Effect of chamomile aromatherapy on pain and anxiety management in hospital settings: A scoping review

INTRODUCTION: Inadequate management of pain and anxiety can prolong hospitalization and increase healthcare costs. Integrative and Complementary Health Practices (ICHP) emerge as safe, accessible, and easily applied alternatives or complements to conventional treatments. Aromatherapy utilizing chamomile essential oil is highlighted for its sedative, anxiolytic, and analgesic properties. OBJECTIVE: To map the existing knowledge regarding the use of chamomile essential oil aromatherapy in the management of pain and anxiety in hospitalized patients within hospital settings. METHOD: A scoping review was conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines and reported following the PRISMA-ScR checklist. RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included in this review. The literature is predominantly recent (2020-2025) and geographically concentrated in Iran (41.1%). The most frequently represented clinical settings were obstetrics and cardiology (29.4% each). The most evaluated outcomes were anxiety and pain; reductions in these symptoms were reported in 58.8% and 41.1% of the studies, respectively. Chamomile demonstrated efficacy in consistently reducing anxiety, as well as a mild yet significant analgesic effect. Furthermore, the intervention resulted in improved vital signs and hemodynamic stability, with a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure in cardiac patients. German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) was the most cited species. No significant adverse events were reported in the studies, reinforcing the favorable safety profile of chamomile. CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy with chamomile essential oil presents promising results in the management of pain and anxiety in hospital environments, as well as in the improvement of vital signs.