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Journal of Alternative and... Sep 2020This exploratory analysis examined the putative antidepressant effect of L. (chamomile) extract in subjects with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) with or without... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
This exploratory analysis examined the putative antidepressant effect of L. (chamomile) extract in subjects with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) with or without comorbid depression. It was hypothesized that chamomile extract would demonstrate similar anxiolytic activity in both subgroups, but superior antidepressant activity in GAD subjects with comorbid depression. As part of a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of chamomile extract for relapse prevention of GAD, 179 subjects received initial therapy with open-label chamomile extract 1500 mg daily for 8 weeks. Linear mixed-effect models were used to identify clinically meaningful changes in anxiety and depression symptoms between diagnostic subgroups. The study took place at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. Subjects were ≥18 years old with a primary DSM IV-TR diagnosis of GAD. They were subcategorized into two diagnostic groups: GAD without comorbid depression ( = 100) and GAD with comorbid depression ( = 79). Open-label chamomile extract 1500 mg was given daily for 8 weeks. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7), Hamilton rating scale for anxiety, Beck anxiety inventory, Hamilton rating scale for depression (HRSD), the six-item core HRSD (items 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 13), and the Beck depression inventory (BDI). The authors observed similar anxiolytic effects over time in both diagnostic subgroups. However, there was a greater reduction in HRSD core symptom scores ( < 0.023), and a trend level reduction in HRSD total scores ( = 0.14) and in BPI total scores ( = 0.060) in subjects with comorbid depression. L. may produce clinically meaningful antidepressant effects in addition to its anxiolytic activity in subjects with GAD and comorbid depression. Future controlled trials in subjects with primary major depressive disorder are needed to validate this preliminary observation.
Topics: Administration, Oral; Adult; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Antidepressive Agents; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Chamomile; Depression; Depressive Disorder, Major; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Male; Matricaria; Middle Aged; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 31808709
DOI: 10.1089/acm.2019.0252 -
Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences Nov 2021Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder in females of childbearing age and research findings have revealed a potential association...
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder in females of childbearing age and research findings have revealed a potential association between PCOS and renal dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate renal dysfunction that might be associated with PCOS in rats and to evaluate the potential protective effect of chamomile against PCOS complicated by kidney damage. A rat model of PCOS was induced by injecting estradiol valerate (0.2 mg/rat × 2) into adult virgin female rats. Rats were treated with either ethyl alcohol extract of chamomile flower (75 mg/kg/day) or metformin (Met) (500 mg/kg/day). Induction of PCOS was associated with increased relative right kidney weight percentage and increased serum levels of urea, lipid peroxide product, and testosterone. PCOS was also associated with increased p53 expression in kidney glomeruli and medullary tubules with decreased Bcl2 expression in kidney glomeruli. Administration of chamomile extract significantly decreased levels of serum urea, testosterone, and lipid peroxide product, and p53 expression in kidney glomeruli and tubules. The extract significantly increased levels of antioxidant markers levels (reduced glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase) and the expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl2. Conversely, administration of Met did not improve serum levels of urea. Met also exerted no pronounced effect on p53 gene expression. The results of this study highlight the importance of monitoring kidney function in patients with PCOS and investigating the associated underlying mechanism. Chamomile extract was found to ameliorate kidney damage associated with PCOS through antioxidant, testosterone-lowering, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms.
PubMed: 34764746
DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.06.066 -
The Effect of Chamomile on Pain and Menstrual Bleeding in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review.International Journal of Community... Jul 2021Primary dysmenorrhea is characterized by pain during menstruation without any pelvic pathology. It is a common problem among females in their reproductive age which is... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Primary dysmenorrhea is characterized by pain during menstruation without any pelvic pathology. It is a common problem among females in their reproductive age which is caused by increased production of prostaglandin in the endometrium as one of leading causes. Chamomile extract ceases the production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes. The aim of this study was to systematically review the clinical trials to determine the effect of Chamomile on pain and menstural bleeding in primary dysmenorrhea.
METHODS
Search process to find relevant articles was conducted on electronic Iranian (MagIran, SID) and international databases (Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, ProQuest, Cochrane library, Scopus, Web of Science and EBSCO), using English keywords and Persian equivalents such a "Dysmenorrhea", "Pain", "Menstrual bleeding" and "Chamomil" without a time limit until March 2020. Irrelevant, duplicate, descriptive, or qualitative studies were excluded. To evaluate the quality of articles, we used the Cochran's Risk of Bias tool.
RESULTS
Among124 articles found in the initial search, finally 7 clinical trials (with a sample size of 1033) were systematically examined. Two out of 7 studies examined the effect of Chamomile on the pain of primary dysmenorrhea, 2 studies on the effect of Chamomile on menstrual bleeding volume, and 3 on the effect of Chamomileon pain and menstural bleeding in primary dysmenorrhea.
CONCLUSION
Based on results of the most reviewed studies, Chamomile can be considered as an effective treatment for primary dysmenorrhea and reducing menstrual bleeding.
