Migraine is a chronic recurring
headache for which no complete treatment has been found yet. Therefore, finding new treatment approaches and medicines is important. In this review, we consider the probable mechanism of action of a traditional and ethnic formulary of
chamomile extract in
sesame oil as a new topical medication for
migraine pain relief. Chamomile oil is prepared in Traditional
Persian Medicine by boiling aqueous extract of chamomile in
sesame oil. To optimize the procedure, we can use a Clevenger-type apparatus to extract the
essential oil and add it to the end product. The preparation includes both
essential oils (
chamazulene and
bisabolol oxide) and
polyphenols (a
flavonoid such as
apigenin and its derivatives). It probably possesses
pain relief effects for
migraines because of the following properties: (1)
chamazulene and
apigenin, which inhibit iNOS expression in activated macrophages and can lead to the prohibition of NO release and synthesis; (2) chamomile
flavonoids, which have a strong inhibitory effect on endogenous
prostaglandin E2 (
PGE2) levels in RAW 264.7 macrophages and can play the role of selective
COX-2 inhibitor; (3) chamomile
polyphenols, which possess anti-inflammatory effects due to the inhibition of pro-inflammatory
biomarkers in THP1 macrophages and which can reduce
inflammation in neurovascular units (NVU) at the site of
migraine pain; (4) chamomile, which has
neuroprotective effects because of reduced NO levels; (5) sesamine in
sesame oil, which possesses an anti-inflammatory effect. These effects are supported by main pathophysiological theories of
migraine such as neural and sensitization theories. Chamomile oil is a traditional formulation still used in Iran as an ethno-medicine. Because of the mentioned mechanisms of action, it can be hypothesized that chamomile oil is a novel medicine for the relief of
migraine pain.