19. Matricaria recutita

Syn Chamomilla recutita

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  German chamomile's aromatic, slightly bitter taste is familiar to herbal tea drinkers.
  
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  The herb's varied medicinal uses, however, are not as well known.
  
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  It is an excellent herb for many digestive disorders and for nervous tension and irritability.
  
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  Externally, it is used for sore skin and eczema.
  

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  A sweetly aromatic annual growing to 60 cm.
  
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  With finely cut leaves and white flower heads.
  

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  German chamomile grows in much of Europe and other temperate regions.
  
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  Flower heads are picked in full bloom, in summer.
  

-They should be picked on the day they open, when the active constituents are at their strongest

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  Volatile oil (proazulenes, farnesine, alpha-bisabolol, spiroether).
  
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  Flavonoids (anthemidin, luteolin, rutin)
  
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  Bitter glycosides (anthemic acid)
  
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  Coumarins
  
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  Tannins
  

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  Anti-inflammatory
  
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  Antiallergenic
  
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  Antispasmodic
  
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  Relaxant
  
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  Carminative
  
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  Mild bitter
  

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  Digestive problems:
  

-Gentle and efficacious, it is very suitable for children.

-The herb is valuable for pain, indigestion, acidity, gas, gastritis, bloating, and colic.

-It is also used for hiatus hernia (فتق الحجاب الحاجز), peptic ulcer, and irritable bowel syndrome.

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  Tension:
  

-It also relieves irritability and helps sleep, especially in children.

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  Irritation:
  

-The proazulenes (volatile oil) produce chamazulene on steam distillation, which is anti-allergenic.

-Externally, it can be applied to itchy skin, eczema, and sore nipples.

-This herb also relieves eyestrain (حسور العين).

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  Trials in Germany:
  

-In 1993, a trial using German chamomile and 4 other herbs showed them to be most effective at easing infantile colic.

Family Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

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  Dried leaves of peppermint were found in Egyptian pyramids dating from about 1000 BC.
  
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  It was highly valued by the Greeks and Romans but only became popular in Western Europe in the 18th century.
  
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  Peppermint's chief therapeutic value lies in its ability to relieve gas, flatulence, bloating, and colic, although it has many other applications.
  

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  A strongly aromatic, square-stemmed annual, growing to 80 cm, with serrated leaves.
  

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  Peppermint is grown commercially and in gardens throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.
  
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  Peppermint harvested just before it flowers in summer, in dry sunny weather.
  

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  Volatile oil (up to 1.5%), including:
  

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  Menthol (35—55%).
  
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  Menthone (10-40%).
  
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    Flavonoids (luteolin, menthoside)
    
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    Phenolic acids
    
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    Triterpenes.
    

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  Carminative
  
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  Relieves muscle spasms
  
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  Increases sweating
  
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  Stimulates secretion of bile
  
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  Antiseptic
  

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  Digestive problems:
  

-It reduces colic, cramps, and gas, and helps to soothe an irritated bowel.

-In soothing the lining and muscles of the colon, it helps diarrhea and relieves a spastic (مشلول) colon (often the cause of constipation).

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  Pain relief:
  

-It also relieves headaches and migraines linked to digestive weakness.

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  Infection:
  

-The whole herb is important for digestive infections.

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  Volatile oil:
  

-Menthol (a constituent of the oil) is antiseptic, antifungal, cooling, and anesthetic to the skin, although it is also an irritant.

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  Whole herb
  

-Clinical trials in Denmark and Britain during the 1990s have confirmed its value in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.

Make an infusion, and drink up to 5 cups a day

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  Annual herb growing to 30 cm.
  
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  Has an upright branching stem, fine deeply cut leaves, gray-blue flowers, and toothed seed pods.
  

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  Native to western Asia.
  
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  Black cumin is grown throughout much of Asia and the Mediterranean region for its seeds and as a garden plant.
  
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  The seeds are gathered once they are ripe.
  

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  The seeds contain:
  

-Saponin (melantin)

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  Black cumin was found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, but its role in ancient Egypt, medicinal or otherwise, is unknown.
  
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  Dioscorides recorded that black cumin seeds were taken to treat:
  
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    Headaches,
    
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    nasal congestion احتقان
    
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    toothache,
    
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    intestinal worms,
    
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      And, in large quantities, as a diuretic, a promoter of menstruation, and to increase breast-milk production.
      
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      In our country it is used to treat heart diseases, blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia and sexual weakness, lactation deficiency, general weakness, common cold, inflammation and skin diseases.
      

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  Like many culinary herbs, black cumin seeds benefit the digestive system, soothing stomach pain and and easing gas and colic.
  
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  The seeds are also antiseptic and are used to treat intestinal worms, especially in children.
  
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  The seeds are much used in India to increase breast milk.