Chamomile roman

Plant from the Asteraceae (Compositae) family, native to southern and western Europe, but also cultivated in central Europe.

The flowers (chamomile flowers - Matricariae flos) are used phytotherapeutically. The essential oil is also used medicinally (chamomile oil - Oleum chamomillae).

The commercially available drug comes from imports from Hungary, Argentina and Egypt.

Chamaemelum nobile is the parent plant of Chamomillae romanae flos. of chamomile flowers (Ph.Eur.8; negative monograph of Commission E).

Chamomillae romanae aetheroleum, the essential chamomile oil (INCI name: Anthemis nobilis oil), is obtained from the flower heads by steam distillation.

HMPC monograph: traditional use: symptomatic treatment of mild, cramp-like gastrointestinal complaints, flatulence

In addition to various other sesquiterpene lactones, Roman chamomile contains the important nobilin, flavonoids, the allergen alpha-pinene, limonene and bisabolol.

Nobilin, the main sesquiterpenlactone, as well as epoxynobilin, isohydroxynobilin and 3-dehydronobilin are potential contact allergens. A verification of their allergenic effect is still pending. Sensitizing potency: Medium. Frequency of sensitization: Rare. Composite allergy sufferers (florists, gardeners) occasionally show a positive reaction to Roman chamomile.

A 1% short ether extract in vaseline is used for epicutaneous testing. Furthermore, a 0.1% nobilin epicutaneously can be tested. Cross-reactions with other composites are frequent.

1. Hausen BM, Vieluf K (1997) Allergy plants, plant allergens. Ecomed Verlag Landsberg/Munich p. 90-91
2. Paulsen E (2002) Contact sensitization from Compositae-containing herbal remedies and cosmetics. Contact Dermatitis 47: 189-198
3. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/index.php?en_pflanzen=10
4. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-community-herbal-monograph-chamaemelum-nobile-l-all-flos_en.pdf