The effect of Chamomile Oil Nasal Drop on Insomnia Severity Index in Managing Short-Term Insomnia in Young Adults: A Series of Case Reports
Keywords:
Chamomile oil, Insomnia, Nasal drops, Roghan-e-Baboona, Sa‘ūṭ, Unani Regimenal TherapyAbstract
Background
Insomnia significantly affects quality of life and often leads to treatment relapse, highlighting the need to explore safe and alternative clinical interventions. Chamomile oil (roghan-e- baboona) nasal drop has extensive clinical uses in traditional-Unani medicine for its therapeutic properties. However, there is currently no clinical evidence supporting their use in treating insomnia. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of chamomile oil on the management of insomnia.
Case Presentation
Seven participants (4 female and 3 male) ages 18-34 were diagnosed with short-term insomnia based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) criteria. They underwent a 14-day treatment with chamomile oil nasal drops before bedtime. Concurrently, two Unani interventions, namely Jawarish Shahi and Habb-e-Muqil, were administered for the management of constipation. Therapeutic response was evaluated using the primary measures (Insomnia Severity Index [ISI] and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) and secondary measures (Quality of Life [QoL] and routine blood test). Results showed statistically significant improvements in ISI and PSQI (p < 0.001 for both scores), whereas QoLS, exhibited marked enhancement (p < 0.007). No participant reported adverse events during or after the study.
Conclusion
This case series suggests that, fourteen days chamomile oil nasal drop before bedtime, could be effective for insomnia. Further studies with larger sample sizes and control groups are needed to determine the efficacy and safety of this treatment for insomnia management.
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References
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Copyright (c) 2026 Meraj, Noushiba Khan, Abdul Rehman M.I., Sadique Husain, S.M. Abbas Zaidi, Almas Furquan (Author)
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