Matricaria recutita

Scientific name: Matricaria recutita L.

Synonym: Matricaria courrantiana DC.

Botanical family: ASTERACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Colombia:

manzanilla

Honduras:

manzanilla

Guatemala:

manzanilla

Other vernacular names

Colombia:

Manzanilla

Honduras:

Manzanilla

Nicaragua:

Manzanilla

Geographical distribution

Native to Europe and Asia, naturalised throughout the Americas.

Botanical description

Herbaceous annual, erect, highly ramified up to 60 cm. Pinnatisect leaves, with linear segments. Flower heads 2.5 cm
in diameter, on short terminal peduncles; white, emarginate ligules. Achenes with 3 to 5 ribs, not very apparent.

There are significant nomenclature problems associated with the genus and numerous synonyms for the species¹.

Voucher(s)

Girón, 230, CFEH
Ochoa, 317, HPMHV
Ríos, 315, CECALLI

stomach pain

leaf, infusion, orally⁴

diarrhoea

entire plant, decoction, orally^2-3

élimination des lochies

entire plant, decoction, orally²

wind (colic)

entire plant, decoction, orally²

menstrual pain

leaf and flower, infusion, orally⁴

For colic, diarrhoea or cleaning after birth:
prepare a decoction with 30 grams of the whole plant in 4 cups (1 litre) of water, boil for 5 minutes in a covered vessel. Leave to cool, strain (filter) and drink 1 cup 3 times a day.

For menstrual pain or stomach pain:
prepare an infusion by adding 4 cups (1 litre) of boiling water to 30 grams of the whole plant leaves. Cover, leave to settle, strain (filter) and drink 1 cup 3 times a day.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for colic, diarrhoea, stomach pain, menstrual pain and leaning after birth is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys, the toxicity and validation studies, and the scientific information published.

The use of this resource in cases of diarrhoea should be considered complementary to oral rehydration therapy.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or if dehydration with a dry tongue, persistent decreased skin turgor, oliguria or crying without tears patients with diarrhoea, seek immediate medical attention, if the diarrhoea persists for more than 3 days or 1 day in children, seek medical attention.

If deterioration is observed in the patient, the colic or stomach pain persisting for more than 3 days or the menstrual pain for more than 7 days, seek medical attention.

The pollen is potentially allergenic and can induce hypersensitivity reactions in susceptible people.

Not for use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children under 3 years.

TRAMIL Work²⁶
The decoction of dried and ground flowers at 30% (yield: 2.57 mg/ml, maximum volume of 2 ml/100 g; equivalent to 6 g plant material/kg or 514 mg total solids/kg), single dose orally in rats, acute toxicity class model, did not cause death or evident signs of toxicity in the first 24 hours or during the 14 days of observation, nor did it show changes in the histopathological studies.

The LD₅₀ for the leaves orally in rats was 10-20 g/kg²⁷.

The LD₅₀ of the ethanolic flower extract (30%) orally inmice of both sexes was 25 ml/kg¹⁹.

The LD₅₀ of the ethanolic flower extract (80%) from dried flowers intraperitoneally in rats was greater than 4 g/kg²⁸.

The ethanolic extract (40%) from the whole plant (1.6 ml/kg) orally in female rats and rabbits did not produce signs of
embryotoxicity²⁹.

The ethanolic extract (40%) from the whole plant orally in rats produced no signs of chronic toxicity²⁹.

The aqueous extract from the whole plant, orally in rats or dogs for a prolonged period of time, does not produce signs of
teratogenicity³⁰.

The hot aqueous flower extract (150 ml/person) orally can induce allergenic activity³¹.

The LD₅₀ of intramuscular chamazulene was 10 g/kg orally and 3 g/kg. The LD₅₀ of bisabolol was 14.8 g/kg. Neither was
teratogenic at these doses. The LD₅₀ of the essential oil was greater than 5 g/kg^23,32.

