My weekly trip into town for shopping frequently includes a stop into Home Depot, at least during gardening season. I’m always on the lookout for the pallets of broken bags of soil amendments as well as the flowers and shrubs that the vendor puts on clearance. Last week’s finds included three large yellow perennial chrysanthemums for $2.50 each. This week I got another 20, smaller albeit, for $10. And coincidentally, in the K-drama that I’m currently watching, in several of the scenes the characters are drinking chrysanthemum tea. So I got to wondering about the potential medicinal benefits, if any.
And it turns out that there are quite a few. While chrysanthemum tea hasn’t been used much in the Western hemisphere, particularly for medicinal purposes, it has a rich history in Asia. Unfortunately, this doesn’t translate into much in the way of modern scientific research to support current medicinal usage. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be used and it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lot to learn about chrysanthemum’s potential to help in a time of need.
Early modern research into chrysanthemum’s medicinal uses support its historical usage as an anti-inflammatory.[1] [2] And it has significant anti-oxidant properties as well.[3]
Chrysanthemum tea is going to be one of the easiest herbal remedies for people to prepare. The flowers are readily recognized, and because the medicine is in the flower, you know you’re harvesting it at the right time. And because the medicine is in the tea, it is also so easy to prepare. On top of that, it even has a pleasant, sweet taste to it, very similar to chamomile tea. Chrysanthemum leaves are a good source of vitamins A and K, folate, iron, and manganese.[4]
HARVEST
Pick the flowers, wash well, and let them dry for several days.
PREPARATION
Boil water and then let it cool until it’s about 100°F. Add 3-6 whole flowers for each cup of tea. Let steep for 5 minutes. Strain and add sweetener, if desired.[5]
MODERN USAGE
· Cardiovascular
o Hypertension (essential oil inhalation) [6]
· Gastrointestinal
o Colon cancer[7]
o Liver injury (chemical, alcohol-, and drug-induced liver injury)[8]
· Musculoskeletal
o Osteoporosis[9]
o Rheumatoid arthritis[10]
· Neurological
o Anxiety[11]
HISTORICAL USAGE
· Cardiovascular
· Eye
· Neuromuscular
o Arthritis
· Respiratory
o Colds
o Fever[20]
CONTRAINDICATIONS
Chrysanthemum tea should not be used in therapeutic doses by pregnant or nursing women. Occasional culinary use is fine.
CAUTION
Chrysanthemum tea should not be used by individuals allergic to members of the ragweed family.
[1] Bui Thi Thuy Luyen, et al., Anti-inflammatory components of Chrysanthemum indicum flowers, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, January 2015, Vol 25 No 2, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25497988/ (accessed 4 October 2021).
[2] Zhang Nan, et al., Insights into the importance of dietary chrysanthemum flower (Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Hangju)-wolfberry (Lycium barbarum fruit) combination in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, Food Research International, February 2019, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30717012/ (accessed 4 October 2021).
[3] Yanfang Li, et al., Chemical compositions of chrysanthemum teas and their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, Food Chemistry, July 2019, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30827670/ (accessed 4 October 2021).
[4] Chrysanthemum leaves, raw, Nutrition facts and calories, https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2778/2 (accessed 4 October 2021).
[5] Elea Carey, How chrysanthemum tea benefits your health, Healthline.com, 12 October 2017, https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/how-chrysanthemum-tea-benefits-health#How-to-Make-Chrysanthemum-Tea (accessed 4 October 2021).
[6] Da-Som Kim, et al., Effect of volatile organic chemicals in Chrysanthemum indicum Linne on blood pressure and electroencephalogram, Molecules, August 2018, Vol 23 No 8, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6222417/ (accessed 25 September 2021).
[7] Yuan-Yuan Xie, et al., Cytotoxic activity of flavonoids from the flowers of Chrysanthemum morifolium on human colon cancer Colon205 cells, Journal of Asian Natural Products Research, September 2009, Vol 11 No 9, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20183323/ (accessed 4 October 2021).
