Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), a 20–80 cm herb, has aromatic flowers with anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and carminative effects, treating ulcers, skin issues, and colds. Its compounds, like chamazulene and apigenin, provide antioxidant and anxiolytic benefits, with apigenin highly potent.

Compounds Table

Compound	Approximate Percentage	Brief Description
Alpha-Bisabolol	5-50%	Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, sedative
Chamazulene	1-15%	Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-allergic
Apigenin	0.5-1.2%	Antispasmodic, anxiolytic, sedative
Matricin	0.1-0.5%	Anti-inflammatory, chamazulene precursor
Flavonoids	3-5%	Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective
Coumarins	0.3-0.8%	Anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory
Tannins	1-2%	Astringent, antibacteria

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Chamomile (Matricaria recutita): Scientific and Pharmacological Review

Chamomile consists of the dried flowers of Matricaria recutita, belonging to the Asteraceae family.
This annual herbaceous plant grows between 20 to 80 cm in height and is commonly found in the wild along the edges of fields and gardens, roadsides, barren lands, and shaded areas.

Medicinal Part:

The medicinally active part of the plant is the flower heads, which are distinguished by their strong, characteristic aroma. These flower heads also possess a distinct bitter taste.

Uses:

Chamomile exhibits anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and carminative properties and is used in the prevention and treatment of gastric ulcers. It is also applied as an antibacterial, antifungal, sedative, and mild laxative. Additionally, chamomile is effective in treating skin inflammations, diaper rash in infants, and cracked nipples.

In traditional medicine, chamomile has been utilized as an anti-inflammatory agent, a remedy for oral ulcers and skin conditions, as well as a treatment for cold symptoms and headaches.

Pharmacological Effects:

The pharmacological activity of chamomile is attributed to two main groups of active compounds:

Lipophilic compounds with prominent anti-inflammatory properties, such as sesquiterpenes (e.g., chamazulene and matricin).
Hydrophilic compounds with spasmolytic properties, including flavonoids (e.g., apigenin) and coumarins.

The anti-inflammatory activity of chamomile extract is primarily due to matricin (a precursor of chamazulene), bisabolol, and its oxides, which constitute the major bioactive components of the extract. This effect is attributed to their antioxidant properties and their role in inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis and leukotriene formation.

Apigenin has been reported to exhibit a spasmolytic effect that is 92.3 times more potent than papaverine.

Additionally, apigenin inhibits histamine release and suppresses biochemical pathways involving 5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase, such as 12-lipoxygenase. Furthermore, studies have shown that apigenin can bind to benzodiazepine receptors, exerting anxiolytic effects.