Matricaria chamomilla is classified by the USA Food and Drug Administration in the “GRAS” category (Generally Regarded As Safe)³³.

There is no information available documenting the safety of use in children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The flower heads contain essential oil (0.2-1.8%), consisting mainly of: chamazulene (1-15%), (-)-α-bisabolol (10-25%), en-
in-polycycloether (1-10%), 1,8-cineol and various hydrocarbons^5-6.

The plant contains flavonoids: apigenin and derivatives; coumarins: dioxycoumarin, herniarin and umbelliferone; carotenes; vitamin C; salicylic acid and steroids derived from stigmasterol^7-8, apiin, jolin and phytosterol⁹.

TRAMIL Work¹⁰
The hydroalcoholic extract (30%) from the flower headsdecreased the amplitude of spontaneous contractions in the model of isolated rabbit jejunum and inhibited contractions induced by barium chloride, acetylcholine and histamine in the model of isolated guinea pig ileum, in a similar way to papaverine.

TRAMIL Work¹¹
The freeze-dried aqueous extract (decoction), of the whole plant without flowers, in a single dose (1g/kg), was administered orally to 10 male Wistar rats (322.51 ± 7.66 g), with the focused heat thermal analgesia method (tail-flick latency - D’Amour and Smith), caused analgesia one hour after administration of the extract (6.18% of analgesia). There was no statistically significant difference in the absolute values of heat resistance time in the analysis compared to control groups.

TRAMIL Work¹²
The freeze-dried aqueous extract (decoction) from the whole plant without flowers, in a single dose (1 g/kg), was administered orally to Sprague Dawley rats, 5 females (243.22 ± 3.06 g) and 5 males (298.52 ± 4.51 g), and caused an anti-inflammatory effect in the model of carrageenan-induced oedema in the leg,1 and 2 hours after the treatment was administered, compared to the control group. The aqueous extract from dried leaves and stems (0.2 ml/animal) intraperitoneally in mice was active against picrotoxin-induced seizures¹³.

In vitro aqueous and methanolic flower and leaf extracts were active as antispasmodics in rabbit small intestine¹⁴.

The leaf extract orally in rats showed an anti-inflammatory effect (ED50 = 35 moles/kg)¹⁵.

The aqueous extract (decoction) from dried flowers (1102 g/kg) orally in mice was inactive as an anti-ulcerative¹⁶.

The hot aqueous flower extract (1.5% of the diet) for 10 days in partially hepatectomised male rats showed stimulating activity of liver regeneration¹⁷.

The aqueous and ethanolic (95%) extracts from dried flowers (100 μg/ml) in vitro were active against spasms produced by
histamine and barium in guinea pig ileum¹⁸.

The ethanolic extract (30%) from flowers (3%) in vitro was active against histamine and acetylcholine-induced spasms in guinea pig ileum¹⁹.

The ethanolic flower extract (30%) topically (12.5%) was active as an anti-inflammatory in cats. Orally in cats (3.2 ml/kg) and in rats (2.8 ml/kg) it was weakly anti-inflammatory¹⁹.

The ethanolic extract (40%) from flowers (1 ml/animal) orally in male rats was active as a protector against the formation of gastric ulcers and as an adjuvant to their healing²⁰.

The ethanolic extract (30%) from flowers (3%, 0.5 ml/kg), orally in female rats, was inactive as an anti-ulcerative. The same extract administered in rabbit eyes (8%) was active as a local anaesthetic¹⁹.

The aqueous extract (infusion) from the whole plant in vitro increased the tone of the uterus²¹.

The essential oil of the flower has been described as having antibacterial and fungicidal activity on various pathogenic
microorganisms²².

Matricin and chamazulene are attributed with anti-inflammatory activity in experimental arthritis models^1,15,23.

The hydrophilic fraction containing the apigenin and the lipidic fraction containing the α-bisabolol are attributed with
spasmolytic activity^24-25.

The hot aqueous flower extract (150 ml/person) orally can induce allergenic activity³¹.

