Comparison of the Effects of Aromatherapy With Damask Rose and Chamomile Essential Oil on Preoperative Pain and Anxiety in Emergency Orthopedic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: Patients who are awaiting emergency surgery experience high levels of anxiety and pain. This study aimed to compare the effects of aromatherapy with damask rose and chamomile essential oil on the preoperative pain and anxiety associated with emergency orthopedic surgery. DESIGN: A parallel-group randomized controlled design was used. METHODS: Ninety participants were selected and randomly assigned to three groups: the damask rose group (n = 30), the chamomile group (n = 30), and the control group (n = 30). In the damask rose and chamomile groups, three drops of 40% essential of each plant were used for inhalation aromatherapy (three drops every hour for 3 hours) Visual Analog Scales were used to evaluate participants' pain and anxiety levels at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 1 hour after the intervention. FINDINGS: The results of repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed that both of the intervention groups experienced a decrease in pain and anxiety over time compared to the control group (P < .001). ANOVA results showed that immediately after the intervention, the anxiety level of the damask rose group compared to the chamomile and control groups was significantly lower (P = .01). However, there was no significant difference in terms of anxiety between the damask rose and chamomile groups 1 hour after the intervention (P = .07). CONCLUSIONS: The use of damask rose and chamomile in aromatherapy was found to effectively lower anxiety and pain levels in emergency orthopedic surgery patients. The antianxiety effect of damask rose is faster than chamomile.

Establishment and validation of a callus tissue transformation system for German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.).

BACKGROUND: German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) is an important medicinal plant, and the essential oils in the flowers have various biological activities. Genetic transformation systems are important for plant quality improvement and molecular research. To the best of our knowledge, a genetic transformation system has not yet been reported for German chamomile. RESULTS: In this study, we developed Agrobacterium-mediated transformation protocols for German chamomile callus tissues. This involved optimizing key parameters, such as hygromycin and cefotaxime concentrations, bacterial density, and infection and co-culture durations. We also performed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis to identify volatile compounds in non-transgenic and transgenic callus and hairy root tissues. Furthermore, to compare and verify the callus transformation system of German chamomile, we transferred McFPS to the hairy roots of German chamomile. The results showed that the optimal conditions for Agrobacterium-mediated callus tissue transformation were as follows: explant, petiole; cefotaxime concentration, 300 mg/L; hygromycin concentration, 10 mg/L; and bacterial solution concentration, OD600 = 0.6; callus transformation efficiency was the highest when the co-culture time was 3 days. CONCLUSIONS: Establishment of a high-efficiency callus transformation system will lay the foundation for gene function identification in German chamomile.

Chamomile Essential Oil: Chemical Constituents and Antitumor Activity in MDA-MB-231 Cells through PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Chamomile essential oil (CEO) is extracted from chamomile and mainly used in aromatherapy. The chemical constituents and its antitumor activity on Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) was explored in the present study. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was employed to analyze the chemical constituents of CEO. The cell viability, migration and invasion of TNBC cell MDA-MB-231 were measured using MTT, wound scratch and Transwell assay, respectively. The protein expression of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway was determined by Western blot. CEO is rich in terpenoids (63.51 %), among which the identified terpenoids and their derivatives are mainly Caryophyllene (29.57 %), d-Cadinene (12.81 %), Caryophyllene oxide (14.51 %), etc. Three concentration of CEO (1, 1.5, 2 µg/mL) significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells with a dose dependent manner. Moreover, the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt and mTOR was inhibited by CEO. The results revealed that there was abundant terpenoids in the CEO which account for 63.51 %. CEO significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells, exhibiting antitumor effect on TNBC. The antitumor effect of CEO might attribute to its inhibition on PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. However, further study should be conducted in more TNBC cell lines and animal models to provide further evidence for TNBC treatment by CEO.

Topical formulation containing chitosan-chamomile microparticles in cutaneous wound healing in rats.

