Moderate evidenceChamomile
Matricaria chamomilla
Overview
At a glance
A flowering botanical traditionally used as a tea and medicinal herb, with human research most relevant to sleep quality and generalized anxiety symptoms.
Key takeaway
Chamomile is not one standardized intervention: species, preparation, extraction and whether it is consumed as tea or concentrated extract can change how the evidence should be interpreted.
Common uses studied
RelaxationSleepDigestive comfortAnxiety
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Identity
What is this herb?
Family
Asteraceae
Species
Matricaria chamomilla
Common names
ChamomileGerman chamomileMatricaria
Plant parts used
Flower heads
Identification notes
Chamomile refers to more than one species. German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) are distinct plants; most of the clinical evidence summarized here concerns German chamomile.
Background
Traditional context
Traditions
Traditional European herbal useTraditional Chinese medicineHistorical medicinal use in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome
Historical uses
RelaxationDigestive comfortBedtime useTopical soothing
Traditional use should be distinguished from modern clinical evidence.
Preparations
Forms & preparations
Forms
Tea or infusionPowdered herbOral extractStandardized extractTopical preparationsMouthwash
Preparation methods
InfusionExtract preparation
What changes between forms
- Tea is an infusion and is not chemically equivalent to a concentrated extract.
- Extracts can differ substantially in concentration and chemical profile.
- Multi-herb products cannot automatically be evaluated using evidence for chamomile alone.
Some of the more relevant anxiety trials used concentrated oral chamomile extracts rather than ordinary tea.
Research
Research Explorer
Each question summarizes what human research has examined, how it was studied, and the main limitations — not a treatment recommendation.
Can chamomile improve sleep quality?
Population
Adults in clinical trials, including healthy and clinical populations.
Intervention
Different chamomile preparations.
Comparator
Control or placebo.
Outcomes studied
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality IndexSleep durationSleep onsetAwakeningsSleep efficiencyDaytime functioning
Evidence assessment
Promising but heterogeneous.
Limitations
- Different preparations
- Different populations
- Small evidence base
- High heterogeneity in pooled sleep-quality analysis
Does chamomile treat insomnia?
Population
Adults studied in clinical trials.
Intervention
Different chamomile preparations.
Comparator
Control or placebo.
Outcomes studied
Insomnia severitySleep-related outcomes
Evidence assessment
Insufficient and inconclusive.
Limitations
- Very limited insomnia-specific trials
- One RCT in the 2019 review found no significant improvement
- Tea-specific evidence is limited
Can chamomile extract reduce generalized anxiety symptoms?
Population
Adults studied in randomized clinical trials.
Intervention
Oral chamomile extracts.
Comparator
Placebo or control.
Outcomes studied
Hamilton Anxiety Rating ScaleGeneralized anxiety symptoms
Evidence assessment
Promising but preliminary.
Limitations
- Small number of controlled trials
- Concentrated extract preparations
- Limited replication
- Results should not automatically be generalized to tea
Sources
Does chamomile reduce state or situational anxiety?
Population
Adults in randomized clinical trials.
Intervention
Chamomile preparations.
Comparator
Control or placebo.
Outcomes studied
State anxiety
Evidence assessment
Limited and uncertain.
Limitations
- Few trials
- No significant pooled effect in the 2019 review
Does chamomile improve digestive symptoms?
Population
People studied in clinical research involving chamomile or chamomile-containing preparations.
Intervention
Chamomile preparations and, in some studies, multi-herb products.
Comparator
Control or placebo.
Outcomes studied
Digestive symptoms
Evidence assessment
Insufficient for a firm conclusion.
Limitations
- Traditional use is broader than the clinical evidence
- Some evidence involves multi-herb products
Sources
Latest evidence
Recently published research
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These publications are automatically discovered from Europe PMC. They have not necessarily been independently reviewed by HerbParlor and are not automatically incorporated into the evidence assessment.
Evidence
Evidence
Promising but limited and preparation-dependent.
Evidence tier
Moderate
Confidence
Moderate for research signals around sleep quality and generalized anxiety symptoms; lower for translating those findings to ordinary chamomile tea or all chamomile preparations.
