This amazing herb is expected to be worth over $1.8 billion! It can improve sleep and lower blood sugar!

On October 29, 2024, the Japanese Consumer Protection Agency launched a health food product called "Goodnight Chamomile Tea", which is made from German chamomile and supplemented with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Each serving (10g) of chamomile tea contains 100mg of GABA, which helps improve sleep quality (sleep depth).

Traditionally, chamomile is widely known for its mild sedative and sleep-inducing effects. For example, chamomile is often used to soothe and improve insomnia, and chamomile water extract is often used as a mild sedative to calm the nerves, relieve anxiety, improve nightmares, insomnia, and other sleep problems.

1.Improves sleep by binding to benzodiazepine (BDZ) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors.

Chamomile is an annual or perennial herb in the Asteraceae family, native to temperate regions of Asia and Europe. Chamomile is commonly divided into two types: *Matricaria chamomile* L. (Roman chamomile) and *Anthemis nobilis* (L.) All. (Roman chamomile). Chamomile has been used for thousands of years in ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt, primarily to relieve digestive ailments, cramps, and dermatitis. It also helps improve appetite and is effective in reducing pain, swelling, and sweating. Chamomile also has a smooth texture and a pleasant apple-like aroma when crushed.

The calming effects of chamomile may stem from the flavonoid apigenin, which binds to benzodiazepine (BDZ) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain, creating a hypnotic effect during the sleep-wake cycle. Chamomile tea is also rich in melatonin, an important hormone that promotes sleep. Chamomile’s antidepressant, anti-anxiety, and antioxidant properties also contribute to improved sleep quality.

One study found that drinking chamomile tea immediately put 10 heart patients into a deep sleep for 90 minutes, and chamomile extract showed a similar sleep-inducing effect to benzodiazepines. Another study found that inhaling chamomile essential oil reduced the stress-induced increase in plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The concomitant use of diazepam and chamomile essential oil vapor further reduced ACTH levels, while the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil blocked the effect of chamomile essential oil vapor on ACTH. According to Paladini et al., the dissociation index (ratio of the maximum sedative dose to the minimum sedative dose) of diazepam is 3, while that of apigenin is 10.

Moreover, in addition to apigenin, other compounds in chamomile extract can bind to benzodiazepine (BDZ) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain, producing some sedative effects.

2. Further Benefits of Chamomile

Chamomile contains flavonoids, organic acids, coumarins, volatile oils, terpenes, and polysaccharides. Besides improving sleep, chamomile also possesses anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, blood sugar-lowering, blood lipid-lowering, anti-thrombotic, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective effects.

Anti-inflammatory: Chamomile volatile oil exhibits effective anti-inflammatory activity in animal models by inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)]. Thanks to this activity, chamomile is often used to improve inflammation such as mastitis, colitis, and dermatitis. Additionally, chamomile essence water, composed of chamomile essential oil, can effectively relieve prickly heat in children caused by sweat accumulation around sweat glands in summer.

Blood Sugar Lowering: Studies have found that chamomile extract can reduce fasting blood glucose levels in diabetic and normal mice and improve glucose tolerance. Chamomile's total flavonoids have a hypoglycemic effect, reducing fibrinogen (FBG), glycated hemoglobin, glucose tolerance, and glycated serum protein (GSP) levels in diabetic mice, while promoting glucose tolerance and insulin secretion. Studies have also found that chamomile extract has a hypoglycemic effect on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. These results indicate that chamomile can protect pancreatic islet cells and reduce oxidative stress associated with hyperglycemia. 

Liver protection: Apigenin in chamomile can treat APAP-induced liver injury by activating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/GSK-3β (AMPK/GSK-3β) signaling pathway, promoting carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) activity, and activating the nuclear factor erythrocyte 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) antioxidant pathway. Furthermore, chamomile can increase total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and tissue glutamine transaminase (tTG) levels in liver tissue. α-Bisabolol in chamomile also possesses anti-inflammatory activity and can prevent acute liver injury induced by acetaminophen (APAP).

Antithrombotic: Chamomile extract exhibits antithrombotic activity by prolonging coagulation and hemostasis time. Luteolin in chamomile can prevent the development of oxidative stress in adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced carotid artery thrombosis in rats. Polyphenol-polysaccharide conjugates obtained from chamomile exert antithrombotic effects by reducing platelet aggregation.

Antihypertensive: Studies have found that chamomile extract has a hypotensive effect on essential hypertensive rats. The hypotensive effect of chamomile extract in N-ω-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA)-induced hypertensive rats is mediated by reducing angiotensin II (Ang II) levels and oxidative stress, and increasing SOD levels.

Neuroprotective: Chamomile has excellent neuroprotective effects. Its extracts can restore the decreased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) induced by scopolamine, increase IL-1β, and regulate cholinergic activity in the rat hippocampus. Apigenin in chamomile can inhibit H2O2-induced hippocampal cell (HT22) death.

3. Use of Chamomile

According to Giresearch, the global chamomile extract market has reached $987.5 million by 2022 and is projected to reach $1.8551 billion by 2030, with a mixed annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2% from 2023 to 2030. Today, chamomile is widely used for its medical, culinary and cosmetic value.

Food / Food Ingredients:

Traditional Medicinals has launched tea bags containing chamomile and fragrance. These bags help soothe the nervous system and have a relaxing effect by reducing stress.

Bulk Supplements has launched chamomile capsules that promote a healthy sleep and good mood, eliminate plaque-causing bacteria and maintain oral health.

Skin Care:

beplain has launched a sensitive skin cream with chamomile. This cream contains more than 70% chamomile extract, providing a calming and hydrating effect.