Identification of wild chamomile species and secondary metabolites in Bushehr province

Chamomile is medicinal and hygienic plants which have anti -inflammatory and anti-spasmodic characteristics. Its secondary metabolites (and etc.) were varied by biodiversity and environmental effect. There is little information about the wild chamomile in natural habitats of the Bushehr province. In this study, different chamomile species were selected for essential oil content and active substances. In this field study, several samples of chamomile from different natural habitats were collected and screened for extraction of essential oil and secondary metabolites. The essential oil and methanolic extract were prepared by water distillation liquid and flask reflux condenser stirrer, respectively; these were determined by the United States and Iran pharmacopeia methods. Essential oil and methanolic extract were analyzed by GC/Mass and HPLC devices, respectively. Four species, Anthemis pseudocotula, Anthemis austro-iranica, Matricaria recotita and Matricaria aurea were indicated based on screening methods. Matricaria species was observed to have essential oil and beneficiary secondary metabolites, but were not observed to be present in Anthemis species. Results of the chemical analysis showed that, Matricaria species contained Essential oil (0.6 %), Apigenin 7-Glycoside (0.62%), Chamazulen (5.5%) and other substances such as derivatives of Bisabolole, Bisaboleneand Farenzene. Two species of wild chamomiles, Matricaria recotita and Matricaria aurea, were found in Bushehr province containing significant amount of essential oil and secondary metabolites such as Chamazulen, -αBisabolole and Apigenin. Thus these species can be cultivated for commercial proposes.