Objective: The aim of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of a topical formulation containing chitosan-chamomile microparticles in cutaneous healing in rats. Method: Male Wistar rats (n=57) were randomly distributed into three groups: treatment; vehicle; and control. Evaluations were performed on days 2, 7 and 14 after the surgical procedure using skin lesion photography, and histological and biochemical analyses. Results: The results showed that there was no difference in the healing index and in the histological analysis of the inflammatory infiltrate among groups. Fibrogenesis was more significant in the group treated with the test formulation at day 7, and angiogenesis was greater in the vehicle and chamomile groups at day 2. The quantification of hydroxyproline showed a higher amount of collagen in the group treated with chamomile, mainly at day 14, although the histological quantification of collagen showed no difference between the groups. Conclusion: From the results of this study, it can be concluded that the formulation, although it had no effect on the healing time, improved the quality of the cicatricial tissue formed with a greater quantity of fibroblasts and collagen.

Effect of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.), linden (Tilia cordata Mill.), and green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) aqueous extract administration in the drinking water during pre-slaughter feed withdrawal period in broiler chickens.

Feed withdrawal (FW) and other pre-slaughter stressors have detrimental effects on the meat quality of broiler chickens. Herbal extracts can be used for their sedative effects to reduce the harmful impacts of pre-slaughter stress on broiler chickens. This study aimed to investigate the effect of chamomile (CAE), linden (LAE), and green tea (GAE) aqueous extracts (AE) in drinking water during the pre-slaughter FW period on the meat and liver quality, serum corticosterone level, and some cecal microorganisms of broilers. A total of 450 male and female 42-day-old chickens were allocated to a completely randomized design with five treatment groups and two sexes in six replicates, 12 birds (six male and six female) for each replicate. Treatment groups were chickens offered ad libitum feed and drinking water (control, CT), broilers exposed to FW for 10 h before the slaughter with unsupplemented drinking water (FW), with drinking water supplemented 50 ml/L CAE, LAE, and GAE. Chickens that experienced FW had lower (P < 0.001) slaughter body weight, carcass, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and inner organ weights, and GIT length (P = 0.002). However, the dressing percentage was higher (P < 0.001) in FW and AE groups than CT group. The FW increased (P < 0.001) the ultimate pH of thigh meat compared with the CT group. The FW also decreased (P = 0.026) the lightness (L*) value of thigh meat of broilers, although CAE and LAE did not change the L* value compared with the CT group. Similarly, the redness (a*) value of thigh meat was lower (P = 0.003) in chickens exposed to FW but was not affected by GAE administration. However, FW or AE did not impact the serum corticosterone level and cecal microbial loads in broiler chickens. The obtained result showed that CAE, LAE, or GAE can be used in drinking water to reduce the harmful effects of FW on the meat quality of broiler chickens.

Co-administration of saffron and chamomile: to determine the efficacy as an adjuvant therapy for mild to moderate depression in human subjects. A pilot randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the combined effects of chamomile and saffron herbs as an adjuvant therapy in patients with metabolic alterations associated with mild to moderate depression. METHODS: The prospective, randomised, blinded, end-point pilot study was conducted at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, from August to October 2020, and comprised patients with mild to moderate depression with or without diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. The subjects were randomised into intervention group A, which was given herbal tea sachets containing saffron 1mg and chamomile 20mg for twice a day oral use for a month along with medications, and control group B, which was advised to continue their routine medications. Data was collected at baseline and post-intervention using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for assessing depression severity, and blood samples for cholesterol estimations. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. RESULTS: Of the 50 subjects, 25(50%) were in each of the two groups. Cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein and depression values were significantly better in group A than in group B (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Potential benefits of combined doses of chamomile and saffron were found in depressive patients by improving metabolic alterations.

