GB2170404A - A process for producing a new tetraploid and bisabolol-rich camomile having improved properties - Google Patents

Abstract

A process for extracting camomile together with bisabol uses as the source plant a specially selected strain of Matrica Chamomille of which the flowers dried at 40 DEG C contain at least 100 mg% of chamazulene and at least 200 mg% of (-)-???-bisabolol, the content of the other bisaboloids being below 50 mg%, wherein an initially tetraploidized diploid camomile or a tetraploid camomile, in which (-)-???-bisabolol is the main component of the essential oil, is subjected to various selection and propagation steps.

Description

SPECIFICATION A Process for Producing a New Tetraploid and Bisabolol-Rich Camomile having Improved Properties By virtue of their antiphiogistic and spasmolytic activity, preparations of the flower heads of the true camomile (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert, synonymous with Martricaria chamomilla L.) are widely used for therapeutic purposes and are an important part of our vegetable medicinal resources. Particular therapeutic significance is attributed to the active materials (-)-a-bisabolol and chamazulene. Accordingly, a good camomile drug should have as high a content of these two materials as possible.

The naturally occurring diploid camomiles are extremely heterogeneous in regard to their active material content. In particular, only one of the most important active materials, chamazulene and (-)-a-bisabolol, is present or these two active materials are totally absent or occur together in only very small quantities, the main component of the essential oil in cases such as these consisting of the less active bisaboloids (bisabolone oxide A or B, bisabolol oxide A).

A camomile variety having a high content both of (-)-a-bisabolol and ofchamazulene is known under the name of Degumill (namely the camomile variety mentioned in the Claim of German Patent 2402 802; DDR variety Patent Degumill; Italian Patent 1 035 096). However, the chamazulene and bisabolol contents of this Degumill variety of camomile are only stable if crossbreeding or crosspollination with other camomile varieties having considerably lower bisabolol and chamazulene contents or with the ubiquitous wild camomile, which is poor in active materials, is prevented. This danger of crossbreeding by crosspoll.ination is almost always present because the wild camomile occurs virtually everywhere.In addition, there are various known tetraploid camomile varieties (for example Bodegold, German Democratic Republic; Pohorelicky, Czechoslovakia; Zloty Lan, Poland, BK-2; Hungary). Although these tetraploid camomile varieties have a satisfactory chamazulene content, the important active material (-)-a-bisabolol is present in only very small quantities in these known tetraploid camomile varities where the other bisaboloids (bisabolol oxide A and B and bisabolone oxide) dominate instead and, together, make up more than half the essential oil in these known tetraploid camomile varities.It has now been found that bisabolol-rich tetraploid camomile plants which, on the one hand, are no longer susceptible to crosspollination with naturally occurring camomiles and which, on the other hand, have a high chamazulene content and a high (-)-a-bisabolol content, the (-)-a-bisabolol content considerably exceeding the chamazulene content and, at the same time, the other bisaboloids occurring in only very small quantities, if at all, may be obtained quite generally from, naturally occurring camomile populations orfrom diploid ortetraploid cultivated camomiles by certain treatment or rather process steps.Accordingly, of crucial significance in this respect is the fact that the high content of the main active materials, (-)-a-bisabolol and chamazulene, is stable in the camomile according to the invention, i.e. is not affected by propagation.

The present invention provides a bisabolol-rich, tetraploid camomile of the cultivated plant species true camomile (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert, synonymous with Matricaria chamomilla L., Asteraceae) of which the flowers dried at 40"C contain at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids, based on dry matter. The invention further provides propagation seeds of this camomile.

The invention also provides a process for producing a new bisabolol-rich tetraploid camomile of the cultivated plant species true camomile (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert, synonymous with Matricaria chamomilla L., Asteraceae), of which the flowers dried at 40"C contain at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids, based on dry matter, which comprises selecting those plants of which the flowers dried at40"C contain at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids from a tetraploid camomile, in which (-)-a-bisabolol is the main component of the essential oil, and optionally subjected the plants to further selection and propagation steps and optionally obtaining propagation seeds and/or a camomile drug from camomile plants of the camomile varieties thus obtained. The tetraploid camomile may be obtained from a diploid camomile in which (-)-a-bisabolol is the main component of the essential oil, by tetraploidization using chemicals at temperatures of from 0 to 35 C, using y-rays, X-rays or UV-rays at temperatures of from 0 to 35"C, using high temperatures of from 33 to 50"C, using low temperatures of from 0 to 5"C, using the decapitation-callus method or by another cultivation followed by tetraploidization.

The invention also relates to the production of a camomile drug from the flowers of the camomile described above and optionally the production therefrom of an essential oil and/or an alcoholic extract.

