Chamomile Inhibits Abdominal Spasms

LONDON--Ingestion of chamomile tea inhibits spasms of the digestive system and uterus, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (53, 2:191-196, 2005) (http://pubs.acs.org/journals/jafcau/index.html).

In the two-week clinical trial, researchers administered five cups of German chamomile tea daily to 14 test subjects (seven men and seven women). The study participants were assayed prior to and after drinking the tea for the presence of hippurate, a metabolite of phenolic plant compounds associated with antibacterial activity, and glycine, an amino acid thought to relieve muscle spasms and relax nerves. The researchers noted a significant increase in test subjects' urinary hippurate and glycine levels. Levels of these compounds remained elevated for up to two weeks after the test subjects stopped drinking the tea, indicating hippurate and glycine may remain active in the body over a prolonged period. The researchers also noted additional studies are needed before a more definitive link between the tea and its purported health benefits can be confirmed.

In a media release from the American Botanical Council (ABC), Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of ABC, said the trial "basically was supporting one of the traditional uses of chamomile flowers; chamomile has a long history of use as an antispasmodic for abdominal cramps, both digestive and menstrual." Blumenthal noted chamomile's genus name, Matricaria, comes from the Latin matrix, meaning "womb," which he said was "in recognition of chamomile's long history of use to help allay menstrual cramps." He added chamomile flowers are widely used in Europe, Mexico and Latin America, where the herb is known by its Spanish name manzanilla, meaning "little apple," in reference to its apple-like flavor.