Chrysanthemum – proven benefits, uses

Chrysanthemum

The scientific name of the chrysanthemum is Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. It is also known as Mansanilla, Rosas de Japon, and Ju hua, Chu hua.

Chrysanthemum is similar to manzanilla in botanical description, but usually taller. Flowering heads are white or variously colored, up to 10 centimeters or more in diameter, and composed of numerous rows of ray-flowers.

Distribution

– Cultivated for ornamental purposes.

– Native of China.

Constituents

– Flowers yield adenine 0.023 %, choline 0.017 %,, and traces of stachydrine.

– Leaves yield adenine 0.016 %, a trace of choline and stachydrine 0.006 %.

– Study yielded flavonoids, caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, phenolics and a monoterpenoid glucoside.

Medicinal Properties of chrysanthemum

– Considered aromatic, cooling, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, febrifuge, demulcent, hypotensive.

– The ordinary cultivated varieties is considered beneficial to the blood and circulation and to preserve vitality.

Parts used

Leaves and flowers.

Uses
Folkloric traditional medicine uses, benefits and remedies with chrysanthemum

– Plant is used like manzanilla.

– Decoction of leaves and flowers used for stomachache and as an enema.

– Flowers are prescribed for colds, headaches and inflamed eyes. For the same afflictions, pillows are filled with flowers and leaves.

– White variety considered especially useful in preserving hair from falling out or turning grey.

– Flowers soaked in wine, producing “chrysanthemum wine,” is used for a variety of digestive, circulatory and nervous difficulties.

– Dew collected from the flowers is held in repute to preserve and restore vital functions.

– Decoction of flowers used for promotion of menses, as a wash for infected and cancerous sores, and as fomentation for enlarged glands.

– Mixed with Japanese honeysuckle for the treatment of hypertension.

– In traditional Chinese medicine, used for hypertension, angina, fevers, inflammation, and cancer.

– In East Asia, traditionally used for poor eye sight, dizziness, blurred vision, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, chronic inflammation.
Others

How to make Chrysanthemum Tea / Chrysanthemum Tea recipe:

Steep the flowers gently in hot water for no more than 10 minutes in a closed vessel, to preserve the essential oil.

Scientific proven health benefits and uses of Chrysanthemum

Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors / Flowers / reduces the production of uric acid, and indicated for treatment of hyperuricemia and many related medical conditions including gout:

Study on the MeOH extract of flowers of C. sinense yielded a new flavone glucoside, acacetin 7- O-(3- O-acetyl- beta- D-glucopyranoside) together with 27 known compounds. Compounds displayed significant xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity in a concentration-dependent manner, greater than the allopurinol control.

Antioxidant:

Study isolated two dicaffeoylquinic acids from C. morifolium which were found to show strong antioxidant activities in the DPPH radical and superoxide anion radical scavenging systems.

Flavonoids / Volatiles:

Study of flavonoids and volatiles in the C. morifolium Ramat flowers yielded 8 flavonoids and 58 volatiles. Luteolin-7-glucoside and quercitrin were the most abundant flavonoids accounting for 85.7% of the detected flavonoids. B-humulene was the most abundant volatile. The health benefits of C. morifolim may be related to the abundant flavonoids and volatiles.

Antimicrobial:

Study of extracts of seven species of C. morifolium Ramat showed 9 of 21 extracts with antimicrobial activity against S aureus, while 3 had activity against methicillin resistant Staph aureus.

Toxicity Study:

Study of CM extract in rats showed no toxicological changes in the acute toxicity and long-term toxicity studies and is considered to be safe in general to rats at limited dose level.

Vasorelaxant Effect / Reduction in tension of the walls of the blood vessels.:

Study showed the CME induces both endothelium-dependent and independent relaxation.

Neuroprotective:

Study showed that CM possesses potent neuroprotective activity with a potential for application in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s diseases.

Neuroprotective Against Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury:

Study evaluating the neuroprotective effect of total flavones extracted from C. morifolium showed pretreatment with TFCM provided significant protection against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats, at least in part, by its antioxidant action and consequent inhibition of mitochondrial swelling.

Bone Marrow Toxicity with Chrysanthemum Flower and Azathioprine:

C. sinense is a known inhibitor of XO (xanthine oxidase) and its coadministration with azathioprine is likely to result in an increase in shunting of 6-MP to form 6-TGN metabolites which are incorporated into DNA resulting in decreased WBC replication/activation which can facilitate apoptosis of WBCs.

Availability

Wild-crafted.

Herbs, granules, flower extracts, tea bags in the market.

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