Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is a flowering plant that belongs to the Asteraceae (daisy) family. Chamomile is commonly drunk as a herbal tea and is well known for its sedative and calmative effects. Chamomile have been shown to have a particular anti-anxiety effect in humans and animals when consumed as a dietary supplement. Studies suggest that these effects may relate to the presence of particular flavonoids and other phytochemicals within the plant material. For example, chamomile is an excellent source of apigenin, and extracts can contain up to 1.2 % apigenin. Apigenin has been shown to bind to the benzodiazepine receptor in the brain of humans and animals and here it may activate the GABA neurotransmitter system, having an overall calming effect on neuronal activity. Other flavonoids including luteolin and quercetin may also have anti-anxiety effects. However, other physiological effects have been noted in those who consume chamomile, and one such effect might be a particular anti-diabetic effect.
Chamomile contains a number of biologically active components that may explain its health effects. These include ~1 % volatile oils and approximately 28 secondary components. The essential oil of chamomile has been shown to contain chamazulene and bisabolol, which can be unstable in water and are best preserved in an alcohol tincture. The secondary components of chamomile include 28 terpenoids, 36 flavonoids. The flavonoids include apigenin, luteolin, patuletin, and quercetin. Flavonoids are important dietary antioxidants, but they are not the only antioxidants in chamomile. Chamomile also contains a number of coumarins including herniarin and umbelliferone and a number of phenolic compounds including esculetin.
The antidiabetic effects of chamomile may stem from the presence of the phenolic acid esculetin and the flavonoid quercetin. These compounds may inhibit the enzyme sucrase which may in turn decrease the rate of fructose and glucose absorption. For example, extracts of esculetin and quercetin have been shown to stabilise blood sugar elevations in animal model of diabetes and also to increase liver glycogen stores. Further evidence also indicates that component of chamomile extracts including umbelliferone, esculetin, luteolin and quercetin may inhibit the enzyme aldose reductase, and thus reduce sorbitol concentrations in erythrocytes. Sorbitol can raise blood pressure and also lead to problems with osmoregulation. As this sorbitol accumulation can be a complication of diabetes, this may explain in part the anti-diabetic activity of chamomile. Therefore daily consumption of chamomile tea could significantly reduce the complications of diabetes by reducing blood sugar and sorbitol concentrations.
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