[Effect of compound chamomile and lidocaine hydrochloride gel on oropharyngeal complications after the use of laryngeal mask airway with positive pressure ventilation].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of compound chamomile and lidocaine hydrochloride gel on oropharyngeal complications after the use of laryngeal mask airway with positive pressure ventilation. Methods: A total of 64 patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia using laryngeal mask airway (LMA) with positive pressure ventilation in Beijing Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University From January to March 2023 were prospectively selected and divided into two groups by the random number table method: normal saline group (n=32), with 18 males and 14 females, aged 28-64 (48.4±10.6) years, and the compound chamomile and lidocaine hydrochloride gel group (chamomile gel group, n=32), with 18 males and 14 females, aged 24-64 (46.3±10.8) years. Patients in both groups received total intravenous anesthesia. Before LMA placement, the front, shoulder and back of LMA were lubricated with normal saline and compound chamomile and lidocaine hydrochloride gel in the normal saline group and the chamomile gel group, respectively. The main outcome measure was the incidence of postoperative oropharyngeal mucosal inflammation at different time points after the removal of the laryngeal mask. Secondary outcome measures included oropharyngeal mucositis score, sore throat score, hoarse voice score, cough score and throat dryness score at different time points after LMA removal, the number of LMA insertion times, time of successful insertion and leakage pressure, as well as stress reactions such as cough and agitation before and after LMA removal, and adverse reactions such as tongue numbness and protective pharyngeal reflex limitation during recovery. Results: The incidence of oropharyngeal mucositis in the chamomile gel group was 25.0% (8/32), 31.3% (10/32), 28.1% (9/32) and 3.1% (1/32) at 0.5, 3, 6 and 24 h after LMA removal, respectively, which were lower than those of normal saline group [53.1% (17/32), 59.4% (19/32), 59.4% (19/32) and 21.9% (7/32)] (all P<0.05). The oropharyngeal mucositis scores of patients in the chamomile gel group were 0 (0, 0.8), 0 (0, 1.0), 0 (0, 1.0) and 0 (0, 0) respectively at 0.5, 3, 6 and 24 h after LMA removal, which were lower than those in the saline group [1.0 (1.0, 1.8), 1.0 (0, 2.0), 1.0 (0, 2.0) and 0 (0, 0)] (all P<0.05). The cough score of the patients in the chamomile gel group was 0 (0, 0) and 0 (0, 0) at 3, 6 h after LMA removal, which were lower than those of the normal saline group [(0, 0) and 0 (0, 0)] (both P<0.05). The throat dryness score of the patients in the chamomile gel group was 0 (0, 1.0) at 3 h after LMA removal, which was lower than that of the normal saline group [1.0 (0.3, 1.0)] (P=0.019). The time of successful LMA insertion in the chamomile gel group was 25.0 (20.3, 29.8) s, which was shorter than that in the saline group [29.0 (25.0, 32.0) s] (P=0.016). There were no significant differences in the number of LMA insertion, leakage pressure, postoperative sore throat and hoarse voice scores between the two groups (all P>0.05). Likewise, there were no stress reactions such as cough and agitation before and after LMA removal, and no adverse reactions such as tongue numbness and limited protective pharyngeal reflex during recovery. Conclusion: Compound chamomile and hydrochloride lidocaine gel can reduce the incidence of postoperative oropharyngeal mucositis, relieve the symptoms of postoperative oropharyngeal mucositis, pharyngeal dryness and cough, and improve the postoperative comfort of patients using the laryngeal mask airway with positive pressure ventilation.

Effect of Chamomile Vaginal Gel on the Sexual Function in Postmenopausal Women: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a common complaint among postmenopausal women, which is largely because of the genitourinary syndrome in these women (GSM). AIM: Considering the phytoestrogenic effects of chamomile, the present study was primarily aimed to investigate the effect of chamomile vaginal gel on the sexual function of postmenopausal women. The side effects of these drugs were evaluated as a secondary outcome of the study. METHODS: This randomized double-blind clinical trial and placebo-controlled study was conducted on postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction (FSFI ≤26.55). To this aim, 96 postmenopausal women were randomly assigned into three groups (n = 32 each) including women receiving (i) chamomile vaginal gel 5%, (ii) conjugated estrogen vaginal cream, and (iii) placebo vaginal gel, for 12 weeks (ie, every night in the first 2 weeks, and 2 nights per week in the next 10 weeks, each night 1 g was used). The sexual function was measured using female sexual function index (FSFI) before and after the intervention. Data analysis was performed by chi-square, one-way ANOVA, descriptive statistics, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and paired t test using SPSS software version 22. P < .05 was considered statistically significant. OUTCOMES: The main study outcome measure was evaluate the effects of vaginal administration of chamomile gel in comparison with conjugated estrogen cream and placebo gel on postmenopausal FSD using the FSFI. RESULTS: The findings showed that chamomile vaginal gel in compared to placebo vaginal gel caused a significant improvement in all six sexual function domains and the total FSFI score (effect size = +2.9 [95% CI, +2.1 to +3.6], P < .001). Also, there was no significant difference between the chamomile vaginal gel and conjugated estrogen vaginal cream groups in terms of the total score and all sub-domains of sexual function with the exception of orgasm (effect size = +0.13 [95% CI, -0.36 to +0.63], P = .02) and sexual satisfaction (effect size = 0 [95% CI, -0.49 to +0.49], P = .04). Two women in the chamomile group and one in the placebo group experienced a burning sensation (P = .345). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: This treatment can be considered as a treatment option for postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction who have contraindications to the use of hormone therapy. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: This study is the first study to investigate the effectiveness of chamomile vaginal gel on sexual function in postmenopausal women. However, in this study, treatment duration was 12 weeks and no follow up was performed beyond this time CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, the use of vaginal chamomile gel improved sexual function in postmenopausal women. Bosak Z, Iravani M, Moghimipour E, et al. Effect of Chamomile Vaginal Gel on the Sexual Function in Postmenopausal Women: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. J Sex Med 2022;19:983-994.

