Biological Activity of Matricaria chamomilla Essential Oils of Various Chemotypes

The essential oil of Matricaria chamomilla L., which is commonly used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes, can be differentiated between several chemotypes. In the current study, six essential chamomile oil samples of various origins (four of commercial sources, one of cultivation, one of wild collection) were examined regarding their composition and biological activities, i. e., antibacterial, antifungal, mosquito repellent, and larvicidal effects. GC-MS analyses revealed that the samples largely varied in composition and could be attributed to various chemotypes. In contrast to the other two samples, the four commercial samples were unusually high in trans-β-farnesene. The overall antimicrobial effects were only moderate, but it could be shown that a higher content in α-bisabolol and a smaller in α-bisabolol oxides A and B had a positive effect on overall activity. All samples had a biting deterrent effect comparable to DEET. Higher concentrations of (Z )- and (E )-spiroethers improved larvicidal activity, whereas trans-β-farnesene had the opposite effect. In conclusion, the importance of α-bisabolol for the biological activity of chamomile essential oil could be demonstrated.