Peter Rabbit's mother gave him a cup of chamomile tea after he returned from his day of danger in Mr. MacGregor's garden to settle his stomach, calm him down, and make him sleepy. But the medicinal use of chamomile starts way before the story of Peter Rabbit. Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks used chamomile flowers to relieve sunstroke, fevers, and colic. Germans use a phrase to describe chamomile, "alles zutraut," which means that chamomile can cure anything.

There are many uses for chamomile. Irritation from chest colds, slow-healing wounds, abscesses, gum inflammation, psoriasis, eczema, children's conditions such as chickenpox, diaper rash, and colic are common reasons for taking chamomile tea, baths, or tinctures. Usually, chamomile is used when symptoms arise. If you are using it for ulcer, heartburn, or another potentially serious condition, and your symptoms are not going away or are getting worse, see your health care provider as soon as you can.

The tiny daisy-like flowers of German chamomile can soothe irritated stomachs, lungs, and skin. The flowers have white collars circling raised, cone-shaped, yellow centers and are less than an inch wide, growing on long, thin, light green stems. Sometimes chamomile grows wild and close to the ground, but you can also find it bordering herb gardens. It can reach up to three feet high. Chamomile can mean either German chamomile or Roman (English) chamomile.

The flowers are put into tea bags for tea, or crushed and steamed so that the oil they contain, which is blue, can be taken out and packaged separately. The oil contains ingredients that stop swelling and help reduce the growth of bacteria, viruses, and even fungi, which can contribute to or cause swelling and pain.

German chamomile is available as dried flower heads, tea, liquid extract, and topical ointment.

• To relieve colic, ulcer, stomach pain, heartburn, and gas, make a tea of 2 to 3 g of the herb, steeped in hot water, three to four times daily between meals, or take 5 ml of 1:5 chamomile tincture three times daily.
• To use as a gargle or mouthwash for mouth sores or gum disease, make a tea of 2 to 3 g of the herb, steeped in hot water, then let it cool, and gargle as often as desired.
• For soothing the lungs during a cold or to calm a cough, pour a few drops of essential oil into steaming water and inhale the steam, or prepare tea and inhale the steam.
• To soothe hemorrhoids, cuts, eczema, or insect bites, use 1/4 lb of dried flowers per bath, or use alcohol extracts of chamomile flowers in the tub.
• To use as a douche, use 3 to 10% infusion (herb steeped in water; also called a "tea").
• For poultices applied to inflamed skin, use a 3 to 10% infusion (herb steeped in water; also called a "tea").
• For psoriasis, eczema, or dry and flaky skin, apply cream with a 3 to 10% crude drug chamomile content.

Chamomile is generally safe to use. Highly concentrated tea may cause vomiting, however. If you're allergic to ragweed, you should avoid chamomile, because they are both in the same family.

Chamomile should not be used in large amounts during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. If you are pregnant discuss with your doctor whether or not you should take chamomile.

Patients taking blood-thinning medications such as warfarin should be careful about using German chamomile unless under the supervision of a health care practitioner. This herb may enhance the effects of the medication. Consult your doctor before adding chamomile to your existing medication regimen.

No noteworthy interactions (positive or negative) between German chamomile and conventional medications are known to have been reported in the literature to date.

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