Roman chamomile contains up to 0.6% of sesquiterpene lactones of the germacranolide type, mainly nobilin and 3-epinobilin. The essential oil of Roman chamomile contains less chamazulene and is mainly constituted from esters of angelic acid and tiglic acid. Chamazulene and bisabolol are very unstable and are best preserved in an alcoholic tincture. The principal components of the essential oil extracted from the German chamomile flowers are the terpenoids α-bisabolol and its oxide azulenes including chamazulene and acetylene derivatives. Approximately 120 secondary metabolites have been identified in chamomile, including 28 terpenoids and 36 flavonoids ( 10, 11). Despite fading, the oil does not lose its potency. When exposed to steam distillation, the oil ranges in color from brilliant blue to deep green when fresh but turns to dark yellow after storage. The plant contains 0.24%–1.9% volatile oil, composed of a variety of separate oils. In this review we will discuss the use and possible merits of chamomile, examining its historical use and recent scientific and clinical evaluations of its potential use in the management of various human ailments.ĭifferent classes of bioactive constituents are present in chamomile, which have been isolated and used as medicinal preparations and cosmetics ( 9). German chamomile ( Matricaria chamomilla) and Roman chamomile ( Chamaemelum nobile) ( 8). The hollow, bright gold cones of the flowers are packed with disc or tubular florets and are ringed with about fifteen white ray or ligulate florets, widely represented by two known varieties viz. Chamomile is a native of the old World and is a member of the daisy family ( Asteraceae or Compositae). Chamomile is one of the oldest, most widely used and well documented medicinal plants in the world and has been recommended for a variety of healing applications ( 7). One of the most common herbs used for medicinal purposes is chamomile whose standardized tea and herbal extracts are prepared from dried flowers of Matricaria species. The enduring popularity of herbal medicines may be explained by the tendency of herbs to work slowly, usually with minimal toxic side effects. Herbs have been integral to both traditional and non-traditional forms of medicine dating back at least 5000 years ( 2, 4– 6). The interplay of plants and human health has been documented for thousands of years ( 1– 3). In this review we describe the use of chamomile in traditional medicine with regard to evaluating its curative and preventive properties, highlight recent findings for its development as a therapeutic agent promoting human health. Many different preparations of chamomile have been developed, the most popular of which is in the form of herbal tea consumed more than one million cups per day. Essential oils of chamomile are used extensively in cosmetics and aromatherapy. Chamomile preparations are commonly used for many human ailments such as hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia, ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids. The dried flowers of chamomile contain many terpenoids and flavonoids contributing to its medicinal properties. German Chamomile ( Chamomilla recutita) and Roman Chamomile ( Chamaemelum nobile). It is a member of Asteraceae/ Compositae family and represented by two common varieties viz. Chamomile is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs known to mankind.
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