid that occurs in a number of medicinal plants, including Ginkgo biloba and Hypericum perforatum . It is also found in Cnestis ferruginea , which is used in traditional African medicine in the management of psychiatric disorders. Apigenin is a common flavone found in a variety of herbs and spices, including avena sativa, chamomile, cecropia, chaste tree, Chrysanctinia mexicana, garlic, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and skullcap. This flavonoid has been found to have antidepressant-like effects in several preclinical studies.
Doing Less, Living More
Patricia E. Zurita Ona in Acceptance and Commitment Skills for Perfectionism and High-Achieving Behaviors, 2021
On a Saturday afternoon, Yusun, a passionate journalist, after cleaning her apartment, taking a quick trip to the grocery store, and watering her Monstera plants, took a quick shower, groomed herself, and sat down for six hours straight in front of her laptop to work with clients in Malaysia. Hour after hour, she asked questions about the intersection of finances, politics, and well-being, listened attentively, and took notes on her iPad, while drinking three bottles of water. The afternoon unfolded, and around 6:23 p.m., she turned off her laptop, fed her puppy, took a deep breath, and turned on the TV to watch one of her favorite movies. Yusun wanted to watch the movie but in the background, her mind was replaying pieces of the interviews from earlier in the day one after another; Yusun tried to focus on different scenes of the movie but couldn’t resist pondering about the conversations she had. After two hours of kind of watching the movie, laughing quietly, and drinking a cup of chamomile tea, Yusun called her best friend. They chatted for a bit, and even though Yusun wanted to hear about her best friend’s new job, she noticed again how her mind was pulling her into more thinking about her next round of interviews.
Herbal medicines
Alan Galbraith, Shane Bullock, Elizabeth Manias, Barry Hunt, Ann Richards in Fundamentals of Pharmacology, 2007
CHAMOMILE Chamomile usually refers to two species of Chamaemelumas, small, daisy-like plants found in Europe. The name ‘chamomile’ means ‘earth apple’, but we do not know why, as ‘earth apple’ is a term usually associated with potatoes, which are in no way botanically related to chamomile. The dried chamomile flower heads are the parts normally used in herbalism, although the oil can also be used. The oil is used in aromatherapy to help in asthma and bronchitis, but there is no convincing evidence that any medicinal effect is apparent from this use. As there ALOE VERA Aloe vera is the botanical name of a wide-ranging succulent member of the lily family. An extract of the leaves has been used as a purgative. The juice of the leaves has become a very popular ingredient of skin applications. It is believed that Christ’s body was embalmed with this juice. The sticky juice, fresh if possible, reportedly has healing properties on the skin and is used medicinally as a soothing and healing salve for radiation burns. The juice is also incorporated in many skin lotions and shampoos.
The effect of chamomile extract obtained in supercritical carbon dioxide conditions on physicochemical and usable properties of pharmaceutical ointments
Published in Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, 2018
Emilia Klimaszewska, Artur Seweryn, Anna Małysa, Małgorzata Zięba, Joanna Lipińska
The study investigated the effect of chamomile extract obtained in supercritical carbon dioxide conditions on the basic properties of pharmaceutical ointments. A total of five formulations were designed and prepared, differing in the weight ratio of sunflower oil to chamomile extract (5:0, 3.5:1.5, 2.5:2.5, 1.5:3.5 and 0:5). An increase in the concentration of chamomile extract was found to be accompanied by a decrease in hardness, adhesive power and flow limit. Based on viscosity measurements it was shown that ointments containing the hydrophobic plant extract under study were prone to larger drops in viscosity under the effect of the set shear rate. It was determined that from the viewpoint of ointment spreadability and application to the skin, the optimum concentration of chamomile extract for the studied formulations should be within the range of 1.5–2.5%. Furthermore, the addition of chamomile extract to ointments was found to give samples a yellow-green color. Green was observed to be the dominant color, and its saturation and shade varied for different formulations.
Chamomile reveals to be a potent galactogogue: the unexpected effect
Published in The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 2018
Fernando V. Silva, Francisca Dias, Gustavo Costa, Maria da Graça Campos
Good habits of breastfeeding have been associated with many long-term health benefits. Nowadays, improvement is seen in the health of children and mothers who practice exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. The search of new potent stimulants for milk production is important to promote lactation, mainly in cases where breastfeeding is a difficult task. This report presents a case of a woman who accidentally realized an abundant amount of milk and had high breast tension, a few hours after consuming chamomile. Although usual consumption of chamomile during pregnancy and lactation are documented for several purposes, the galactogogue effect was never reported. In this case report, we document for the first time the influence of chamomile in a lactating woman by increasing lactogenesis. This article also highlights the need of more research in this field to assure the safety of the intake, by women, of herbal product without the risk for them or the newborns.
Evaluation of chamomile oil and nanoemulgels as a promising treatment option for atopic dermatitis induced in rats
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, 2020
Noha S. El-Salamouni, Mai M. Ali, Sherien A. Abdelhady, Lamia S. Kandil, Gihan A. Elbatouti, Ragwa M. Farid
Background: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that remarkably affects the quality-of-life of patients. Chamomile oil is used to treat skin inflammations. We evaluated the efficacy of chamomile oil and nanoemulgel formulations as a natural alternative therapeutic option for atopic dermatitis. Research design and methods: Formulations were developed comprising chamomile oil: olive oil (1:1), Tween 20/80 or Gelucire 44/14 as surfactant-cosurfactant mixtures, propylene glycol (10%w/w), water and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (3%w/w). In-vitro physicochemical characterization, stability testing and in-vivo assessment of inflammatory biomarkers and histopathological examination of skin lesions were conducted in rats induced with atopic dermatitis. Results: Nanoemulgels G1 and X1 which displayed the smallest particle size of 137.5 ± 2.04 and 207.1 ± 5.44 nm, good homogeneity and high zeta-potential values of –26.4 and –32.7 mV were selected as the optimized emulgel. Nanoemulgels were nonirritating of pH value 5.56, readily spreadable, and were physically stable following 10 heating-cooling cycles. Treatment with nanoemulgels showed a two-fold decrease in duration of skin healing and no spongiosis compared to chamomile oil. Levels of biomarkers were reduced after topical application of both nanoemulgels and chamomile oil. Conclusion: Nanoemulgels are a potential cost effective, safe topical carrier system for chamomile in treating atopic dermatitis.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Chrysanthemum
- Asteraceae
- Anthemis
- Tripleurospermum
- Chamaemelum
- Rudbeckia
- Matricaria