A narrative review on the potential therapeutic benefits of chamomile in the acute care setting

Chamomile has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antinociceptive, antimutagenic, sedative, anxiolytic, antispasmodic properties. While the potential therapeutic benefits of chamomile have been discussed broadly, little is known about the potential utility of chamomile in the acute care setting, namely among postoperative and other hospitalized patients. This narrative review aims to explore the potential benefits of chamomile in the inpatient setting. A PubMed literature search was conducted for original research articles that discussed the clinical application of chamomile toward conditions commonly encountered in the inpatient setting. Study participant population, dosage, type of chamomile preparation, relevant findings, and adverse events were extracted. Potential benefits of chamomile for the inpatient setting were synthesized from pertinent study results. Of the 22 articles selected for review, only five publications enrolled inpatients. Consequently, many conclusions were drawn from outpatient studies. Chamomile may alleviate six commonly encountered inpatient conditions: (1) anxiety and depression, (2) impaired sleep quality, (3) gastrointestinal dysfunction, (4) acute and chronic pain, (5) nausea and vomiting, and (6) diabetes. Reported adverse events were rare and rated mild. This narrative review suggests chamomile may be a promising herbal therapy for a variety of conditions commonly encountered in postoperative and hospitalized patients. •Chamomile may be a promising herbal treatment for use in the acute care setting.•An example where chamomile may benefit hospitalized patients is treating insomnia.•Few studies have examined chamomile use for inpatient and perioperative settings.•Further studies are needed to support claimed benefits of chamomile in acute care.