The new tetraploid camomile obtained by the process according to the invention is surprisingly distinguished from the hitherto known camomiles or rather camomile varieties by a number of new and advantageous properties. In particular, it is no longer susceptible to crosspollination with naturally occurring camomile populations (wild camomile like the known camomile variety Degumill. The camomile obtained by the process according to the invention is surprisingly distinguished from the other known diploid camomiles and tetraploid camomile varieties by a higher content of the important active material (-)-a-bisabolol (at least 200 mg%), whereas its content of the other bisaboloids (for example bisabolol oxides) is very small and amounts to less than 50 mg%.For example, the known camomile varieties described in the literature all have a very high content of bisabolol oxides and, in some cases, bisabolone oxide which, in general, makes up approximately 50% of the essential oil of the drug (i.e. for an essential oil content of 1%, approximately 500 mg per 100 g of drug).

In addition, the camomile according to the invention, in contrast to the hitherto known tetraploid camomile varieties, is homogeneous in its ingredients, the properties of chamazulene content and (-)-a-bisabolol content being stable (i.e. homozygous).

By contrast, individual plant testing of the known tetraploid camomile varities shows that the various individuals contain various types of ingredients, i.e. every random sample of a drug prepared therefrom gives a qualitatively and also quantitatively different, inhomogeneous result.

In addition, the camomile according to the invention is surprisingly distinguished from the known tetraploid camomile varieties, for example, by one or more of the following properties: improved germinating power of the seeds, less accumulation of worthless herbage (i.e. higher flower yield); lower water content of the flowers (i.e. better yield of dried flowers and shorter drying times); greater suitability for harvesting by machine because the flowers are mostly localized in one plane and most of the flowers blossom at the same time (so that they may also be harvested at the same time); better stability of the drug (less tendency towards disintegration and debris accumulation); particularly aromatic and typical camomile odor.The last-mentioned advantages arise, for example, when selection is based not only on the active material content, but also on one or more of the above-mentioned features, seeds are obtained from the selected plants, the progeny cultivated therefrom are subjected to reselection and these measures are repeated from 3 to 5 times.

The object of the present invention is to produce a newtetraploid camomile having improved properties, more especially an increased (-)-a-bisabolol content.

The new camomile according to the invention is produced a) by subjecting known diploid camomiles, in which (-)-a-bisabolol is the main component of the essential oil, to tetraploidization (genome mutation), selecting the tetraploid plants thus obtained and selecting from these tetraploid plants those plants of which the flowers dried at 40"C have a minimum content of chamazulene of 100 mg%; a minimum content of (-)-a-bisabolol of 200 mg% and a content of other bisaboloids of at most 50 mg% (harvesting ofthe flowers at a time when from 30 to 70% ofthe tubular flowers of a flower head are open), optionally followed by further standard selection and propagation steps (for example mother tree cultivation for vegetatively propagatable allogamous species) or b) selecting from known tetraploid camomiles, in which (-)-a-bisabolol is the main component of the essential oil, those plants of which the flowers dried at 40"C have a minimum content of chamazulene of 100 mg%, a minimum content of (-)-a-bisabolol of 200 mg% and a content of other bisaboloids of at most 50 mg% (harvesting the flowers at a time when 30 to 70% of the tubularflowers of a flower head are open), optionally followed by other standard selection and propagation steps (for example mother tree cultivation for vegetatively propagatable allogamous species).

Suitable diploid starting camomiles are, for example, "camomile of Argentinian origin" (cf. L. Z. Padula, R. V. D. Rondina and J. D. Coussio, Quantitative Determination of Essential Oil, Total Azulenes and Chamazulene in German Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, Cultivated in Argentina; Planta med. 30, pages 273-280, 1976) and any camomiles which show clearly measurable concentrations of (-)-a- bisabolol in the essential oil (generaly more than 5% of the essential oil).Examples of suitable diploid camomiles are those described in the following literature references: Schilcher, H. "Neuere Erkenntnisse bei der Qualitatsbeurteilung von Kamillenl beziehungsweise Kamillenbluten (Recent Knowledge in the Quality Assessment of Camomile Oil and Camomile Flowers)", Planta med. 23, 132-144(1973); Motl., O., M. Felklova, V. Lukes & M. Jasicova "Zur gaschromatographischen Analyse und zu chemischen Typen von Kamillenol (The Gas Chromatographic Analysis and Chemical Types of Camomile Oil)", Arch. Pharm. 310, 21 > 215 (1977); Franz, Ch., J. Holzl & A. Vomel "Preliminary Morphological and Chemical Characterization of some Populations and Varieties of Matricaria chamomilla L.", Acta Hort. 73, 109--1 (1978).

Another suitable starting camomile is the diploid camomile variety known as Degumill (German Patent 24 02 802). In this case, too, a tetraploid camomile, for example, having a chamazulene content of at least 150 mg% and a bisabolol content of at least 200 mg% is obtained providing the camomile flower heads of this camomile are harvested at a vegetation stage wherefrom 30 to 70% of the tubular flowers of a flower head are open and drying is carried out at an air temperature of at most 50"C.

