CCXI. - The constituents of the flowers of Matricaria Chamomilla

Abstract

The material employed for this investigation consisted of the flower-heads of Matricaria Chamomilla, Linné, commonly known as the German chamomile. In addition to a deep blue essential oil, which deposited a very small amount of umbelliferone methyl ether, the flowers were found to contain the following compounds : (1) salicylic acid, together with, apparently, an octoic acid; (2) apigenin, C15H10O5; (3) a glucoside of apigenin, which could not be obtained in a crystalline state; (4) umbelliferone methyl ether, C10H8O3, and a crystalline product (m. p. 237-239°), which possessed the characters of a mixture of umbelliferone and a dihydroxycoumarin ; (5) choline, C5H 15O2N; (6) triacontane, C30H62; (7) a phytosterol, C27H46O; (8) a phytosterol glucoside, C33H56O6; (9) palmitic, stearic, cerotic, oleic, and linolic acids, together with an indefinite mixture of volatile fatty acids. The flowers contained, furthermore, a quantity of sugar, which yielded d-phenylglucosazone, melting at 208°. The amount of fatty and resinous material, from which some of the above-mentioned substances were obtained, was equivalent to 5.9 per cent. of the weight of flowers employed. In comparing the constituents of the flowers of Matricaria Chamomilla (German Chamomile) with those of the flowers of Anthemis nobilis (Roman or English Chamomile), which have recently been investigated by the present authors (this vol., p. 1829), it may be observed that whilst some of the compounds are common to both, there are also considerable differences.