Chamomile
The Modest Chamomile
Chamomile, also called German or Hungarian chamomile, is known by the Latin binomial Matricaria chamomilla. Synonyms M. recutita and Chamomilla recutita are also used.
Native to Eastern and Southern Europe, chamomile carries a rich cultural significance as chamomile flower extracts have been used traditionally to help with anxiety, insomnia, headaches, sore throat, skin irritations, eye irritation.
Matricaria chamomilla genus is an herbaceous plant, cultivated for commercial purposes as its flowers have perfumed, coloring, and flavoring properties. These characteristics find applications in markets such as aromatherapy, personal care, pharmaceuticals, perfume, food, beverages.
The phytochemical composition of this genus varies and the key constituent is α-Bisabolol, a sesquiterpene alcohol, found in the flower buds. Although present in other medicinal plants, α-Bisabolol was first extracted from Matricaria chamomilla. α-Bisabolol is used as a skin conditioning agent due to its skin soothing effects. Synthetic bisabolol is also available, developed to address purity, limited supply, and sustainability.
References
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/chamomile
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9002489/