By subsequent selection and propagation steps according to the present application, it is again possible further to increase the cited bisabolol and azulene values.

The essential oil of the camomile generally consists of the main components farnesene, spathulenol, chamazulene, one of the 4 bisaboloids ((-)-a-bisabolol, bisabolol oxide A, bisabolol oxide B or bisabolone oxide in the case of individual diploid plants; mixed specimens of the population and tetraploid individuals may contain several bisaboloids alongside one another) and of the spiroethers. In general, the materials mentioned together make up from 70 to 80% of the essential oil. Accordingly, diploid starting camomiles where (-)-a-bisabolol is the predominant component (more than half the sum of the above-mentioned components) are particularly suitable. Diploid camomiles in which for example the (-)-a-bisabolol represents at least 40% of the essential oil or at least 90% of the bisaboloids are particularly preferred as the starting camomiles.

Suitable tetraploid starting camomiles are, for example, the camomile varieties Bodegold (German Democratic Republic), Pohorelicky (Czechoslovakia), Zloty Lan (Poland), BK-2 (Hungary). These varieties are described in the following Literature references: M. Chladek and V. Kosova, Pharmazie 13, 712-713 (1958); W. Czabajska, Diss. Poznan (1963); W. Poethke and P. Bulin, Pharm. ZHalle 108,813-823 (1969); 1. Sarkany, Herb. Hungar. 4 (1), 125--169 (1965). For the rest, the foregoing observations on the (-)-a-bisabolol content of the diploid starting camomiles apply similarly to the tetraploid starting camomiles.

In particular, it is possible to use diploid and tetraploid camomile populations which generally contain at least 100 mg% of chamazulene and 5Q1 00 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol in mixed specimens of the drug (based on the dry matter content of the flowers dried at 40 C), i.e. in the case of a diploid starting camomile, seeds are obtained from camomile populations of the type in question and are subjected to tetraploidization (disregarding and/or without knowledge of the bisabolol content of the parent plant). In the case of a tetraploid starting camomile, the seeds obtained as described above are then directly subjected to the following selection and propagation steps.

The suitable diploid and tetraploid starting camomiles are selected by testing individual plants. In general, it is necessary for example to test from 1000 to 10,000 individuals of a starting population in order to find some individuals which have a high (-)-a-bisabolol content according to the criteria specified above and which are suitable for use as starting camomiles. Seeds are then obtained in the usual way from the selected individuals and are subjected to tetraploidization. After tetraploidization, the tetraploid plants are separated from the remaining diploid plants. Of the tetraploid plants obtained, all those of which the flowers dried at 40"C contain at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of ()-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids are selected out, optionally after propagation.Their flowers are harvested at a vegetation stage where from 30 to 70% of all the tubular flowers of the flower head are open.

This may optionally be followed by further selection and propagation steps resulting, for example, in an improvement in the following features or properties: concurrent flowering, uniform basal branching and narrow flowering zone (i.e. greater suitability for harvesting by machine), large flower heads, better stability of the drug, particularly aromatic odor.

If a tetraploid camomile is used from the outset as the starting camomile, the plants are merely subjected to the above-described selection of individuals of which the flowers dried at 400C contain at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids, these flowers again being harvested at a vegetation stage where from 30 to 70% of all the tubular flowers of a flower head are open. In this case, too, further selection and propagation steps may optionally be carried out thereafter, resulting in further improvements (as described above).

A particularly advantageous camomile is obtained when, in the selection process based on the chamazulene and (-)-a-bisabolol content, those plants (known or produced in accordance with the invention) are selected of which the chamazulene content amounts to at least 200 mg% and preferably to 250 mg% and the (-)-a-bisabolol content to at least 300 mg% and preferably to 400 mg% (content of other bisaboloids always less than 50 mg%).

The tetraploidization may be carried out, for example, in known manner by treating parts of plants (seeds, roots, branch ends, shoots, axillary buds) or tissue of the diploid starting camomile plants with chemicals, X-rays, y-rays or UV-rays. Tetraploidization may also be carried out by the decapitation-callus method, by another cultivation or by applying high or low temperatures to the camomile plants or parts thereof or to tissue of the camomile plants. In this connection, reference is made, for example to the book by Werner Gottschalk entitled "Die Bedeutung der Polyploidie fur die Evolution der Pflanzen (The Importance of Polyploidy to the Evolution of Plants)", Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1976, more especially pages 13 to 22.

