The benefits of chrysanthemum tea

Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat is a perennial flowering plant widely cultivated for use in a tea infusion and as a popular beverage due to its desirable taste and aroma.

As a mixture with other herbs, it has been claimed to be able to relieve migraines and eye irritation, improve vision, and cure keratitis.

The essential oils in chrysanthemum include borneol, camphor, and cineole, as well as other aromatic compounds. The flavones are considered valuable for promoting circulation; they may also have a role in protecting the lens of the eye in diabetic patients (by inhibiting the enzyme aldose reductase). The essential oils have antimicrobial activity and may explain the use of chrysanthemum for treating skin infections; the herb is considered especially useful for inhibiting staphylococcus.

Apart from the traditional usages, there are also reports of other usage, such as antitumor activities. Further, it has reported health benefits as chrysanthemum flowers possess anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, sedative, anti-arthritic,and anti-hypertensive effects.

The curing rates of ulcerative colitis and hypertension are reported to be more than 90% and 80% respectively. Chrysanthemum water extract was found to significantly inhibit growth of transplanted tumor in nude mice, suggesting that the water-soluble components of chrysanthemum may have potent chemopreventive effects.

It was also proved to be effective to inhibit the agglutination of blood platelet and promote the myocardial blood circulation and white cell phagocytosis, and therefore it was used to treat many diseases such as furuncle.

Although chrysanthemum is considered to be a “mild” herb and almost with no side effect in traditional medical practice, adverse effect has been reported with its flowers, and leaves may cause skin dermatitis.

Chrysanthemum flowers have also been demonstrated to produce various types of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and lignans, which have exhibited diverse biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, neuro-protective, and anti-allergic activities.

The properties and concentrations of such constituents are responsible for the functional characteristics of chrysanthemum.

The benefits of chrysanthemum tea

Chrysanthemum tea

Chrysanthemum indicum has been used as a herbal medicine, which is prescribed for anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic purposes and the treatment of eye disease in Chinese traditional preparations.

Chrysanthemum tea is prepared in the same way as traditional tea. The dried flowers are infused with hot water for over 10 min, and the tea is ready to serve.

For clinical usage, the chrysanthemum is boiled either alone or together with various other herbs, according to the prescriptions to suit a specific clinical purpose. Chrysanthemum tea has high amounts of B carotene which are present in the yellow part and the fruit. The B carotene is converted in Vitamin A in the liver. This kind of Vitamin A is helpful in treating skin problems and increasing the immunity power.

Based on traditional usage, in addition to use as a tea, C. morifolium is used for the common cold, fever, migraines, conjunctivitis, eye, irritation, hypertension, ulcerative colitis, vertigo, ophthalmia with swelling and pain, etc.

Chrysanthemum is first recorded in Chinese literature in the 7th Century BC when the yellow flowers were used in Chinese traditional medicine.

Drinking Chrysanthemum tea was seen to promote longevity, perhaps even immortality. The Chrysanthemum is also considered to symbolize the Confucian scholar.
Chrysanthemum tea