English Chamomile - Description and Uses

Anthemis nobilis (Chamameleum nobile - English or Roman Chamomile) like all essential oils, is a complex mixture of hundreds of volatile organic compounds. Some are derived directly from the source plant material relatively unchanged, some, such as chamazulene, artefacts of the distillation process.
That said, with careful distillation and crop handling, English Chamomile, which is a rather 'delicate' oil - prone to damage or degradation from improper handling - can have an aroma reassuringly similar to the scent of the growing plant.
The principal constituents are Angelates and Tiglates with some Pinene. Each oil will vary but given below is a typical GC analysis :

The essential oil, freshly distilled, is a pale blue color, the intensity of which depends largely on the conditions at harvest time and is caused by traces of chamazulene in the oil. This blue coloration 'greens' with age by oxidation of the chamazulene. It is worth noting that keeping containers tightly sealed and with as small an amount of air as possible inside will greatly prolong 'shelf life'. The oil, sealed and looked after, will easily last three years or more but repeated exposure to fresh air will accelerate the 'ageing' process. After some years, or in poor storage conditions the oil will 'yellow' and eventually develop a flat or stale aroma. It is also worth noting here that the essential oil derived from the variety 'Flora pleno' is less complex and aromatic and contains no chamazulene.

Although the major ingedients will remain largely unchanged by age and will still be effective, the disintegration of the more complex components over time will render the oil really unsuitable for aromatherapy use or sophisicated medical applications. The presence of 'Synergystic' relationships between the hundreds of different components, is an important aspect of all herbal applications and should be considered when assessing an oil. Althought GC analysis is a useful tool in authenticating any oil, the human nose cannot really be bettered when assessing the more subtle qualities.

The aroma of English Chamomile is complex and difficult to define in a few words. Fresh, woody, sweet, floral, pinous, tea -like,soapy, peaches, prunes...have all been used at one time or another to describe the aroma and they are all true!
The Oil is a natural product, and will change with time and with the precise location and details of distillation and the cicumstances of testing. Oils produced in England whose relatively northerly location and maritime climate give a particularly long summer day length and variable climate are particlarly 'complex' and interesting.
Freshly distilled, the oil can exhibit a slightly sharp overtone in the aroma as do many other essential oils. This is sometimes called the 'Still Odour'. As the oil is kept, the aroma mellows, and it is a matter of personal preference whether the fresher, sharper notes or more mature and rounded ones are the most pleasant or even 'characteristic'. In this respect English Chamomile is best understood as a natural product whose variety, subtle variation and changes over time and in different contexts need to be appreciated - rather like a fine wine.
It is worth noting that it is the presence of the iso-amyl esters of angelic and tiglic acids that make English Chamomile one of the few essential oils oils to exhibit a non -citrus fruity 'note' for use in perfumery.

In the treatment of ailments and disorders Anthemis nobilis essential oil has been quoted as being useful in the following areas: *(in alphabetical order) :
Acne, analgesic, antibacterial, antidepressant, antiinfectious, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, black eyes, blisters, boils, bruises, burns, bursitis, chapped lips, chapped skin, chilblains, cold sores, conjunctivitis, coughs, diarrhea, disinfectant, diuretic, diverticulosis, dry skin, earaches, eczema, fainting, febrifuge, fibrositis, gingivitis, hair loss, headaches, heatstrokes, hiccups, influenza, insect bites, insomnia, laryngitis, nausea, neuralgia, nervine, psoriasis, rashes, rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, shock, sprains, sties, stress, sunburns, synovitis, toothaches, upper abdominal pain, urticaria, whitlows, wounds.

Note:The sources also quote that the oil is a uterine stimulant and should not be used during pregnancy.

For more information on the uses of Chamomile essential oil in particular and Aromatherapy in general we recommend the following further reading :
click here for our recommended reading list.

Essential Oils are highly concentrated and should never be taken internally without medical supervision. For example, one tonne (1,000 kilos) of the herb material is distilled to produce approximately one kilo of English Chamomile Essential Oil. On the skin they should never be used neat, but should either be diluted in a carrier oil or a few drops added to a warm bath. In Aromatherapy, all essential oils should be used with caution. That said, Anthemis nobilis - English Chamomile - is reputed to be one of the gentlest of the essential oils, with very few contra indications, and has been used extensively with children.

Anthemis nobilis is used widely in cosmetic preparations. It has a soothing and softening effect on the skin and has been used for centuries in hair preparations (shampoos and rinses) particularly for blond hair which it is said to both lighten and condition.

Likewise, the hydrolat, containing the water soluble fractions of the essential oil dissolved in the condensed steam from the distillation process, can be utilised directly in cosmetic preparations that involve a water base, such as soaps, shampoos, and creams. This is known sometimes as 'Floral Water' or 'Distillation Water' of Chamomile.

The English Chamomile Company offers both Essential Oil and Hydrolat in retail quantities from our online shop - for immediate delivery worldwide.

For more information on the use of Chamomile in Cosmetics and Toiletries we reccomend the following further reading: click here for our recommended reading list.

The uses of the herb, generally the dried flowerheads of the double headed variety 'Flora Pleno', which are more palatable for internal use than natural variety, somewhat overlap the uses of the esential oil (above).Tisanes ('teas') and extracts can, however, be taken internally and are particularly useful in treating digestive problems. The herb has been quoted as useful in the following areas :
Digestive problems: (Colic, diverticulitis, morning sickness, stress-induced dyspepsia) , painful menstruation, insomnia, fevers, hyperactivity in children.

It should be noted that commercial 'Chamomile Tea' - usually in the form of teabags although sometimes available 'loose' as a dried herb - is invariably the herb 'Matricaria recutica' which is sweeter to the palate and therefore more suitable as a commercial product. If you particularly wish to use the herb of Anthemis nobilis in any way, then it should be purchased by name, ie Anthemis nobilis, Chamaemelum nobile , English or Roman Chamomile (not as just 'Chamomile') from a knowledgeable herbal supplier.

The herb can be used in cosmetic preparations with much the same applications as those using the essential oil or hydrolat.

For more information on using the Herb of Anthemis nobilis and herbs in general, we recommend the following further reading :
click here for our recommended reading list.

n-amyl-butyrate	13.3%
amyl-angelates	10.4%
butyl-angelate	9.6%
alpha -pinene	8.8%
pino-carveol	7.1%
butyl-tiglate	6.8%
pino-carvone	4.9%
beta-pinene	2.7%
limonene	2.6%
myrcene	2.3%
iso-amyl-butyrate	1.6%
other 29.9% (any single component less than 1%)