Tetraploidization by chemicals. Chemicals suitable for tetraploidization are, for example, colchicine, acenaphthene, alkaloids such as atropine, veratrine, nicotine, sanguinarine, derivatives of benzene, diphenyl and phenanthrene, naphthalene and naphthalene derivatives, diphenylamine, tribromoaniline, paradichlorobenzene, methylnaphthoquinone, methylnaphthohydroquinone, salicylic acid and related materials, hexachlorohexane, methanphetamine (hydrochloride), alkyl-alkali metal carbamates, such as isopropyl-sodium carbamate, phenylurethane, salts of cacodylic acid (for example the sodium salt), glycosides of Convallaria, such as convallarin, convallatoxin and convallamarin, heteroauxin, germisan (phenylmercuric pyrocatechol), organic mercury compounds, such as ethyl mercury phosphate, ethyl mercury chloride, phenyl mercury hydroxide, phenyl mercury dinaphthylmethane disuelfonate, chloroform, laughing gas (N,O) and mixtures thereof. Oil cake, compost and cow dung may also be used.

The treatment with the materials mentioned here is carried out, for example, at temperatures of from 0 to 35"C, preferably at temperatures of from 12to 30"Cand more preferably at temperatures of from 15to 25"C. The chemicals are applied, for example, by treating seeds, branch ends, roots (for example root ends or roots of seedlings), ovaries, cut surfaces of leaves or stalks, cell suspensions of meristem tissue, callus cultures or even by injection into the basal stalk region or into the region of the axillary buds. The chemicals are generally applied in the form of aqueous solutions, mildly alcoholic solutions (alcohol content generally below 5%) or mildly acidic solutions. The pH value of the mildly acidic solutions is in the range of 5.5 to 6.5 for example, acidification being carried out, for example, with lower organic aliphatic acids, such as acetic acid. Where alcoholic solutions are used, they may also be mildly acidic. The concentrations of the chemicals in these solutions may amount, for example, to between 0.01 and 0.5%, preferably to between 0.02 and 0.2% and more preferably to between 0.05 and 0.1%. Gases are applied as such, optionally under pressure (for example from 1 to 10 bar).The treatment time is, for example, from 1 to 36 hours, preferably from 2to 12 hours and more preferably from 4to 6 hours.

The most effective concentrations and also the contacttime are best determined in preliminary tests.

Particularly favorable results are obtained, for example, by the treatment with colchicine at temperatures of from 0 to 350C, preferably at temperatures of from 12 to 30"C and more preferably at temperatures of from 15 to 25"C. This treatment may be carried out, for example, by swelling seeds of the diploid starting camomile in a 0.01 to 0.2%, preferably in a 0.02 to 0.1 % and more preferably in a 0.05% colchicine solution or by immersing germinated, 5 to 7 days old well-developed seedlings of the diploid starting camomile (with the seed leaves underneath) in a 0.01 to 0.2%, preferably a 0.02 to 0.1% and more preferably a 0.05% colchicine solution. In the latter case, the relative air humidity of the surrounding atmosphere should be substantially 100%.The colchicine treatment lasts, for example, from 3 to 36 hours and more especially from 4to 10 hours. Where seedlings are used, a contact time of up to 10 hours is generally sufficient. Where seeds are used the contact time may be as long as 36 hours.

After the treatment with the chemicals, the swollen seeds, seedlings or other plant parts-are repeatedly washed with water. The swollen seeds are sown for example. The plants having treated roots or other plant parts or the treated seedlings are transplanted, for example, in plant trays. The plants are grown from the seeds or seedlings thus treated (for example in greenhouses: temperature between 18 and 25"C by day and between 10 and 1 6"C at night) and those plants are selected of which the pollen is about 1.5 times larger than the pollen of the starting material or which have a chromosome count of then somatic cells of 36.If other plant parts (aerial or underground parts) are subjected to the treatment with chemicals, only those shoots, roots or flowers/seeds emanating from the treated parts are subsequently examined for tetraploidization. If, for example, a bud or an axilla has been subjected to the treatment with chemicals, only the new shoot emanating from the axilla or the bud in question and the flowers or rather seeds formed thereon are examined for chromosome count.

The pollen size measurements and chromosome counting may be carried out, for example, as described in Example 3.

Tetraploidization by Irradiation The treatment is carried out, for example, on seeds or root ends at temperatures of from 0 to 35"C, preferably at temperatures of from 10 to 30"C and more preferably at temperatures of from 15 to 25"C.

Irradiation total: 5 to 50 Krad. y-rays or X-rays are preferably used. Suitable UV-rays are, for example, those having a wavelength of from 400 to 30 nm and preferably of 350 nm.

The plants or plant parts thus irradiated are then furthertreated in the same way as after the treatment with chemicals.

Application of High and Low Temperatures Suitable high temperatures are, for example, temperatures in the range from 33 to 50"C and preferably in the range from 42 to 45"C. These temperatures are applied, for example, to swollen seeds, seedlings, shoots and meristematic tissue. Treatment time: for example from 1 to 48 hours and preferably from 12 to 24 hours.

