Helps in Cancer Prevention
Chamomile contains the bioactive chemical apigenin, a bioflavonoid compound known to have anti-cancer properties. This naturally occurring chemical under the flavone class is also found in many fruits and vegetables, including celery, parsley, grapefruit, oranges, wheat sprouts, and onions.
A 2017 study published in Current Pharmacology Reports dubs apigenin an emerging anti-cancer agent. The plant flavone possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cancer cell-preventing properties. Epidemiologic and clinical research suggest that it can reduce the risk of some cancers, particularly breast, colorectal, gastric, ovarian, and endometrial cancers.
Apigenin in chamomile achieves its cancer-fighting benefits by inducing apoptosis or cell death among cancer cells, but it does not do the same to normal cells. It still causes minimal toxicity to healthy cells, but its apoptotic effects are more pronounced in cancer cells.
Ongoing research initiatives seek to explore apigenin’s role as an epigenetic modulator capable of controlling cancer cell growth. The healthcare research community views it as one of the most promising cancer prevention natural products. What’s good to know is that anyone can already start taking advantage of apigenin by consuming chamomile tea habitually.
