''Chamaemelum nobile'', commonly known as chamomile (also spelled camomile), is a low

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

found in dry fields and around gardens and cultivated grounds in Europe, North America, and South America. Its synonym is ''Anthemis nobilis'', with various common names, such as Roman chamomile, English chamomile, garden chamomile, ground apple, low chamomile, mother's daisy or whig plant.T. K. Lim ''C. nobile'' is a source of the herbal product known as

chamomile Chamomile (American English) or camomile (British English; see spelling differences) ( or ) is the common name for several plants of the family Asteraceae. Two of the species, ''Matricaria recutita'' and ''Anthemis nobilis'', are commonly us ...

using dried flowers for

flavoring A flavoring (or flavouring), also known as flavor (or flavour) or flavorant, is a food additive used to improve the taste or smell of food. It changes the perceptual impression of food as determined primarily by the chemoreceptors of the gus ...

teas or as a

fragrance An aroma compound, also known as an odorant, aroma, fragrance or flavoring, is a chemical compound that has a smell or odor. For an individual chemical or class of chemical compounds to impart a smell or fragrance, it must be sufficiently ...

used in

aromatherapy Aromatherapy is based on the usage of aromatic materials including essential oils and other aroma compounds, with claims for improving psychological and physical well-being. It is offered as a complementary therapy or as a form of alternative ...

. Chamomile has no established medicinal properties.

Description

''Chamaemelum nobile'' has daisy-like white flowers and procumbent stems; the leaves are alternate, bipinnate, finely dissected, and downy to glabrous. The solitary, terminal flowerheads, rising above the ground, consist of prominent yellow disk flowers and silver-white ray flowers. The flowering time in the Northern Hemisphere is June and July, and its fragrance is sweet, crisp, fruity and herbaceous. Although the plant is often confused with German chamomile (''

Matricaria chamomilla ''Matricaria chamomilla'' (synonym: ''Matricaria recutita''), commonly known as chamomile (also spelled camomile), German chamomile, Hungarian chamomile (kamilla), wild chamomile, blue chamomile, or scented mayweed, is an annual plant of the co ...

''), its morphology, properties and chemical composition are markedly different.

Etymology

The word chamomile and the genus name ''Chamaemelum'' derive from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

χαμαίμηλον (''chamaimēlon''), "earth-apple", from χαμαί (''chamai''), "on the ground" + μήλον (''mēlon''), "apple", so-called because of the apple-like scent of the plant. The plant obtained the name "nobile" (Latin "noble" ) because of its putative therapeutic properties, which were believed to be better than those of the German chamomile (''Matricaria chamomilla'' L.).

History

Roman chamomile (''C. nobile'' L.) has a history of use in

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...

since the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. The European cultivation of the plant started in England in the 16th century. The plant was listed first in the pharmacopoeia of Würtenberg as a carminative, painkiller, diuretic and digestive aid. Joachim Camerarius was the first to discover and name ''chamaemelum nobile'' in 1598 in Rome. In Egypt, ''chamaemelum nobile'' was used as a symbol of dedication to their gods.

Conservation

''Chamaemelum nobile'' is listed as least concern on the

Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biologi ...

but the plant population trend in the UK is decreasing at a significant rate. This decline in the ''Chamaemelum nobile'' population was caused by the drainage of wet grasslands, decrease in grazing, and the reduction of pasture that was used as arable fields. There is speculation that wild plant collecting could also be a cause of this species population decline. Although the species population is declining there are a few plants placed in at least one land and water protected area. There are no educational awareness programs, international legislations, or international management for this species.

Uses

Extracts or dried flowers of ''Chamaemelum nobile'' are used in hair care and

skincare Skin care is a range of practices that support skin integrity, enhance its appearance, and relieve skin conditions. They can include nutrition, avoidance of excessive sun exposure, and appropriate use of emollients. Practices that enhance appea ...

products. The plant may be used to flavor foods, in

herbal tea Herbal teas, also known as herbal infusions and less commonly called tisanes (UK and US , US also ), are beverages made from the infusion or decoction of herbs, spices, or other plant material in hot water. Oftentimes herb tea, or the plain term ...

s, perfumes, and cosmetics. It is used in

in the belief it is a calming agent to reduce

stress Stress may refer to: Science and medicine * Stress (biology), an organism's response to a stressor such as an environmental condition * Stress (linguistics), relative emphasis or prominence given to a syllable in a word, or to a word in a phrase ...

and promote

sleep Sleep is a sedentary state of mind and body. It is characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and reduced interactions with surroundings. It is distinguished from wakefulness by a de ...

. Chamomile essential oil contains

sesquiterpene Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and often have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be cyclic or contain rings, including many unique combinations. Biochemical modificat ...

terpene Terpenes () are a class of natural products consisting of compounds with the formula (C5H8)n for n > 1. Comprising more than 30,000 compounds, these unsaturated hydrocarbons are produced predominantly by plants, particularly conifers. Terpenes ...

lactone Lactones are cyclic carboxylic esters, containing a 1-oxacycloalkan-2-one structure (), or analogues having unsaturation or heteroatoms replacing one or more carbon atoms of the ring. Lactones are formed by intramolecular esterification of the co ...

s (including the blue compound,

chamazulene Chamazulene is an aromatic chemical compound with the molecular formula C14H16 found in a variety of plants including in chamomile (''Matricaria chamomilla''), wormwood (''Artemisia absinthium''), and yarrow (''Achillea millefolium''). It is a b ...

), acetylene derivatives, and

polyphenol Polyphenols () are a large family of naturally occurring organic compounds characterized by multiples of phenol units. They are abundant in plants and structurally diverse. Polyphenols include flavonoids, tannic acid, and ellagitannin, some o ...

s, which contribute to the fragrance and may be extracted individually. It can be used to create a fragrant chamomile lawn. A chamomile lawn needs light soil, adequate moisture, and sun to thrive. Each square meter contains 83–100 plants. The lawn is only suitable to light foot traffic or in places where mower access is difficult.

Folk medicine and adverse effects

Although used in

folk medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...

, there is no scientific evidence it has any medicinal uses. Alternative medicine practices approved in Germany include use of chamomile as a

topical medication A topical medication is a medication that is applied to a particular place on or in the body. Most often topical medication means application to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes to treat ailments via a large range of classes ...

or inhalant for mouth and respiratory tract irritations. Chamomile is likely unsafe for use during pregnancy, and its topical use for skin disorders may cause

contact dermatitis Contact dermatitis is a type of acute or chronic inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to chemical or physical agents. Symptoms of contact dermatitis can include itchy or dry skin, a red rash, bumps, blisters, or swelling. These rashes are ...

. There are no known interactions with prescription drugs. Consuming chamomile tea may adversely affect anticoagulant drugs.

Other names

The plant has diverse common names, among which ''Roman chamomile'' or ''sweet chamomile'' are used during the 21st century.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5723577 Anthemideae Herbs Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus