Chemical Properties
Chamomile oil is obtained by steam distillation of the dried flowers of the so-called English or Roman chamomile,
Chamaemelum nobile. It has a strong, aromatic odor, characteristic of flowers. The odor is extremely diffusive, but it has little tenacity.
The flavor of the oil is somewhat bitter, chemical or medicinal, but has also been described as fruity-herbaceous and warm.
Physical properties
It is a light-blue or light-blue-greenish liquid. The color may change with age to greenish-yellow
or yellow-brown. It is almost completely soluble in mineral oil. It is soluble with some haziness, in propylene glycol, but it is insoluble
in glycerin.
Occurrence
Found in the flowers of the plant Anthemis nohilis L. (Fam. Compositae).
Uses
chamomile oil is considered a capillary wall constrictor, an antiallergenic agent, and antiseptic, cooling, analgesic, emollient, and healing. It is considered useful for treating burns and skin inflammations as well as dermatitis, and beneficial for acne, dry, or supersensitive skins. The active principles are a pale blue volatile oil (which can turn yellow with time), a little anthemic acid, tannic acid, and a glucoside. The volatile oil, obtained through distillation, is lost in the preparation of the extract. The whole plant is odoriferous and of value, but the flower heads are primarily credited with therapeutic benefits. Because the chief botanical virtue of the plant lies in the central disk of the yellow florets and in the cultivated double form of the white florets, the botanical properties of the single, wild chamomile are considered to be the most powerful.
Uses
Flowers in herbal teas. Extracts and oils in perfumery; as flavor in foods and alcoholic beverages; hair dye.
Definition
Extractives and their physically modified derivatives. Anthemis nobilis, Compositae.
Preparation
By steam distillation of the dried flowers of Anthemis nohilis L.
Essential oil composition
The chief constituents of chamomile oil Roman are n-butyl angelate and isoamyl angelate
Safety Profile
Low toxicity by
ingestion and skin contact. A rmld allergen.
A skin irritant. See aIso ESTERS.
Combustible when heated. When heated todecomposition it emits acrid smoke and
irritating fumes.