[8] Zixia Tian, et al. Chrysanthemum extract attenuates hepatotoxicity via inhibiting oxidative stress in vivo and in vitro, Food & nutrition research, Vol 63, April 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6475127/ (accessed 4 October 2021).
[9] Jong Min Baek, et al., Dual Effect of Chrysanthemum indicum Extract to Stimulate Osteoblast Differentiation and Inhibit Osteoclast Formation and Resorption In Vitro", Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014, https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2014/176049/ (accessed 4 October 2021).
[10] Jong Min Baek, et al., Dual Effect of Chrysanthemum indicum Extract to Stimulate Osteoblast Differentiation and Inhibit Osteoclast Formation and Resorption In Vitro", Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014, https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2014/176049/ (accessed 4 October 2021).
[11] Sa-Ik Hong, et al., Anxiolytic effects of Chrysanthemum indicum aqueous extract in mice: possible involvement of GABA receptors and 5-HT1A receptors, Biomolecules and Therapeutics, July 2012, Vol 20 No 4, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3762266/ (accessed 27 September 2021).
[12] Huidi Jiang, et al., Chrysanthemum morifolium attenuated the reduction of contraction of isolated rat heart and cardiomyocytes induced by ischemia/reperfusion, Pharmazie, Juy 2004, Vol 59 No 7, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15296097/ (25 September 2021).
[13] Da-Som Kim, et al., Effect of volatile organic chemicals in Chrysanthemum indicum Linne on blood pressure and electroencephalogram, Molecules, August 2018, Vol 23 No 8, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6222417/ (accessed 25 September 2021).
[14] Jang D.S., et al., Antimicrobial activities of sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Hemisteptia lyrata, Chrysanthemum zawadskii, and Chrysanthemum boreale, J. Korean Soc. Agric. Chem. Biotechnol, Vol 42 No 2, 1999, https://www.koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO199903043020661 (accessed 27 September 2021)
[15] Sa-Ik Hong, et al., Anxiolytic effects of Chrysanthemum indicum aqueous extract in mice: possible involvement of GABA receptors and 5-HT1A receptors, Biomolecules and Therapeutics, July 2012, Vol 20 No 4, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3762266/ (accessed 27 September 2021).
[16] Jinyan Gong, et al., Comparison of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activities of fifteen Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat cv. Hangbaiju in China, Antioxidants (Basel), August 2019, Vol 8 No 8, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6720787/ (accessed 25 September 2021).
[17] Jang D.S., et al., Antimicrobial activities of sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Hemisteptia lyrata, Chrysanthemum zawadskii, and Chrysanthemum boreale, J. Korean Soc. Agric. Chem. Biotechnol, Vol 42 No 2, 1999, https://www.koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO199903043020661 (accessed 27 September 2021)
[18] Sa-Ik Hong, et al., Anxiolytic effects of Chrysanthemum indicum aqueous extract in mice: possible involvement of GABA receptors and 5-HT1A receptors, Biomolecules and Therapeutics, July 2012, Vol 20 No 4, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3762266/ (accessed 27 September 2021).
[19] Sa-Ik Hong, et al., Anxiolytic effects of Chrysanthemum indicum aqueous extract in mice: possible involvement of GABA receptors and 5-HT1A receptors, Biomolecules and Therapeutics, July 2012, Vol 20 No 4, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3762266/ (accessed 27 September 2021).
[20] Jang D.S., et al., Antimicrobial activities of sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Hemisteptia lyrata, Chrysanthemum zawadskii, and Chrysanthemum boreale, J. Korean Soc. Agric. Chem. Biotechnol, Vol 42 No 2, 1999, https://www.koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO199903043020661 (accessed 27 September 2021)
29 october 2023
Could the flowers be dried in a dehydrator if we still have power?
ReplyDeleteThanks for this!
Most definitely. And if we don't have electricity, hopefully the sun will still be working.
Delete