Suitable low temperatures are, for example, temperatures in the range from 0 to 5"C, preferably temperatures in the range from 0.5 to 4"C and, more preferably, a temperature of 2"C. These temperatures are applied, for example, to swollen seeds, seedlings, shoots and meristematic tissue. Treatment time: for example from 1 to 100 days and preferably from 20 to 40 days. The plants or plant parts thus treated are further treated in exactly the same way as after the treatment with chemicals.

The Decapitation-Callus Method (Decapitation=Topping or Debudding or Cutting Back) Decapitation is carried out, for example, on young plants at the stalk, preferably at the vegetative cone, after development of from 4 to 6 leaves or even on leaf-stalks or side shoots. The buds or shoots forming from the wound tissue (callus tissue) are cut off, rooted, further cultivated in pots and the tetraploidized plants selected in, the same way as in the treatment with chemicals.

Another cultivation (producing plants having a single chromosome set from the anthers with subsequent spontaneous or artificial tetraploidization).

Closed tubular flowers of which the anthers are at the stage before the first pollen mitosis are collected rnm flowering plants. The anthers are then removed from the flower buds using a micromanipulator and transferred to petri dishes filled, for example, with nutrient medium after Nitsch and Nitsch (Table 1). The petri dishes are then stored in a cultivation room with 16 hours' daylight (day temperature 28our night temperature 200C). After about 4 weeks, the anthers begin to break open and small plants to grow out.

These small plants are haploid where the parent plant is diploid and dihaploid where the parent plant is tetraploid. After the formation of roots, they are potted, for example, in garden soil, and left standing in a greenhouse to flower. Although these (di)haploid plants are sterile, they may be polyploidized by treating the shoot tips, roots or stalks with chemicals, for example with colchicine, to produce homozygous plants which may then be further propagated via seeds. The further treatment is then the same as in the treatment with chemicals (for example colchicine treatment).

TABLE 1 Culture Medium after Nitsch and Nitsch (Science, 1969) Mg/l KNO3 950 NH4NO3 720 MgSO4x7 H20 185 CaCI2 166 KH2PO4 68 MnSO4x4 H20 25 H3BO3 10 ZnSO4x7 H20 10 Na2MoO4x2 H20 0.25 CuSO4x5 H20 0.025 5 ml of a solution of 7.45 of the disodium salt of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid and 5.57 of FeSO4x7 H20 to 1000 ml.

Myo inositol 100 Glycine 2 Nicotinic acid 5 Pyridoxine HCI 0.5 Thiamine HCI 0.5 Folic acid 0.5 Biotin 0.05 Sucrose 20 g Nutrient medium (Difco Bacto Agar) 8 9 Indole acetic acid 0.1 pH of the medium adjusted to 5.5.

Of the tetraploid camomile plants obtainable as described in the foregoing, which are selected by pollen size measurement and/or by chromosome counting, those plants are selected which have a minimum chamazulene content of 100 mg% and a minimum bisabolol content of 200 mg%; the content of other bisaboloids (particularly bisabolol oxides) should be less than 50 mg% (based on the dried flowers, cf.

Example 1).

After removal of all the flower heads which have already flowered, the plants thus selected are left to wither in a greenhouse with at least 14 hours' daylight (day temperature 1 8-24"C, night temperature 12-14C), all the flower heads which have withered or are just about to disintegrate, being collected for seed recovery over a period of 4 weeks. After drying at an air temperature of from 20 to 25"C, the propagation seeds of the camomile according to the invention are obtained.

The following further criteria may be applied forthis selection process: a) roughly concurrent flowering, b) uniform, basal branching and a narrow flowering zone of approximately 10 and more especially 5 cm, c) large flower heads having an external diameter of approximately 30 mm (20 to 40 mm) and more especially of 25 to 35 mm.

The application ofthe further criteria a), b) and/or c) leads, for example, to high flower and drug yields and to better suitability for harvesting by machine.

If already known tetraploid camomiles are used as the starting camomiles, the selection described above and the further selection and propagation steps, if any, are carried out in the same way.

In order to obtain a camomile which, in addition to a chamazulene content of at least 100 mg% and a (-)-a-bisabolol content of at least 200 mg% (based on the dried flower heads), also produces a high flower yield and is more suitable for harvesting by machine, the following procedure is recommended: the selected plants (as described above) are vegetatively propagated by cuttings and picked out over 3 to 5 generations, selection always being based on the criterion specified above and, optionally, on the additional criteria a) to c). The plants selected on the basis of these criteria are cloned, seeds are recovered from the cloned plants, the plants obtained are again selected according to the minimum chamazulene and bisabolol contents specified above and, optionally, according to the additional criteria a) to c) and seeds are obtained from the plants thus selected.

The sequence of sowing and selection according to the above-specified minimum content of chamazulene of 100 mg% and (-)-a-bisabolol of at least 200 mg% (other bisaboloids below 50 mg%) and optionally according to the additional criteria a) to c), followed by seed recovery, may be repeated from 3 to 5 times.

