Neuropharmacological Effects of Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) and its Role in Supporting Mental Health: A Review of Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Evidence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59992/IJESA.2026.v5n9p15Keywords:
Chamomile, Matricaria Chamomilla, Apigenin, GABA-A Receptor, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Sleep Quality, Neuroprotection, Complementary MedicineAbstract
Chamomile is among the oldest and most widely used medicinal plants in folk practice for calming tension and improving sleep. Over the last three decades this traditional use has turned into organized neuropharmacological research. This paper reviews the accumulated knowledge on the mechanisms by which chamomile acts in the central nervous system, and sets that knowledge against what randomized clinical trials have established. The plant carries two main groups of active compounds: the flavonoids, chiefly apigenin, chrysin, luteolin and quercetin, and the sesquiterpenes, foremost α-bisabolol and chamazulene. Apigenin binds competitively to the central benzodiazepine site on the GABA-A receptor, with an inhibition constant close to 4 µmol/L. The picture is wider than a single pathway, however: studies show modulation of the monoamine systems, inhibition of the FAAH enzyme within the endocannabinoid system, suppression of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, activation of the BDNF/ERK/CREB pathway, and reduction of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Clinically, chamomile extract at 1500 mg daily reduced the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, with a response rate of 58.1% over eight weeks. Systematic reviews showed a pooled improvement in sleep quality and in the total anxiety score, while the effect on state anxiety remained statistically non-significant. The safety profile is reassuring: adverse events in 11.7% of participants, with no serious event. The review concludes that chamomile is a promising multi-target agent, which lacks larger clinical trials to define the optimal dose, the duration of treatment, and its place among existing pharmacological options.
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