chamomile
Generic Name: chamomile (KAH moe meal)
Brand Names:
What is chamomile?
The use of chamomile in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts
accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements,
consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with
a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and
coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous.
Two plants each provide the product known as chamomile. Matricaria chamomilla is also
known as German chamomile, Hungarian chamomile, pin heads, chamomilla, wild chamomile,
sweet false chamomile, and genuine chamomile. Anthemis nobilis is also known as English or
Roman chamomile, ground apple, whig plant, and common chamomile.
Chamomile has been used orally to reduce flatulence and/or diarrhea due to a nervous
stomach, to reduce stomach upset, to treat travel sickness, to produce mild sedation, to reduce
restlessness and irritability, to treat the common cold, to treat fevers, to reduce cough, for liver
and gallbladder complaints, and to increase appetite. Chamomile has also been used topically to
reduce inflammation of the skin, mouth, and throat; to reduce nasal inflammation and discharge;
and to treat wounds and burns.
Chamomile has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All
potential risks and/or advantages of chamomile may not be known. Additionally, there are no
regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances
where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or
other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize
the risk of contamination.
Chamomile may also have uses other than those listed in this product guide.
What is the most important information I should know about chamomile?
Do not take chamomile without first talking to your doctor if you are taking warfarin
(Coumadin) or another blood thinner. You may not be able to take chamomile, or you may
require special monitoring during treatment if you are taking a blood thinner.
Talk to your doctor before taking or using chamomile if you have any other medical
conditions, allergies (especially to ragweed, asters, chrysanthemums, celery, or other plants), or
if you take other medicines. Chamomile may not be recommended in some situations.
Chamomile has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All
potential risks and/or advantages of chamomile may not be known. Additionally, there are no
regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances
where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or
other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize
the risk of contamination.
Who should not take chamomile?
Do not take chamomile without first talking to your doctor if you are taking warfarin
(Coumadin) or another blood thinner. You may not be able to take chamomile, or you may
require special monitoring during treatment if you are taking a blood thinner.
Talk to your doctor before taking chamomile if you have any other medical conditions,
allergies (especially to ragweed, asters, chrysanthemums, celery, or other plants), or if you take
other medicines or herbal/health supplements. Chamomile may not be recommended in some
situations.
Do not take chamomile without first talking to your doctor if you
are pregnant or could become pregnant. It is not known whether chamomile will harm an unborn
baby.
Do not take chamomile without first talking to your doctor if you
are breast-feeding a baby. It is also not known whether chamomile will harm a nursing infant.
There is no information available regarding the use of chamomile by children. Do not
give any herbal/health supplement to a child without first talking to the child's doctor.
How should I take chamomile?
The use of chamomile in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts
accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements,
consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with
a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and
coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous.
If you choose to use chamomile, use it as directed on the package or as directed by your
doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
Standardized extracts, tinctures, and solid formulations of herbal/health supplements may
provide a more reliable dose of the product.
Chamomile is available in pill and liquid formulations. Other formulations may also be
available.
Some forms of chamomile are intended for internal (oral) use while others are intended
for external (topical) use.
Do not take more of this product than is directed.
Do not use different formulations (e.g., tablets, topical formulations, teas, tinctures,
and others) of chamomile at the same time, unless specifically directed to do so by a health care
professional. Using different formulations together increases the risk of an overdose of
chamomile.
Store chamomile as directed on the package. In general, chamomile should be protected
from light and moisture. The Anthemis nobilis form of chamomile should be stored in a
well-sealed glass or metal container.
What happens if I miss a dose?
No information is available regarding a missed dose of chamomile. Consult your doctor,
pharmacist, or health care provider if you require further information.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention.
Symptoms of a chamomile overdose are not known.
What should I avoid while taking chamomile?
There are no known restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while taking chamomile,
unless otherwise directed by your health care provider.
Chamomile side effects
Although uncommon, serious side effects have been reported with the use of
chamomile. Stop taking chamomile and seek emergency medical attention or notify your doctor
immediately if you experience:
Other less serious side effects have not been reported. Talk to your
doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider if you develop any side effects.
What other drugs will affect chamomile?
Do not take chamomile without first talking to your doctor if you are taking
-
warfarin (Coumadin),
-
ardeparin (Normiflo),
-
dalteparin (Fragmin),
-
danaparoid (Orgaran),
-
enoxaparin (Lovenox),
-
heparin, or
-
another blood thinner.
You may not be able to take chamomile, or you may require a dosage
adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicine listed
above.
Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with chamomile. Talk to your doctor,
pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines
or other herbal/health supplements.
Where can I get more information?
-
Your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider may have more information about
chamomile.
-
Consultation with a licensed health care professional is advisable before using any
herbal/health supplement. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of
herbal/health supplements may be beneficial and coordination of treatment among all health care
providers involved may be advantageous. Remember, keep this and all other prescription drug
products, over-the-counter drug products, and herbal/health supplements out of the reach of
children.
- Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise.
Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides.
The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 2.03. Revision Date: 2/13/04 4:07:50 PM.
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