Matricaria genus as a source of antimicrobial agents: From Farm to Pharmacy and Food Applications

Publication date: Available online 25 June 2018 Source:Microbiological Research Author(s): Mehdi Sharifi-Rad, Jolanta Nazaruk, Letizia Polito, Maria Flaviana Bezerra Morais-Braga, Janaína Esmeraldo Rocha, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho, Bahare Salehi, Giulia Tabanelli, Chiara Montanari, María del Mar Contreras, Zubaida Yousaf, William N. Setzer, Deepa R. Verma, Miquel Martorell, Antoni Sureda, Javad Sharifi-Rad Matricaria is a widespread genus of flowering plants of the family Asteraceae that grow in temperate regions of Europe, Asia, America and Africa. Some of the species are also naturalized in Australia. Some species of this genus such as Chamomiles are recognized medicinal plants and cultivated in several countries for commercial purposes: to obtain its blue essence, as herbal tea, and for pharmaceutical or cosmeceutical uses. The phytochemical composition of Matricaria spp. includes volatile terpenoids (e.g., α-bisabolol, bisabolol oxide A and B, β-trans-farnesene and chamazulene), sesquiterpene lactones such as matricin, and phenolic compounds (flavonoids, coumarins and phenolic acids). Their essential oil is obtained from the fresh or dried inflorescences by steam distillation, and additionally cohobation of the remaining water. The volatile composition of the essential oil, especially the content of the valuable components α-bisabolol and chamazulene, depends on the plant part, origin and quality of the source, genetic, and environmental factor...
Source: Microbiological Research - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research