It is followed by another sequence of sowing, selection as defined above (optionally cloning) and seed recovery. The seeds ultimately obtained represent the seeds for propagating the camomile according to the invention.

Cutting propagation is carried out as follows: For cutting propagation, the starting plants (clone mother plants) must form flower-bud-free short shoots under short-day conditions. This takes place in wintertime in a greenhouse without any additional lighting or in climatic chambers for 6 to 10 hours and preferably 8 hours of daylight and temperatures of from 10 to 15"C and preferably 12"C. Leaf, shoot and, in particular, short shoot (side shoot) cuttings are suitable for cloning or rather propagation. Their rooting takes place in a saturated atmosphere (approx.

100% relative air humidity) at a temperature offrom 12 to 18"C and preferably at a temperature of 15"C for daylight durations of from 12 to 16 hours and preferably 14 hours. The substrate used may be, for example, a peat-sand mixture in a ratio of 1:1, although pure quartz sand, rock-wool, slip cubes, peat slip cubes and the like are also suitable.

The following soils for example may be used for sowing: garden soil; humus, medium-heavy loams; loamy or humus sandy soil. Sowing may be carried out in greenhouses or even in the open. The temperatures for germination and growth of the plants are, for example, from 12 to 24"C and more especially from 18 to 20"C. If sowing is carried out in the open, it is preferably carried out in the autumn (September/October) or in the spring (March/April). These times apply to all the cultivation regions in question (for example northern hemisphere, temperate to subtropical climatic regions).

The new camomile obtained by the process according to the invention belongs to the cultivated plant species of the true camomile with the botanical name Matricaria chamomilla L. (synonymous with Chamomilla recutita (L.), Rauschert) and is defined by the active-material data shown above. The values indicated for the contents of chamazulene, (-)-a-bisabolol and bisabolol oxides are all based on that stage in the development of the flowers which is reached when from 30 to 70% and more especially from 40 to 60% of all the tubularflowers of a flower head are open (i.e. the flowers used for active material determination were plucked at this stage and then dried in a drying cabinet for 72 hours at 40"C).

If the camomile flowers are harvested at a time when the development of the flowers has advanced to a further stage, i.e. when for example 100% or up to 100% of all the tubular flowers of a flower head are open (for example full flowering stage) and/or if the harvested flowers are dried at a temperature higher than 40"C, the (-)-a-bisabolol and chamazulene contents may be lower because the azulene and bisabolol can be degraded to a greater extent by higher drying temperatures and/or in the event of later harvesting.

The expression "other bisaboloids" as used herein refers in particular to (-)-a-bisabolol oxide A and B; (-)-a-bisabolone oxide A; further constituents of the essential oil of the camomile obtained by the process according to the invention are ene-ine-dicycloethers, farnesene, spathulenol and, in low concentrations, various readily volatile terpene hydrocarbons.

For example, the flowers dried in a drying cabinet at 400C (harvested as described above) of the camomile obtained by the process according to the invention contain from 100 to 200 mg% of chamazulene, from 200 to 450 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and only a little, i.e. from 5 to 50 mg%, of other bisaboloids, based on dry matter (i.e. based on the absolute dry weight of the flowers). This absolute dry weight is determined by drying a separate sample of camomile flowers of the camomile obtained by the process according to the invention at 105"C in a drying cabinet until the weight is constant (72 to 96 hours).

The active material content of the flowers (drug) dried for example at 35 to 50"C is then based on the dry weight of the flowers as deterined at 105 C.

In its phenotype, the camomile obtained by the process according to the invention is similar to the hitherto known tetraploid camomile varieties (for example Bodegold, Zloty Lan, BK-2, Pohorelicky Velkotvety); it differs from those varieties in particular in the fact that, in the camomile obtained by the process according to the invention, (-)-a-bisabolol is the main component of the essential oil of the flowers and, in addition, the content of the other bisaboloids (bisabolol oxides A and B; bisabolone oxide) is very considerably lower. Other constituents of the essential oil of the camomile are farnesene, spathulenol and ene-ine-dicycloether.

The camomile according to the invention may be successfully cultivated on any soils except for soils containing more than 20% of organic matter (humus substances and soil organisms). No special agrotechnical processes or cultivation measures are necessary. All that is required for cultivation is a long day with a maximum of more than 13 hours of daylight, i.e. temperate climates and subtropical climates are particularly suitable for cultivation. The camomile obtained by the process according to the invention frequently shows the following additional advantages: high yield, middle to late harvesting, uniform growth height with a narrow flowering zone and large flower heads; hence particular suitability for harvesting by machine.In addition, plants sown as seed at the same time generally cease flowering at virtually the same time which also simplifies and facilitates harvesting to a considerable extent.

