Botanical Name - Matricaria Chamomilla Category - Aromatic/Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Flower General Information - Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) is one of the important medicinal herb native to southern and eastern Europe. It is also grown in Germany, Hungary, France, Russia, Yugoslavia, and Brazil. It was introduced to India during the Mughal period, now it is grown in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Jammu and Kashmir. The essential oil present in the flower heads contains azulene and is used in perfumery, cosmetic creams, hair preparations, skin lotions, tooth pastes, and also in fine liquors. The dry flowers of chamomile are also in great demand for use in herbal tea, baby massage oil, for promoting the gastric flow of secretion, and for the treatment of cough and cold. The use of herbal tea preparations eliminated colic in 57% infants. Because of its extensive pharmacological and pharmaceutical properties, the plant thus possesses great economic value and is in great demand in the European countries. Phytochemicals - German chamomile is a natural source of blue oil (essential oil). The flowers and flower heads are the main organs of the production of essential oil. It is remarkable that chamomile flower oil mainly consists of sesquiterpene derivatives (75- 90%) but only traces of monoterpenes. The oil contains up to 20% polyynes. The principal components of the essential oil extracted from the flowers are (E)-Ã?-farnesene (4.9- 8.1%), terpene alcohol (farnesol), chamazulene (2.3- 10.9%), -bisabolol (4.8 - 11.3%), and bisabolol oxides A (25.5 - 28.7%) and -bisabolol oxides B (12.2- 30.9%), which are known for their antiinflammatory, antiseptic, antiplogistic, and spasmolytic properties. Among the various major constituents, Ã?-bisabolol and chamazulene have been reported to be more useful than others. Chamazulene is an artifact formed from matricine, which is naturally present in the flowers during hydrodistillation or steam distillation. The color of the oil determines its quality. Blue color of the oil is due to sesquiterpene. The chamazulene content of the various chamomiles depends on the origin and age of the material. It decreases during the storage of the flowers.