The LD50 of intramuscular chamazulene was 10 g/kg orally and 3 g/kg. The LD50 of bisabolol was 14.8 g/kg. Neither was
teratogenic at these doses. The LD50 of the essential oil was greater than 5 g/kg^23,32.

Matricaria chamomilla is classified by the USA Food and Drug Administration in the “GRAS” category (Generally Regarded As Safe)³³.

There is no information available documenting the safety of use in children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 RAUSCHERT S, 1974
Nomenklatorische Probleme in der Gattung Matricaria L. Folia Geobot Phytotax Praha 9:249-260.
2 LAGOS-WITTE S, 1988-89, 1996
Encuesta TRAMIL. Laboratorio de Histología Vegetal y Etnobotánica, Dep. de Biología,Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras UNAH, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
3 GOMEZ H, GAITAN R, DIAZ F, 2003
Encuesta TRAMIL (Norte del departamento de Bolívar). Grupo de Productos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas. Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.
4 GIRON L, 1988
Encuesta TRAMIL (Costa atlántica). Centro Mesoamericano de Tecnología CEMAT, Guatemala, Guatemala.
5 FRANZ C, WICKEL I, 1980
Contribution to the heredity of bisaboloids in Chamomilla recutita. (abstract). Planta Med 39:287-288.
6 SALAMON I, 1992
Production of chamomile, Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert, in Slovakia. J Herbs Spices Med Plants 1(1/2):37-45.
7 MANCHENO MN, 1987
La manzanilla dentro del plan terapéutico de tratamiento de la enfermedad diarreica aguda del Ministerio de Salud. Nicaragua. Rescate de la Medicina Popular Tradicional.
8 MERICLI AH, 1990
The lypophilic compounds of a Turkish Matricaria chamomilla variety with no chamazulene in the volatile oil. Int J Crude Drug Res 28(2):145-147.

9 TOPOLOV V, GABROLOV M, YANKOLOV J, 1983
Plantas medicinales and fitoterapia (Bilki and Bilcosvirane). Plovdiv, Bulgaria: Ed. Jristo G. Danov.
10 MORON F, FURONES J, PINEDO Z, 1996
Actividad espasmolítica del extracto fluído de Matricaria recutita (Manzanilla) en órganos aislados. Rev Cubana Plant Med 1(1):19-24.
11 GARCIA-GONZÁLEZ M, BOLAÑOS AN, ARGUEDAS CR, 2005
Efecto analgésico en ratas, por vía oral, del extracto acuoso (decocción) de la planta entera sin flor de Matricaria recutita dosis única. Informe TRAMIL. PRONAPLAMED. Depto de Fisiología, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.
12 GARCIA-GONZÁLEZ M, ARGUEDAS R, Y FERNÁNDEZ A, 2005
Efecto antiinflamatorio en ratas, por vía oral, del extracto acuoso (decocción) de la planta entera sin flor de Matricaria recutita dosis única. Informe TRAMIL. PRONAPLAMED. Depto de Fisiología, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.
13 ABDUL-GHANI AS, EL-LATI SG, SACAAN AI, SULEIMAN MS, AMIN RM, 1987
Anticonvulsant effects of some Arab medicinal plants. Int J Crude Drug Res 25(1):39-43.
14 HOERHAMMER L, 1962
Flavone concentration of medicinal plants with regard to their spasmolytic action. Congr Sci Farm Conf Commun 21st Pisa 1961(21):578-588.
15 JAKOVLEV V, ISAAC O, FLASKAMP E, 1983
Pharmacologische Untersuchungen von Kamillen-Inhaltsstoffen. VI. Untersuchungen zur antiphlogistiche Wirkung von Chamazulen und Matricin. Planta Med 49:67-73.
16 YAMAZAKI M, SHIROTA H, 1981
Application of experimental stress ulcer test in mice for the survey of neurotropic naturally occurring drug materials. Shoyakugaku Zasshi 35:96- 102.
17 GERSHEBIN LL, 1977
Regeneration of rat liver in the presence of essential oils and their components. Food Cosmet Toxicol 15(3):173-182.
18 ITOKAWA H, MIHASHI S, WATANABE K, NATSUMOTO H, HAMANAKA T, 1983
Studies on the constituents of crude drugs having inhibitory activity against contraction of the ileum caused by histamine or barium chloride (I). Screening test for the activity of commercially available crude drugs and the related plant materials. Shoyakugaku Zasshi 37(3):223-228.
19 LESLIE GB, 1978
A pharmacometric evaluation of nine bio-strath herbal remedies. Medita 8(10):3-19.
20 SZELENYI I, ISSAC O, THIEMER K, 1979
Pharmakologische Untersuchungen von Kamillen-inhaltsstoffen. III. Tierexperimentelle Untersuchungen uber die ulkusprotektive Wirkung der Kamille. Planta Med 35:218-227.
21 SHIPOCHLIEV T, 1981
Uterotonic action of extract from a group of medicinal plants. Vett Med Nauki 18(4):94-98.
22 AGGAG ME, YOUSEF RT, 1972
Study of antimicrobial activity of chamomile oil. Planta Med 22(2):140-144.
23 MANN C, STABA E, 1986
The chemistry, pharmacology and commercial formulations of chamomile. In: Herbs, spices and medicinal plants; recent advances in botany, horticulture and pharmacology. Phoenix, USA: Oryxpress 1:235-280.
24 ISAAC O, 1979
Pharmacological investigations with compounds of chamomile I. On the pharmacology of alfa-bisabolol and bisabolol oxides (review). Planta Med 35:118-124.
25 ACHTERRATH-TUCKERMANN U, KUNDE R, FLASKAMP E, ISAAC O, THIEMER K, 1980
Pharmacological investigations with compounds of chamomile. V. Investigations on the spasmolytic effect of compounds of chamomile and Kamillosan on the isolated guinea pig ileum. Planta Med 39(1):38-50.
26 MARTINEZ MJ, MOREJON Z, LOPEZ M, BOUCOURT E, MORON F, 2005
Clases tóxicas agudas (CTA) de decocción de flor seca de Matricaria recutita L. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.
27 JAKOVLEV V, SCHLICHTEGROLL A, 1969
Antiinflammatory activity of (-)-alpha-bisabolol, an essential component of chamomille oil. Arzneim-Forsch 19:615.
28 AL-HINDAWI M, AL-DEEN I, NABI M, ISMAIL M, 1989
Antiinflamatory activity of some Iraqi plants using intact rats. J Ethnopharmacol 26(2):163-168.
29 LESLIE G, SALMON G, 1979
Repeated dose toxicity studies and reproductive studies on nine bio-strath herbal remedies. Swiss Med 1(1/2):1-3.
30 VIZOSO A, RAMOS A, VILLAESCUSA A, DEDALO M, BETANCOUR J, 2000
Evaluación del efecto genotóxico en extractos fluidos de Plantago lanceolata L., (llantén menor) y Matricaria chamomilla L. (manzanilla). Revista cubana de plantas medicinales 5(2):59-63.
31 BENNER MH, LEE HJ, 1973
Anaphylactic reaction to chamomille tea. J Allergy Clin Immunol 52(5):307-308.
32 LEWIS R, TATKEN R, (Eds.), 1980
Registry of toxic effects of chemical substances. Vol. 1. Cincinnati, USA: Nat. Instit. Occupational Health.
33 ANON (Select Committee on GRAS Substances), 1976
GRAS status of foods and food additives. Washington, USA: Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Federal Register National Archives and Records Administration 41, 38644.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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Matricaria recutita

Vernacular names

Colombia:

Honduras:

Guatemala:

Colombia:

Honduras:

Nicaragua:

Geographical distribution

Botanical description

Voucher(s)

Pharmacopoeia

References

Disclaimer