CHAMOMILLA (Cham.)

Botanical name : Anthemis nobilis Linn. Family: Compositae (Asteraceae)

Synonyms : Chamaemelum vulgaris, Chamomilla nostras, C. officinalis K. Koch, C. vulgaris Gray.

Common names : English: Bitter Chamomile; French: Chamomille; German: Feld-Kamille.

Description : Annual herb with large, woody fibrous roots. Stem erect 30 to 60 cm high, solid, smooth, shining, strongly striate, with long, slender branches, leaves numerous, alternate, sessile, amplexicaul, upper simple the other by or tri-pinnatiafd, the segments strap shaped, narrow and minutely pointed. Flowers numerous terminal solitary on striated naked peduncles. Ray florets white, oblong with three teeth; the disc florets yellow and conical.

Macroscopical : Each dried flower head is hemispherical and about 12 to 20 mm in diameter. The florets are of a white to pale buff colour, the outer ones hiding the involucres of bracts. A few hermaphrodite, tubular florets are usually found near the apex of the solid receptacle. A transition between typical tubular florets and typical ligulate ones is often seen. The ligulate florets show three teeth (or occasionally two), the center one being that most developed. There are four principals veins. The corolla is constructed near its base into a tube from which bifid striate projects. The ovary is inferior and devoid of pappus. Each florets arises in the axel of a thin memberanous bract or pale which has a blunt apex. At the base of a receptacle is an involucre consisting of 2 or 3 rows of oblong bracts which have membranous margin chamomilla have a strong aromatic odour and a bitter taste.

Habitat : India, Asia and Europe

History and authority : Allen’s Encyclop. Mat. Med. Vol. III, 89.

Part used : Dried whole plant in flowering or the whole fresh plant.

Preparation : (a) Mother Tincture φ Drug strength 1/10 Chamomilla, moist magma containing solids 100 g and plant moisture 500 ml 600 g Strong Alcohol 537 ml to make one thousand millilitres of the Mother Tincture.

(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts Purified Water and five parts Strong Alcohol. 3x and higher with Dispensing Alcohol.

Old method : Class I.