Chamomile decoction mitigates high fat diet-induced anxiety-like behavior, neuroinflammation and cerebral ROS overload.

An abundant literature suggests that obesity-associated with taking a high fat diet is related to an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. However, metabolic disorders may be involved in the induction of the anxiogenic-like symptoms. The current study was designed to elucidate the mechanisms by which a high fat diet (HFD) can cause several complications in the WISTAR rats (Rattus norvegicus) brain. Oxidative stress and inflammation as well as the putative protection afforded by chamomile decoction extract (CDE) were also studied.The results demonstrated that the increased body and brain weight, acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activities as well as hypercholezterolaemia in response to HFD taking were correlated with anxiogenic-like symptoms. Moreover, HFD feed caused a brain oxidative stress characterized by increased lipoperoxidation, inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activities such as SOD, CAT and GPx, depletion of a non-enzymatic antioxidant such as sulfhydryl groups and GSH. Importantly, the results also show that HFD also provoked a cerebral overload in reactive oxygen species such as OH•, H2O2 and O2∙- as well as brain inflammation assessed by the overproduction of cytokines such as IL-1ß and IL-6.Interestingly, all neurobehavioral changes and all the biochemical and molecular disturbances were abolished in HFD-fed rats treated with CDE.Our results provide clear evidence that obesity and depression as well as anxiety are finely correlated and that M. recutita's decoction may prove to be a potential therapeutic agent to mitigate the behavioral disorders, the biochemical alterations and the neuroinflammation associated to the obesity.

The effect of topical chamomile in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis: A randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To clinically assess the effectiveness of topical chamomile oral gel in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A parallel single-blind randomized clinical trial conducted on 45 patients who were undergoing chemotherapy. Patients were assigned to three equal groups. Group I received conventional symptomatic treatment that included antifungal agents (Miconaz oral gel, Medical Union Pharmaceuticals), topical anesthetics, and anti-inflammatory agent (BBC oral spray, Amoun Pharmaceutical Company) three times per day for three weeks, group II received 3% chamomile topical oral gel, whereas group III patients were given both conventional symptomatic treatment and chamomile topical oral gel. All patients were clinically assessed for pain and oral mucositis severity at three separate time intervals: 1 week, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks. RESULTS: Most patients experienced oral mucositis with more severity reported in the conventional group (grade III = 6.7%) compared to the other two groups, neither of which developed more than grade II. Mean pain scores showed no significant difference between the groups, but intragroup analysis showed that pain score increased in the conventional treatment group more than the other two groups. CONCLUSION: Topical chamomile 3% gel has demonstrated in this study to lower the severity of the mucositis with lower pain scores compared to the other two groups.

Effect of chamomile oil on the intensity of nonspecific low back pain in prehospital emergency technicians.

INTRODUCTION: Low back pain (LBP) are prevalent in prehospital emergency (PE) technicians. This study aimed to investigate effect of chamomile oil on the intensity of LBP in PE technicians. METHODS: In this three-blind randomized clinical trial study, 90 PE technicians with LBP were randomly assigned to three groups: intervention, placebo and control. Intervention and placebo used 1.5 cc oil of chamomile and paraffin respectively, in lumbar region, three times a day for three weeks. Control group did not receive any intervention. Pain intensity and its interference with daily activities were measured by brief pain inventory (BPI), before intervention and end of first, second, and third weeks. RESULTS: Intervention group showed a significant drop in pain intensity and pain interference with daily activities at end of first, second, and third week (p < 0.001). At the end of first and second weeks, the mean pain reduction in intervention was significantly higher than that in placebo and control (p < 0.001), but at end of third week, there was no significant difference between three groups in this respect (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Topical chamomile oil application can reduce the intensity of LBP in PE technicians and its impact on their daily activities for a period of two weeks.

Action of Matricaria recutita (chamomile) in the management of radiochemotherapy oral mucositis: A systematic review.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of topical chamomile in the prevention and/or treatment of oral mucositis (OM) in cancer patients. It was a systematic review, which sought articles of the randomized clinical trial according to the PRISMA parameters, registered in the PROSPERO. The databases used were PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Bireme. Descriptors were selected from DeCs/MeSH and the PICO strategy was applied. The search found 148 publications. After all the steps, six articles were selected. The total sample included 492 patients and all studies used the same OM measurement scale. The results showed that the application of topical chamomile was effective in the prevention and/or treatment of OM in four of the six studies, with a dose ranging from 1% to 2.5% and duration that ranged from single to 4 times a day. Some limitations were observed: the minimum age of the patients was not informed, and there was no specification of the sites involved or the chemotherapies used. The application of topical chamomile in the preventive/therapeutic of chemo-induced OM seems to be recommended. In addition, scientific production should be encouraged, as it aims to determine useful protocols for this phytotherapy for the oncology population.

Chamomile: A Review of Its Traditional Uses, Chemical Constituents, Pharmacological Activities and Quality Control Studies.

Matricaria chamomilla L. (MC) and Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All. (CN) are two varieties of Chamomile. These herbs have been used for thousands of years in Greece, Rome and ancient Egypt. Chamomile has been used for the treatment of stomach problems, cramps, dermatitis, and minor infections. The purpose of this study was to introduce the botanical characteristics and geographical distribution, traditional uses, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, toxicity studies and quality control studies, and lay a theoretical foundation for the rational development and utilization of chamomile. This review powered that chemical constituents include flavonoids, coumarins, volatile oils, terpenes, organic acids, polysaccharides, and others. These compounds possess anticancer, anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, antioxidant, hypolipidaemic, hypoglycaemic, antihypertensive, antidepressant, neuroprotective activities, among others. Chamomile is a widely used herb in traditional medicine. It brings great economic value due to its numerous pharmacological effects and traditional uses. However, more toxicity tests should be carried out to confirm its safety. There is need for further research to provide concrete scientific evidence and validate its medicinal properties.

[Compound Chamomile and Lidocaine Hydrochloride Gel applied at different time-windows for premature ejaculation: A prospective single-center randomized controlled study].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of Compound Chamomile and Lidocaine Hydrochloride Gel (CCLH) (Kamistad) applied at different time-windows on premature ejaculation (PE). METHODS: This prospective study included 72 PE patients treated by application of CCLH to the glans and penile body in our hospital from February to October 2021. According to the time of drug administration before insertion into the vagina, we randomly divided the patients into a 5-minute group (n = 39) and a 15-minute group (n = 33). Before and after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment, we compared the intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT), PE diagnostic tool (PEDT) score, quality of life, and adverse reactions between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Totally 62 of the patients completed the follow-up, 35 in the 5-minute group and 27 in the 15-minute group, and all showed significant improvement in IELT (P < 0.01) and PEDT score (P < 0.05) after treatment compared with the baseline. No allergic reactions, such as redness and swelling, developed at the application site in any of the patients, and no adverse significant effect was observed on the erectile hardness in 61 of the cases. Six cases showed increased erectile hardness instead. Fifty-seven of the patients experienced no obvious penile numbness or reduced sexual satisfaction, and all could complete their sexual activities. CONCLUSION: Compound Chamomile and Lidocaine Hydrochloride Gel applied at different time-windows is effective on PE, with a 5-minute rapid onset of action before intercourse, and no obvious adverse effects.

Untargeted UHPLC-MS metabolic profiling as a valuable tool for the evaluation of eggs quality parameters after dietary supplementation with oregano, thyme, sideritis tea and chamomile on brown laying hens.

