Chamomile oil, blue

Oil of Chamomile—German. Hungarian chamomile oil blue chamomile oil. Volatile oil from flowers of Matricaria chamomitla L., Compositae. 

Camomile oil Chamomile flower, Hungarian, oil Chamomile flower oil Chamomile oil, blue Chamomile oil, Hungarian Hungarian chamomile flower oil Matricaria chamomilla Matricaria chamomilla flower oil Matricaria chamomilla oil... 

Chamomile oil, blue. See Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower oil Chamomile oil, English. See Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) oil Chamomile oil German. See Matricaria (Chamomilla recutita) oil Chamomile oil, Hungarian. See Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower oil Chamomile oil, Roman. See Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) oil... 

SYNS BLUE CHAMOMILE OIL CAMOMILE OIL GERMAN CPLtMOMILE-GERMAN OIL O GERMAN CHAMOMILE OIL HUNGARIAN CHAMO aLE OIL KAKELLENOEL OILS, CHAMOMILE, GERJVLMS ... 

Roman chamomile oil (English chamomile oil) is produced from the dried flowers of Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All. (Anthemis nobilis L.). It is a light blue or light greenish-blue liquid with a strong aromatic odor characteristic of the flowers. 

Most A. isolated from plants are artefacts formed during work-up, e.g., by steam distillation of essential oils, from certain colorless sesquiterpenes, the pro-azulenes. Especially rich in A. [e. g., chamazulene (di-methulene), C,4H,6, Mr 184.28, blue oil, bp. 161 °C (1.2 kPa)] are the essential oils of mugwort and chamomile. Furthermore, chamomile oils contain guajaz-ulene [azulone, CijHig, Mr 198.31, blue-violet platelets, mp. 31 C, bp. 167-168°C (1.2 kPa),... 

Roman chamomile oil Yellow to light greenish blue oil with a fresh, sweet herb-like odor with nuances of tea. 

Synonyms Blue chamomile oil Camomile oil German Chamomile oil German German chamomile oil Hungarian chamomile oil Matricaria oil Wild chamomile oil... 

Eoman chamomile oil, which is the oil oflBcial in the Britidi Pharmacopeia, is obtained to the extent of 1 per cent, from the recently dried flowers. It is distilled in England, especially at Mitcham, Sutton, and Long Melford. When first distilled it is of a blue colour, but usually turns to a greenish or greenish-yellow colour on keeping. It has a characteristic flavour and odour, but not of the nature to justify its use in perfumery. Its characters are as follows... 

Certain compounds present in the essential oil can be changed by the steam. This can be ill strated by comparing a steam-distilled extract with that of the solvent extract. In rose extracts compounds such as phenylethyl alcohol make up a major proportion of the solvent-extracted material, but this is practically all lost in the steam distillation extract as it dissolves in the water. However, the process can be advantageous in German chamomile, where matricin is decomposed to form the characteristic blue compound chamazulene. 

The German chamomile essential oil is much favoured by aromatherapists but is quite expensive. A good indication of a genuine German essential oil is its dark blue colour due to the presence of the compound chamazulene. Synthetic chamazulene is sometimes added to the cheaper Moroccan chamomile, which is then sold as German. 

The GC analysis data show samples of German chamomile, Matricaria recutica, with a presence of chamazulene at 3.27% (Fig 7.10). Typical values would be in the range of 2.5-7.5%. Analysis of the Roman/English, Anthemis nobilis (Fig. 7.11), does not show any chamazulene as it is below the level (0.01%) that would be detected by the GC analysis. However, the oil itself may show a pale blue tint due to traces of chamazulene. 

Blue chamomUe oil (German C.) Blue oil that quickly turns green to brown under the action of light and air and finally changes to a brown viscous mass. It has a sweet-aromatic, herby odor with a fresh fruity tone of cocoa and an aromatic bitter taste. Production By steam distillation from chamomile flowers. ... 

Their main occurrence is also in essential oils, usually in combination with monoterpenes, although they have higher melting points. Essential oil of Roman chamomile, Anthemis nobilis (Asteraceae), contains the blue-coloured sesquiterpene chamazulene, while German chamomile Chamomilla recutita) contains the anti-inflammatory sesquiterpenes bisabolol and bisabolol oxides. 

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