Remedy 3: Chamomile

Remedy 2: Chamomile

What is it?

Chamomile, with the scientific name of Matricaria chamomilla, is one of the most widely used medicinal plants. 1-3 cups of Chamomile tea a day is recommended during periods to relieve period pain.

Regimen:

• What - Chamomile tea

• How much - 1-3 cups a day

• When - During menstruation, along with other interventions/remedies

• How long - throughout the duration of pain.

How does it work?

Chamomile tea possesses anti-spasmodic properties, which can relieve the painful cramps associated with the menstrual periods.¹ A compound named Apigenin found in chamomile tea helps reduce the impact of excitatory neurotransmitters and hormones on the mind and body, helping to soothe the over-firing sympathetic nervous system.

Apart from reducing the inflammatory response of the immune system, chamomile tea also works to reduce the sensation of pain by inhibiting the COX enzyme.

What is the efficacy?

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 as “Dysmenorrhea”, “Pain”, “Menstrual bleeding” and “Chamomile” without a time limit until March 2020.

Results: Among 124 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 Chamomile on pain and menstrual bleeding in primary dysmenorrhea.

Conclusion: Based on the results of the most reviewed studies, Chamomile can be considered as an effective treatment for primary dysmenorrhea and reducing menstrual bleeding.²

References

1. Bhaskaran N, Shukla S, Srivastava JK, Gupta S. Chamomile: An anti-inflammatory agent inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase expression by blocking RelA/p65 activity. Int J Mol Med. 2010 Dec;26(6):935-940. doi:10.3892/ijmm_00000545.

2. Niazi A, Moradi M. The Effect of Chamomile on Pain and Menstrual Bleeding in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review. IJCBNM. 2021;9(3):174-186. doi: 10.30476/ijcbnm.2021.87219.1417.