INTRODUCTION: Bioactive constituents of medicinal-aromatic plants used as feed additives may affect the metabolic profile and oxidative stability of hen eggs. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of dietary supplementation with a mixture of dried oregano, thyme, sideritis tea and chamomile on laying hen performance, egg quality parameters, and oxidative stability in the egg yolk were monitored. METHODS: In this trial 432 hens were allocated in two treatments (unsupplemented vs. supplemented with the mixture) and fed for 42 days. Eggs were collected at the end of the trial period, egg yolk was separated, extracted, and the total phenolic content (TPC) and oxidative stability was measured. Furthermore, LC-MS metabolic profile of eggs was studied and pathway analysis was elaborated in MetaboAnalyst to facilitate annotation of features. RESULTS: Overall, egg production and feed conversion ratio were not affected by the supplementation. However, eggs from the supplemented treatment showed improved shell thickness and strength, and yolk resistance to oxidation. Moreover, LC-MS metabolomic analysis of egg yolk of supplemented and unsupplemented layers showed significant variations and tight clustering in unsupervised principal component analysis due to different chemical profiling of egg yolk. LC-MS study showed that secondary metabolites of aromatic plants did not transfer into yolk, nevertheless the feed supplementation impacted the pathway metabolism of tyrosine, phenylalanine, propanate, and the biosynthesis of aminoacyl-tRNA, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan. CONCLUSIONS: The dietary supplementation of layers with a mixture of dried medicinal aromatic plants affected shell thickness and strength, the lipid and protein oxidative stability and increased tyrosine and phenylalanine content in eggs.

Effects of chamomile extract nasal drop on chronic rhinosinusitis treatment: A randomized double blind study.

OBJECTIVES: Recently, more attention has been paid to herbal treatment in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients. Chamomile (Matrricaria chamomilla) has extensive clinical uses in traditional-Persian medicine for its therapeutic properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of chamomile extract on the clinical symptoms of patients with CRS in a university hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a randomized double-blind placebo-group clinical trial, 74 CRS patients were examined by an otolaryngologist blinded to the study groups, and the effects of treatment (according to SNOT-22 questionnaire) and possible complications recorded. Statistical analysis performed using SPSS software version 21, and level of significance considered as P < 0.05. RESULTS: Of the 74 patients (31 females and 43 male), 37 cases randomized in the intervention and 37 cases in the placebo group. The Lund-Mackay score, clinical findings in endoscopic nasal examination and mean score of the SNOT-22 were not significantly different at baseline visit between the two study groups. The adjusted mean score of quality of life during the four time periods in the intervention group (34.3, confidence interval of 95%: 31.8-36.7) was significantly lower than that of control group (45.9, confidence interval of 95%: 43.5-48.4) (P-value = 0.001). Also, clinical improvement in endoscopic nasal examination was significant in intervention group compared with placebo group. CONCLUSION: Chamomile extract is effective in further reducing the clinical symptoms and improving the quality of life of CRS patients.

Swabs Containing Tea Tree Oil and Chamomile Oil Versus Baby Shampoo in Patients With Seborrheic Blepharitis: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: The comparison of the efficacy of swabs containing tea tree oil and chamomile oil and baby shampoo (BS) in the treatment of seborrheic blepharitis was aimed. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, active control, multicenter clinical trial included patients with seborrheic blepharitis using block randomization (BS, n=23; swabs, n=26). Patients were treated with BS or swabs for 8 weeks followed by 4 weeks of treatment withdrawal. Change in Blepharitis Symptom measure (BLISS), Demodex count, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score, Schirmer test, tear breakup time (TBUT), noninvasive TBUT (NI-TBUT), corneal staining, and meibography at different visits (baseline, fourth, , and 12th week) were the main outcome measures. RESULTS: Patients in both groups showed similar baseline parameters (P>0.05). Patients using swabs showed significantly lower BLISS scores compared with patients using BS at the 4th, 8th, and 12th week visits (3.6±6.1 vs. 6.3±4.5 P=0.011; 1.1±2.8 vs. 6.6±6.7, P<0.001; 0.9±2.8 vs. 5.7±6.6, P=0.002, respectively). Patients using swabs showed improvement in OSDI scores after 8 weeks of treatment compared with the baseline visit (P<0.001). Despite a similar Demodex reduction effect in both treatment arms even after 4 weeks of treatment (P<0.001), both treatment modalities did not show any effect on the other parameters. CONCLUSION: Although both swabs and BS showed efficacy for the treatment of seborrheic blepharitis in terms of the Demodex reduction and symptomatic improvement, swabs may provide better symptomatic improvement. Four weeks of treatment discontinuation may not cause any recurrence in the symptoms or Demodex infestation.