PubMed: 34222539
DOI: 10.30476/ijcbnm.2021.87219.1417 -
Molecular and Clinical Oncology Apr 2017Severe stomatitis may lead to the need to interrupt or discontinue cancer therapy and, thus, may affect control of the primary disease. Stomatitis may also increase the...
Severe stomatitis may lead to the need to interrupt or discontinue cancer therapy and, thus, may affect control of the primary disease. Stomatitis may also increase the risk of local and systemic infection and significantly affects the quality of life and the cost of care. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of two traditional herbal medicines in controlling treatment-induced stomatitis in a small cohort of lung cancer patients treated with afatinib. All patients who were treated with afatinib for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutated nonsmallcell lung cancer (NSCLC) between January, 2015 and March, 2016, were included in this study. During the study period, a total of 14 NSCLC patients were treated with afatinib, an EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Two patients already had stomatitis at the time of initiation of afatinib therapy; among the remaining 12 NSCLC patients, 2 (16.7%) developed stomatitis. All the lesions in the 4 patients who developed stomatitis were completely alleviated after 2 weeks of therapy with Aznol mouthwash, a chamomile extract with anti-inflammatory effects, and Hangeshashinto, a traditional herbal (Kampo) medicine. Afatinib therapy was re-initiated, but none of the patients developed stomatitis thereafter. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report evaluating oral care and management of stomatitis. This type of care and treatment may reduce the incidence of complications associated with EGFR-TKI therapy.
PubMed: 28413677
DOI: 10.3892/mco.2017.1184 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2022Chamomile ( L.) is a traditional medicinal plant used to treat hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal...
Chamomile ( L.) is a traditional medicinal plant used to treat hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids. Dried chamomile flowers have a longer shelf life and the dried extract in form of powder offers much flexibility for new therapeutic formulations as it could be used as a replacement for liquid extract and serve as a shelf-stable ingredient in new applications. This study aims to determine the effect of drying methods, i.e., convection oven-drying at 45 °C, freeze-drying at -50°C, and spray-drying at 140°C at 10.5 and 12 ml/min, respectively) on powder yield, physicochemical properties (moisture content, water activity, and color attributes), and total polyphenol content of chamomile extract powder. Our findings showed that spray-drying conducted at 140°C, 12 ml/min resulted in the lowest yield of powder (16.67%) compared to convection oven-drying (90.17%) and freeze-drying (83.24%). Decreasing the feed flow rate to 10.5 ml/min during spraying caused an increase in powder yield to 26.99%. The moisture content of spray-dried chamomile extract powder obtained at 140°C, 10.5 ml/min was higher (11.00%) compared to that of convection oven-dried (8.50%) and freeze-dried (7.50%). Both convection oven-dried and freeze-dried chamomile extract powder displayed no significant difference ( > 0.05) in moisture content. The higher feed flow rate (12 ml/min) in spray-drying also led to an increase in the moisture content of chamomile extract powder to 12.00%. The higher residual moisture found in the spray-dried samples resulted in partial agglomeration of particles. In terms of water activity, freeze-dried chamomile extract powder was found to have the highest water activity (0.63) compared to that of convection oven-dried (0.52), spray-dried at 140°C, 10.5 ml/min (0.57), and spray-dried at 140°C, 12 ml/min (0.58). Spray-dried and freeze-dried chamomile extract powder with high moisture content and water activity could be highly susceptible to microbial growth. In terms of color attributes, higher drying temperature in spray-drying led to darker, redder, and more yellowish chamomile extract powder that could be caused by heat-induced Maillard reaction and caramelization. Since lower drying temperature was used in both convection oven-drying and freeze-drying, both convection oven-dried (56.94 mg GAE/g powder) and freeze-dried chamomile extract powder (55.98 mg GAE/g powder) were found to have higher total polyphenol content compared to those of spray-dried (42.79-46.79 mg GAE/g powder). The present findings allow us to understand the effect of drying methods on the properties of chamomile extract powder and provide a better drying option to dry chamomile extract. Due to higher powder yield with ideal powder properties such as low moisture content and water activity, desirable color, and high total polyphenol content obtained from convection oven-drying, convection oven-drying was a better option than freeze-drying and spray-drying for drying chamomile extract.
PubMed: 36408266
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1003209 -
Biomolecules Jan 2020There is increasing proof that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with the increased frequency of thyroid disturbances. Chamomile ( L.) herb and metformin...
There is increasing proof that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with the increased frequency of thyroid disturbances. Chamomile ( L.) herb and metformin showed therapeutic efficacy against polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study aimed to investigate the possible therapeutic effect of both chamomile flower extract and metformin against thyroid damage associated with PCOS in rats. The PCOS model was developed in rats by injecting estradiol valerate, and it was confirmed to be associated with thyroid hypofunction biochemically and pathologically. Treatment of PCOS rats with both chamomile extract and metformin resulted in an improvement in serum level of thyroid hormones (TSH, < 0.01; T3 and T4, < 0.05) and the disappearance of most thyroid gland pathological changes demonstrated by light and electron microscopes. They also reduced the level of serum estrogen ( < 0.01). Both chamomile extract and metformin decreased MDA ( < 0.05) and increased GPx and CAT ( < 0.01). Only chamomile extract increased GSH ( < 0.01). Both treatments reduced the apoptotic death of thyroid cells as noted by the reduction of caspase-3 immunoexpression ( < 0.01). In conclusion, both extract and metformin ameliorated hypothyroidism associated with PCOS through an antioxidant and antiapoptotic mechanism.
Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Chamomile; Female; Hypothyroidism; Matricaria; Metformin; Oxidative Stress; Plant Extracts; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Thyroid Gland; Thyroid Hormones
PubMed: 31948119
DOI: 10.3390/biom10010088 -
Frontiers in Nutrition 2024NAD, a pivotal coenzyme central to metabolism, exhibits a characteristic decline with age. In mice, NAD levels can be elevated via treatment with apigenin, a natural... (Review)
Review
NAD, a pivotal coenzyme central to metabolism, exhibits a characteristic decline with age. In mice, NAD levels can be elevated via treatment with apigenin, a natural flavonoid that inhibits the NAD-consuming glycoprotein CD38. In animal models, apigenin positively impacts both sleep and longevity. For example, apigenin improves learning and memory in older mice, reduces tumor proliferation in a mouse xenograft model of triple-negative breast cancer, and induces sedative effects in mice and rats. Moreover, apigenin elongates survival in fly models of neurodegenerative disease and apigenin glycosides increase lifespan in worms. Apigenin's therapeutic potential is underscored by human clinical studies using chamomile extract, which contains apigenin as an active ingredient. Collectively, chamomile extract has been reported to alleviate anxiety, improve mood, and relieve pain. Furthermore, dietary apigenin intake positively correlates with sleep quality in a large cohort of adults. Apigenin's electron-rich flavonoid structure gives it strong bonding capacity to diverse molecular structures across receptors and enzymes. The effects of apigenin extend beyond CD38 inhibition, encompassing agonistic and antagonistic modulation of various targets, including GABA and inflammatory pathways. Cumulatively, a large body of evidence positions apigenin as a unique molecule capable of influencing both aging and sleep. Further studies are warranted to better understand apigenin's nuanced mechanisms and clinical potential.
PubMed: 38476603
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1359176 -
Journal of Pharmacopuncture Dec 2021Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) treatment is advised for all women due to its symptoms and complications. In this study, the standard treatment, clotrimazole, was...
OBJECTIVES
Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) treatment is advised for all women due to its symptoms and complications. In this study, the standard treatment, clotrimazole, was compared with chamomile extract cream in outpatient clinics.
METHODS
We recruited 73 women with VVC, who were randomly allocated into two groups, clotrimazole chamomile extract cream. After two weeks of treatment with the same criteria, cheese-like vaginal discharge, itching and burning sensations, strawberry cervix, and recovery percentage was evaluated.
RESULTS
Thirty patients in each group were analyzed. There was no significant difference in age and number of pregnancies between groups (p = 0.85 and 0.09, respectively). Comparing before and after treatment, cheese like discharge (p < 0.001), itching (p < 0.001), burning (p < 0.001) had significantly improved in both groups. Further, the recovery percentage was not significantly different between groups (88.9% 75% in the chamomile vs clotrimazole groups, respectively).
CONCLUSION
Chamomile is as effective as clotrimazole in VVC treatment; a higher percentage of women who used this medication recovered, although this did not reach significance. In addition, no complications were reported in either group.
PubMed: 35028170
DOI: 10.3831/KPI.2021.24.4.191 -
Journal of Reproduction & Infertility Oct 2010Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder associated with ovulatory dysfunction. Presently, little is known about the primary...
INTRODUCTION
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder associated with ovulatory dysfunction. Presently, little is known about the primary factors that initiate PCOS. Chamomile flowers are used in alternative medicine for its anti-spasmolytic and anti-inflammatory effects. Antispasmodic properties of chamomile ease menstrual cramps and lessen the possibility of premature labor. This medicinal herb also stimulates menstruation. In this study, we evaluated the effects of Chamomile alcoholic-extract on the biochemical and clinical parameters in a rat model of PCOS.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Estrous cyclicity of 30 virgin adult cycling rats was monitored by vaginal smears obtained between 0800 and 1200 hours. After about 4 days, each rat received an i.m. injection of Estradiol Valerate (Aburaihan Co., Iran), 2 mg in 0.2 ml of corn oil, to induce PCO. Corn oil was injected to the rats in the control group. All the rats in the experimental group were evaluated for follicular cysts 60 days after the injection. Rats with PCOS were treated by multiple doses (25, 50, 75 mg/kg) of intraperitoneal injections of Chamomile alcoholic-extract for ten days. The data were statistically analyzed at a significance level of p<0.05 by ANOVA, followed by the Student Newman-Keuls post hoc test.
RESULTS
The histological and hormonal results showed that Chamomile can decrease the signs of PCOS in the ovarian tissue and help LH secretion in rats (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
The alcoholic-extract of dried Matricaria chamomilla L. flowers can not only induce recovery from a PCO induced state in rats, but also increase dominant follicles. Additionally better endometrial tissue arrangements can be regarded as another therapeutic effect of Chamomile.
PubMed: 23926485
DOI: No ID Found