Evidence supporting the use of: Chrysanthemum
For the body system: Parasympathetic Nervous System

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) is traditionally used in Chinese herbal medicine, most notably as part of formulas aimed at "cooling" the body and supporting overall wellness. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), chrysanthemum is believed to calm the liver, clear the eyes, and relieve headaches or fever. While it is sometimes associated with a calming or balancing effect, there is no explicit traditional doctrine linking chrysanthemum specifically to the Western concept of the parasympathetic nervous system. Rather, its historical use is based on symptom relief that may coincidentally overlap with effects attributed to parasympathetic activation, such as relaxation or reduced stress.

From a scientific standpoint, research on chrysanthemum has focused on its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. There are limited studies suggesting mild sedative or anxiolytic effects in animal models, but these are preliminary and do not directly establish a mechanism involving the parasympathetic nervous system in humans. Thus, the use of chrysanthemum to support the parasympathetic nervous system is primarily justified by tradition, with limited direct scientific validation. Clinical studies specifically investigating its effects on the human autonomic nervous system are lacking. As such, the evidence rating for this use is moderate based on tradition, but low from a scientific perspective.

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