Isolation of herniarin and other constituents from Matricaria chamomilla flowers

Abstract

Matricaria chamomilla L. (Asteraceae) flowers on hydrodistillation yielded an essential oil and on extraction with organic solvents afforded a biologically active coumarin, herniarin (1). The extracts also yielded oleanolic acid (2), stigmasterol (3), β-sitosterol (4) and its glucoside (5), of which 2, 4 and 5 are being reported for the first time from M. chamomilla. Complete spectral data of herniarin (1) are reported. © Swets & Zeitlinger.