A very late blog im sorry (Assignment 3)

This is the herb blog from the week that i ended up in the emergency room for my leg. I've been swamped, sorry this is so late Dr. Ruane.

German Chamomile (Matricaria recutierbta)

We all know of Chamomile tea as the soothing tea to drink before we go to bed, but it has long be a remedy for multiple things. This specific type of chamomile, is as the name implies, is found in Germany, and has been found in that area for quite sometime. However it grows all over Europe, and parts of Asia, in temperatures that can sustain the plant. In the ancient times it was used as a treatment for sore stomachs, which it can still be used for today. There are biochemical aspects that aid in treating an upset stomach, however it will not treat acid reflux disease. In ancient times it was ground up into a powder and then ingested. Modern practice is the all known tea. It also serves as a mild anti-inflammatory. And another known ancient use for the herb was the mild sedative traits that the herb shows, mostly used as a sleep aid. This is also the most well known use for the herb today.

In parts of Eastern Europe the herb has even been used for so long its woven its self into the folklore. In Slovakia a folk saying says thats people should bow to the chamomile plant due to its hundreds of years of experience.

An image of the plant in bloom, and not in bloom go here:
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/ger_chamomile.htm

References:
http://www.stevenfoster.com/education/monograph/chamomile.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Chamomile