Essential Oils

Chamomile German - Matricaria recutica

Family: Asteraceae (Compositae}

Synonyms: M. chamomilla, chamomile, blue chamomile, matricaria, Hungarian chamomile, sweet false chamomile, single chamomile, chamomile blue (oil).

General Description.
An annual, strongly aromatic herb, up to 60 cms tall with a hairless, erect, branching stem. It has delicate feathery leaves and simple daisy-like white flowers on single stems. In appearance it is very similar to the corn chamomile (Anthemis arvensis) but can be distinguished from it because the latter is scentless.

Distribution
Native to Europe and north and west Asia; naturalized in North America and Australia. It is cultivated extensively, especially in Hungary and eastern Europe, where the oil is produced. It is no longer grown in Germany despite the herbal name.

Other Species
There are many varieties of chamomile, such as the pineapple weed (Chamaemelium suaveolens) and the Roman chamomile (C.nobile), both of which are used to produce an essential oil.

Herbal/ Folk Tradition

This herb has a long-standing medicinal tradition, especially in Europe for 'all states of tension and the viseral symptoms that can arise therefrom, such as nervous syspepsia and nervous bowel,tension headaches, and sleeplessness; especially useful for all children's conditions, calming without depressing...

An excellent skin care remedy, it has many of the same qualities as Roman chamomile, except that its anti-inflammatory properties are greater due to the higher percentage of azulene.

Actions:
Analgesic, anti-allergenic, anti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic, antispasmodic,bactericidal, carminative, cicatrisant, cholagogue, digestive, emmenagogue, febrifuge, fungicidal, hepatic, nerve sedative, stimulant of leucocyte production, stomachic, sudorific, vermifuge, vulnerary.

Extraction
Essential oil by steam distillation from the flower heads (upm to 1.9 per cent yield). An Absolute is also produced in small quantities,which ias a deeper blue colour and has greater tenacity and fixative properties.

Characteristics
An inky-blue viscous liquid with a strong, sweetish warm-herbaceous odour. It blends well with Germanium, lavender, patchouli, rose, benzoin, neroli, bergamot, marjoram, lemon, ylang ylang, jasmine, clary sage and labdanum.

Principal Constituents
Chamazulene,farnesene,bisabolol oxide, en-yndicycloether,qamong others. (NB The chamazulene is not present in the fresh flower but is only produced during the process of distillation.)

Safety data
Non-toxic, non-irritant; causes dermatitis in some individuals.

Aromatherapy/Home Use

• Skin care: Acne, allergies, boils, burns, cuts, chilblains, dermatitis, earache, eczema, hair care, inflammatipon, insect bites, rashes, sensitive skin, teething pain, toothache, wounds.
• Circulation muscle and joints:Arthritis, inflamed joints, muscular pain, neuralgia, rheumatism, sprains.
• Digestive system: Dyspepsia, colic, indigestion, nausea.
• Genito urinary system: Dysmenorrhoea, menopausal problems, menorrhagia.
• Nervous System: Headache, insomnia, nervous tension, migraine and stress-related complaints.
• Other Uses:Used in pharmaceutical antiseptic ointments and in carminative, antispasmodic and tonic preparations. Extensively used in cosmetics, soaps, detergents, high-class perfumes and hair and bath proiducts. Used as a flavour ingredient in most major food categories, including alocholic and soft drinks.

Reference: Julia Lawless: The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils