German Chamomile Overview

German Chamomile

• Origin: Dried flower heads of Matricaria chamomilla
• Family: Compositae (Astraceae)
• Morphology: Terminal (single capitulum)
• Structure: Includes disk florets (tubular florets), short conical hollow axis, and ray florets (ligulate florets)

Key Elements (German Chamomile)

• Fragments from Ovary Wall: Contain glandular hairs and mucilage cells
• Fragments of Corolla: Show polygonal epidermal cells and hairs, characteristic of the Compositae type
• Fragment of Base of Ovary: Shows sclerides
• Numerous Spiny Pollen Grains: Present in the flower
• Fragments of Fibrous Layer of Anther: A component of the flower
• Fragments of Papillosed Stigma: Present on the stigma
• Fragments of Lignified Hypocotyl of Bracts: Part of the flower

Active Constituents & Uses (German Chamomile)

• Active Constituents:
  • At least 0.4% blue volatile oil containing azulene and chamazulene
  • Apigenin, free or as glucoside
  • Umbelliferone methyl ether
• Uses (Tea Drink):
  • Carminative (helps with gas)
  • Aromatic bitter stomachic
  • Emmenagogue and diaphoretic (stimulates menstruation and sweating)
  • Relieves flatulence and intestinal disturbance
• Skin Care Uses:
  • Treats burns, wounds, boils, and hair issues due to its effect on skin and mucous membrane inflammation.
  • Has anti-inflammatory properties due to chamazulene

Roman Chamomile

• Origin: Dried expanded flower heads of Anthemis nobilis
• Family: Compositae
• Collection: Collected from cultivated plants with double capitula
• Capitula Variations: Plants can have single or double capitula (wild vs cultivated)

Santonica (Wormseed)

• Origin: Dried, unexpanded flower heads of Artemisia cina Berg.
• Family: Compositae
• Composition: Contains no more than 2% foreign organic matter and yields not less than 1.8% of santonin

Key Elements (Santonica)

• Fragments of Epidermis: Show anomocytic stomata, compositae glandular hairs, and sometimes woolly or cottony hairs.
• Numerous Pollen Grains: Possess three germ pores and three germinal furrows, a granular but non-spiny exine.

Active Constituents & Chemical Tests (Santonica)

• Active Constituents:
  • Volatile oil containing cineole
  • Santonin and artemisin (8-hydroxysantonion)
• Chemical Test (Cazilback): Extract + 2 or 3 drops of potassium methoxide reagent, warm. A red color confirms presence of the substance

Uses (Santonica)

• Anthelmintic: Effective against roundworms and to a lesser extent, threadworms; ineffective against tapeworms
• Vision Disturbance: Causes a noticeable disturbance of vision, initially appearing bluish then yellow
• Urine Color Change: Absorbed santonin turns urine yellow if acidic and purplish if alkaline

Arnica Flower

• Origin: Dried flower heads of Arnica montana
• Family: Compositae
• Morphology: Inflorescence (single capitulum)
• Taste & Odor: Pleasant sweet, aromatic odor and bitter acrid taste

Key Elements & Active Constituents (Arnica)

• Ovary Wall: Bears numerous twin hairs diverging at their tips, composed of two cells.
• Active Constituents:
  • Sesquiterpene lactones (helenalin and chamissonolid): Anti-inflammatory/pain relief
  • Volatile oil (0.3-1%): Contains thymol and its derivatives (antibacterial)
  • Bitter principle (arnicin)

Action & Uses (Arnica)

• Action: Improves local blood supply and speeds healing, anti-inflammatory, increases internal bleeding reabsorption
• Use: Effective ointment for bruises, sprains, and muscle aches. Note: Not for internal use due to toxicity at low doses

Safflower

• Origin: Dried tubular florets of Carthamus tinctorius
• Family: Compositae
• Morphology: Slightly aromatic odor and slight taste

Active Constituents & Uses (Safflower)

• Active Constituents:
  • Red coloring substance (Carthamin or carthamic acid)
  • Yellow coloring substance (Safflower-yellow)
  • Fixed oil
  • Mucilage
• Uses: Diaphoretic, used as a coloring agent (sometimes used as a saffron adulterant)

Saffron

• Origin: Dried stigmas and tops of styles of Crocus sativus
• Family: Iridaceae
• Morphology (Stigma):
  • Shape: Trifid
  • Lips of tube: Notched
  • Margin: Papillosed

Active Constituents & Uses (Saffron)

• Active Constituents:
  • Unusual water-soluble carotenoid pigments (e.g., crocin—colored glycoside)
  • Picrocrocin (colorless bitter glycoside)
  • Safranal: Responsible for saffron odor
  • Volatile oil
• Uses: Coloring agent, Stimulant, and antispasmodic

Tilia (Linden Flower)

• Origin: Dried inflorescence with attached bracts of Tilia cordata and Tilia platyphyllos
• Family: Tiliaceae
• Flower Drying: Dried in shade, not sun or artificially
• Inflorescence: Pendulous cymes with yellowish-green flowers

Active Constituents & Uses (Tilia)

• Microscopical Characteristics:
  • Mucilaginous cells in sepals and petals
  • Calcium oxalate clusters
  • Oval pollen grains with granulated exine and three germinal pores
• Active Constituents:
  • Flavonoid glycoside
  • Mucilage
  • Volatile oil
  • Phenolic acid
  • Proanthocyanidins
• Uses:
  • Diaphoretic
  • Antispasmodic
  • Expectorant
  • Sleep support
  • Relieves cold and cough symptoms.

Lavender Flower

• Origin: Dried flowers of Lavandula officinalis
• Family: Labiatae
• Volatile Oil: Yields not less than 0.5% volatile oil
• Morphology: Aromatic odor, aromatic bitter camphoraceous taste; calyx with five united sepals, hairy greyish blue to bluish violet color; corolla bilabiate, hairy dark blue

Active Constituents & Uses (Lavender)

• Active Constituents:
  • 0.8-2.8% volatile oil
    • Contains at least 35% linalyl-acetate ester, linalool alcohol, geraniol, and limonene as sesquiterpene.
• Uses:
  • Perfuming agent used in perfumes, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals
  • Fumigant for moth control

Clove Flower Buds

• Origin: Dried unexpanded flower buds of Eugenia aromatica
• Family: Myrtaceae
• Morphology: Expanded and unexpended flower buds (cloves)

Internal Structure - Clove Flower Buds

• Hypanthium: Shows an inferior ovary, surrounded by a large outer zone
  • Contains numerous oval oil glands near periphery
  • Numerous vascular bundles near ovary
• Columella: Dark lacunous layer; outermost zone of schizolysigenous oil glands and vascular bundles.

Key Elements (Clove Flower Buds)

• Pollen Grains: Discrete structures
• Fibrous Layer of Anther: Distinct cellular layer
• Parenchymatous Tissues: With broken and entire oil glands
• Aerenchyma Cells: Cellular structure
• Cluster Crystals of CaOx: Clustered crystals
• Epidermal Cells with Actinocytic Stomata: Cells with specific stomata

Active Constituents & Chemical Tests (Clove)

• Active Constituents:
  • 15-20% volatile oil containing approximately 80% eugenol and 3% acatyleugenol
  • Eugenol (phenol): A strong anesthetic and antiseptic
  • Acetyleugenol: Antispasmodic
• Chemical Tests:
  • Clove powder + 5% KOH: Yields needle-shaped potassium eugenate crystals (due to oil)
  • Clove powder + ferric chloride: Produces a deep blue color

Uses (Clove)

• Local anesthetic: Effective toothache remedy
• Fragrance: Component in toothpastes, soaps, toiletries, cosmetics, and perfumes
• Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Carminative: Has various medicinal properties
• Uterine Muscle Stimulation: Stimulates and strengthens uterine muscle contraction during labor
• Other Uses: For bad breath, asthma, bronchitis (spice) and vanillin synthesis

Hibiscus (Karkade)

• Origin: Dried calyx and epicalyx of flower of Hibiscus sabdariffa
• Family: Malvaceae
• Key features: Cottony stellate trichomes, unicellular trichomes

Active Constituents & Chemical Tests (Hibiscus)

• Active Constituents:
  • Organic acids (citric, malic, hibisic)
  • Anthocyanin pigments (e.g., hibiscin)
  • Flavonoids (e.g., hibiscetin)
• Chemical Tests:
  • Powder boiled in 1% HCl, filtered, and then reacted with KOH, sodium acetate, concentrated ammonium hydroxide, and lead acetate to observe specific color changes.

Uses (Hibiscus)

• Substitute Drink: A beverage alternative
• Emollient, Sedative: Has soothing properties
• Blood Alkalinizer: Slightly increases blood alkalinity
• Digestive Aid: Aids digestion
• Blood Pressure Reduction: May lower blood pressure in some individuals (hypotensive)
• Euphoric Impression: Reported to give a sense of well-being
• Weight Reducing Agent: May assist weight loss

Explore the fascinating details of German Chamomile, including its origin, morphology, and key structural elements. Learn about the active constituents that contribute to its uses and benefits. This quiz will enhance your understanding of this important plant in herbal medicine.