Content and composition of the essential oil of Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert from some European countries

Abstract

Variations in the essential oil composition of Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert from different European countries were determined. A total of 39 components were identified, representing over 92% of the total oil yield. The principal biologically active compounds in chamomile oils were bisabolol oxide A (3.1–56.0%), α-bisabolol (0.1–44.2%), bisabolol oxide B (3.9–27.2%), cis-enyne-bicycloether (8.8–26.1%), bisabolon oxide A (0.5–24.8%), chamazulene (0.7–15.3%), spathulenol (1.7–4.8%) and (E)-β-farnesene (2.3–6.6%). In 8 chamomile samples from 13, bisabolol oxide A (27.5–56.0%) was predominant (among them in three Estonian samples). α-Bisabolol (23.9–44.2%) was predominant in the samples from Moldova, Russia and the Czech Republic. The sample from Armenia was rich in bisabolol oxide B (27.2%) and chamazulene (15.3%). The oils were obtained in yields of 0.7–6.7 mL kg⁻¹ and the minimum limit of 4 mL kg⁻¹ stated by the European Pharmacopoeia was exceeded only in 13 samples from 13 analysed drugs.

Keywords:

• Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert
• essential oil composition
• bisabolol oxide
• α-bisabolol
• European Pharmacopoeia

Acknowledgement

Financial support for the work reported here was provided by the Estonian Science Foundation (Grant No. 4332).