The advantages just mentioned arise when the following process conditions are applied: of the tetraploid camomile plants which have a minimum content of chamazulene of 100 mg% and of (-)-a-bisabolol of 200 mg%, the content of other bisaboloids (particularly bisabolol oxides) being less than 50 mg% (all values based on the dried flower heads), only those are selected which - flower at approximately the same time, - show uniform, basal branching and a narrow flowering zone of approximately 10 cm and have - large flowering heads with an external diameter of approximately 30 mm.

The selected plants are vegetatively propagated via cuttings and are picked out over 3 to 5 generatione selection always being based on the criteria mentioned above. The selected plants are vegetatively propagated (cloned), left to wither together and their seeds recovered. The plants obtained from the seeds are in turn selected according to the criteria mentioned above and the sequence of sowing, selection, seed recovery and sowing is repeated from 3 to 5 times.

A drug prepared from the camomile obtained by the process according to the invention contains the maximum content of the active materials chamazulene and (-)-a-bisabolol when the camomile flower heads are harvested at a vegetation stage where, for example, from 30 to 70% and preferably from 40 to 60%, i.e. generally 50%, of the tubular flowers of a flower head are open and drying is carried out at an air temperature of at most 50 C, for example at a temperature of from 35 to 50"C and more especially at a temperature of 40"C.

Drying may be carried out either by artificially supplying air or even by drying in the shade, possibly even in the sun, although in that case it is important to ensure that the supply of heat does not exceed the amount required for complete drying. Accordingly, it is of advantage to verify that a constant weight has been reached by control weighings. Drying may be carried out spontaneously or artificially (for example with artificial warm air). The yield of active material is at its greatest where drying is carried out spontaneously in the absence of sunlight, for example at 40 to 60"C and more especially at 40 to 500C. The drying process should take place as soon as possible or rather immediately after harvesting. It should be carried out in thin layers, for example from 5 to 20 cm thick and preferably 10 cm thick.Drying may also be carried out, for example, in well-ventilated sheds at an air temperature of from 20 to 30"C. In general, the air temperature used for drying should be not higher than 60"C. Afavorable air temperature is an air temperature of, for example, from 35 to 50"C.

The active material content of a drug produced from the camomile according to the invention, particularly the content of the main active materials chamazulene and (-)-a-bisabolol, depends on the vegetation stage which the flowers have reached by the harvesting time and also on the drying of the harvested flowers. The higher the drying temperature, the greater the degradation of the active materials, i.e. the lower the content of active materials in the dried flowers. For the same reason, direct sunlight during drying has an adverse effect and should be avoided as far as possible.

The vegetation stage of a flower is characterized by the percentage of tubular flowers of a flower head which are open at a certain time (in this case the harvesting time). Accordingly, it is possible to harvest flowers in which, for example, from 30 to 50%, from 30 to 70%, from 40 to 60%, from 60 to 100% or from 90 to 100% of the tubular flowers of a flower head are open. The active material content depends upon the particular stage which the flowers have reached and, in the case of the camomile according to the invention, is at its greatest when from 40 to 60% of all the tubular flowers are open and is lower both where fewer tubular flowers and where more tubular flowers are open.Accordingly, it is a major advantage of the camomile according to the invention that the individual plants cease flowering uniformly, i.e. the predominant number of plants emanating from seeds sown at the same time are at the same flowering stage, i.e. for example in by far the majority of plants, from 40 to 60% of all the tubular flowers of a flower head are open at the same time. With the camomile according to the invention, therefore, the flower heads may all be picked at the optimal time, so that the camomile according to the invention is particularly suitable for harvesting by machine.

The relationship between the chamazulene and (-)-a-bisabolol contents on the one hand with the flowering stage reached by the harvesting time and, on the other hand, with the drying temperature prevailing during recovery of the drug is illustrated, for example, in the following Table (in every case, the content of other bisaboloids is less than 50%).

Vegetation stage of the flowers at harvesting time 30-70% of all the 70100% of all the Drying temperature tubular flowers of a tubular flowers of a (air temperature) flower head open flower head open active material content active material content in the dried product in the dried product No higherthan 50"C chamazulene: chamazulene: at least 100 mg% at least 40 mg% (-)-a-bisabolol: (-)-a-bisabolol: at least 200 mg% at least 120 mg% active material content active material content in the alcoholic extract: in the alcoholic extract: No higher than 50"C chamazulene: chamazulene: at least 5.0 mg% at least 2.0 mg% (-)-a-bisabolol: (-)-a-bisabolol: at least 10.0 mg% at least 6.0 mg% active material content active material content in the dried product: -in the dried product Between 50 and 70"C chamazulene: chamazulene: at least 50 mg% least 30 mgO/o (-)-a-bisabolol: (-)-a-bisabolol: at least 150 mg% at least 100 mg% active material content active material content in the alcoholic extract: in the alcoholic extract: Between 50 and 70"C chamazulene: chamazulene: at least 2.5 mg% at least 1.5 mg% (-)-a-bisabolol: (-)-a-bisabolol: at least 7.5 mg% at least 10.0 mg% It follows from this that a dry material which always contains at least 30 mg% of chamazulene and at least 100 mg% of (-)--bisaboIol, but always less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids, is obtained from the camomile used for producing the preparations according to the invention, for example-during harvesting at a vegetation stage where from 30 to 100% ofthe tubularflowers oftheflower heads are open and drying can be carried out at air temperatures of up to 700C.