Comparative Analysis of Phenolic Composition of Six Commercially Available Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) Extracts: Potential Biological Implications.

Several phytochemical-containing herbal extracts are increasingly marketed as health-promoting products. In particular, chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) is well known for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antitumor properties. Here, we evaluated differences in chemical composition among six commercially available products and their potential impact on biological activity in human immortalized colonocytes. Our investigation encompassed: (i) preparation of dry extracts and yield evaluation; (ii) qualitative and quantitative analysis of phenol content; (iii) modulation of redox state; and (iv) bioavailability of main bioactive compounds. We demonstrated that apparently identical products showed huge heterogeneity, in terms of yield extraction, chemical composition, and antioxidant effects. All samples contained high amounts of flavonoids and cinnamic acid derivatives, but differentially concentrated in the six extracts. Depending on polyphenol content, chamomile samples possessed variable antioxidant potential, in terms of decreased radical generation and increased reduced glutathione levels. The observed effects might be ascribed to flavones (apigenin, luteolin, and their glycones) highly represented in the six extracts. Nonetheless, chamomile extracts exerted cytotoxic effects at high concentrations, suggesting that a herbal medicine is not always safe. In conclusion, due to the complexity and variability of plant matrices, studies evaluating effectiveness of chamomile should always be accompanied by preliminary characterization of phytochemical composition.

Enhancing the Potentiality of Trichoderma harzianum against Pythium Pathogen of Beans Using Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla, L.) Flower Extract.

Our present study was designed to investigate the role of both Trichoderma harzianum and chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) flower extract in mutual reaction against growth of Pythium ultimum. In vitro, the activity of chamomile extract was found to reduce the radial growth of Pythium ultimum up to 30% compared to the control. Whereas, the radial growth reduction effect of T. harzianum against P. ultimum reached 81.6% after 120 h. Data also showed the productivity of total phenolics and total flavonoids by T. harzianum, was 12.18 and 6.33 mg QE/100 mL culture filtrate, respectively. However, these compounds were determined in chamomile flower extract at concentrations of 75.33 and 24.29 mg QE/100 mL, respectively. The fractionation of aqueous extract of chamomile flower using HPLC provided several polyphenolic compounds such as pyrogallol, myricetin, rosemarinic acid, catechol, p-coumaric acid, benzoic acid, chlorogenic acid and other minor compounds. In vivo, the potentiality of T. harzianum with chamomile flower extract against Pythium pathogen of bean was investigated. Data obtained showed a reduction in the percentage of rotted seed and infected seedling up to 28 and 8%, respectively. Whereas, the survival increased up to 64% compared to other ones. There was also a significant promotion in growth features, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, total polyphenols and flavonoids, polyphenol-oxidase and peroxidase enzymes compared to other ones. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reported studies that included the mutual association of fungus, T. harzianum with the extract taken from the chamomile flower against P. ultimum, either in vitro or in vivo. In conclusion, the application of both T. harzianum and/or M. chamomilla extracts in the control of bean Pythium pathogen showed significant results.

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of Four Medicinal Mediterranean Plants: Investigation of Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity.

With everyday advances in the field of pharmaceuticals, medicinal plants have high priority regarding the introduction of novel synthetic compounds by the usage of environmentally friendly extraction technologies. Herein, a supercritical CO2 extraction method was implemented in the analysis of four plants (chamomile, St. John's wort, yarrow, and curry plant) after which the non-targeted analysis of the chemical composition, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity was evaluated. The extraction yield was the highest for the chamomile (5%), while moderate yields were obtained for the other three plants. The chemical composition analyzed by gas chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) and liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) demonstrated extraction of diverse compounds including terpenes and terpenoids, fatty acids, flavonoids and coumarins, functionalized phytosterols, and polyphenols. Voltammetry of microfilm immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode using square-wave voltammetry (SWV) was applied in the analysis of extracts. It was found that antioxidant activity obtained by SWV correlates well to 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhidrazine (DPPH) radical assay (R2 = 0.818) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay (R2 = 0.640), but not to the total phenolic content (R2 = 0.092). Effective results were obtained in terms of activity showing the potential usage of supercritical CO2 extraction to acquire bioactive compounds of interest.