Last evidence review
2026-09-15
Where the evidence is strongest
Sleep qualityGeneralized anxiety symptoms
How to interpret this
Chamomile has a credible human research signal, especially for sleep quality and generalized anxiety symptoms, but much of the stronger evidence comes from specific extracts rather than ordinary tea.
Automatic evidence update
Since the last editorial review
Checking for publications published since the last editorial evidence review…
This automatic update detects newly published literature; it does not replace HerbParlor's editorial evidence assessment. Review status is an automatic triage signal. Curated HerbParlor evidence is unchanged until editorial review.
Boundaries
What the evidence does NOT establish
Areas with limited evidence
- State anxiety
- Insomnia
- Digestive indications
- Many other promoted uses
Evidence gaps
- Tea-specific clinical evidence
- Tea versus extract comparisons
- German versus Roman chamomile comparisons
- Optimal preparation
- Dose-response
- Long-term use
- Broader populations
Safety
Safety & interactions
General considerations
- Chamomile is generally considered likely safe in amounts commonly found in foods and teas.
- Short-term medicinal oral use appears reasonably tolerated, but evidence remains limited.
Pregnancy & nursing
Medication interactions to be aware of
WarfarinSome medicines metabolized by the liverSedativesPotential interaction with oral contraceptives
Condition considerations
- Allergy to ragweed or related Asteraceae plants
- Estrogen-sensitive conditions
Reported adverse effects
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Allergic reactions
- Rare severe hypersensitivity reactions
Duration
Talk to a healthcare professional if any apply
- Known Asteraceae or ragweed allergy
- Warfarin use
- Multiple medications
- Sedative medication use
- Pregnancy
- Breastfeeding
- Estrogen-sensitive conditions
Products
What changes between products?
Form differences
- Tea is an infusion and is not chemically equivalent to a concentrated extract.
- Extracts can differ substantially in concentration and chemical profile.
- Multi-herb products cannot automatically be evaluated using evidence for chamomile alone.
Form considerations
- Tea and concentrated extract should not be compared solely by milligram amount.
- Multi-herb blends should be evaluated as formulations rather than attributed entirely to chamomile.
Plant part considerations
- Prefer clear disclosure of the botanical material used.
Extract considerations
- Identify the extract and extraction approach where disclosed.
Standardization considerations
- Record stated constituent standardization where available.
- Do not infer clinical superiority from a single constituent number.
Evaluation
How to evaluate a supplement
What to check
- Species
- Plant material
- Preparation
- Extract identity
- Standardization
- Additional ingredients
- Testing information
Serving considerations
- For tea, inspect plant amount and brewing instructions.
- For extracts, compare the actual preparation with the research intervention.
Testing considerations
- Look for identity and contaminant testing.
- Look for batch or lot traceability.
Label transparency
- The product should clearly identify species, preparation and major ingredients.
Categories
Related categories
Explore the HerbParlor categories this herb is grouped under.
Ingredients
Related ingredients
Recipes
Related recipes
Sources
Authoritative sources referenced
- Chamomile
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health · 2024-11-01 · accessed 2026-09-15
- Chamomile for anxiety, sleep, and related outcomes — systematic review and meta-analysis
PubMed · 2019 · accessed 2026-09-15
- Chamomile and sleep quality — systematic review and meta-analysis
PubMed · 2024 · accessed 2026-09-15
- Chamomile extract for mild-to-moderate generalized anxiety disorder — randomized controlled trial
PubMed · 2009 · accessed 2026-09-15
- Chamomile extract and relapse prevention in generalized anxiety disorder — randomized controlled trial
PubMed · 2016 · accessed 2026-09-15
Sections reviewed
overviewbotanicaltraditionalContextpreparationsresearchevidencesafetyproductEvaluationrelationships
Added species-aware botanical context, tea-versus-extract distinctions, outcome-specific research assessments, safety considerations, and preparation-aware product evaluation.
This profile is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Traditional context and research summaries are distinguished from claims, and nothing here is a treatment recommendation. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using any herb, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, take medication, or have a medical condition.