In the alcoholic extracts, the content of other bisaboloids is always less than 10 mg%.

The content of chamazulene and bisabolol in the essential oil prepared from a dried material under the conditions specified in the above Table always amounts to at least 3.5% of chamazulene and to at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol, the content of other bisaboloids always being less than 10%.

The chamazulene is determined by spectrophotometry using the method normally adopted for camomile extracts.

The (-)-a-bisabolol and the other ingredients of the camomile oil are determined by the gaschromatographic method normally used. A detailed description of the analytical determination methods can be found in Appendix A.

The active material chamazulene is not present as such in the camomile flowers, but in the form of the sesquiterpene lactone matricin. Matricin shows pharmacological activity similar to that of chamazulene.

The chamazulene is immediately formed from this matricin preliminary stage, for example on heating (for example steam distillation, tea infusion). Accordingly, it is standard practice with camomileto cite not the matricin content but instead the content of the chamazulene formed therefrom.

Potential applications for the camomile according to the invention include, for example, the recovery of camomile drug, camomile oil, camomile extracts and also (-)-a-bisabolol, chamazulene and other camomile ingredients. Thus, camomile extracts may be obtained from the drug obtained from the camomile according to the invention, for example by extraction with alcohols or aqueous alcohol mixtures or by extraction with supercritical gases. In addition, camomile oil, (-)-a-bisabolol, chamazulene and other camomile ingredients may be obtained from the drug.

Alcoholic extracts of the drug contain, for example, at least 1.5 mg% and preferably 5.0 mg% of chamazulene and at least 5.0 mg% and preferably at least 10 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol in the alcoholic drug extract and less than 8 mg% of other bisaboloids. Extracts such as these are prepared in the usual way. The extraction process may be carried out, for example, using mixing units, for example so-called trough mixing machines, percolators and other suitable extraction apparatus. The temperature prevailing during the extraction process is in the range of, for example, from 10 to 50"C. Cooling is not necessary.

Suitable solvents are, in particular, linear or branched aliphatic, monohydric or polyhydric alcohols containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, such as for example methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, butanol, glycerol, isopropylidene glycerol and the like and also mixtures of these solvents with water.

Mixtures of these solvents may also be used. The minimum quantity of solvent is 2 parts of solvent to 1 part of the dried material. The solvent is generally used in a quantity of from 2 to 20 parts to 1 part of the dried material and preferably in a quantity of from 3 to 10 parts to 1 part of the dried material.

Fresh camomile flowers or frozen camomile flowers (providing fresh flowers have been frozen) may also be used for the preparation of extracts, particularly alcoholic extracts.

An essential oil obtained from the drug contains at least 3.5% and preferably at least 5% of chamazulene, at least 10% and preferably at least of of(-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10% of other bisaboloids.

An essential oil of the type in question is generally prepared by heating the drug to boiling temperature with water, for example in the presence of ascorbic acid (for example as a salt, particularly the sodium salt), at a pH value of from 4 to 6 and preferably at a pH value of from 5 to 5.5. The pH-value is adjusted, for example, with an acid, such as hydrochloric acid. For example, from 10 to 50 parts by weight of water and from 0.1 to 1 part by weight of ascorbic acid, if any, are used to 1 part by weight of the dried material.

Heating is generally carried out for 2 to 8 hours.

The aqueous distillate obtained is repeatedly extracted by shaking with a lower aliphatic liquid hydrocarbon (for example petroleum ether (for example Bp. 35--60"C), pentane, xylene, decalin), the aqueous phase is dried (for example with sodium sulfate) and the organic solvent is carefully removed (for example by distillation in a rotary evaporator or by distillation at 40 to 70"C and preferably at 50 to 60 C). In the case of relatively high boiling solvents, this distillation step is carried out in vacuo.

Determination of the ingredients is carried out as already described.

If the flowers of the camomile according to the invention are harvested at a vegetation stage where from 30 to 100% of the tubular flowers of a flower head are open and the flowers are dried at an air temperature of up to 70"C, a drug obtained in this way contains, for example, at least 30 mg% of chamazulene, at least 100 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids; an essential oil prepared from this drug by distillation in the presence of water contains at least 3.5% of chamazulene, at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10 mg% of other bisaboloids and an alcoholic camomile extract prepared by extraction with lower alcohols contains at least 1.5 mg% of chamazulene, at least 5.0 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol andlessthan 10 mg% of other bisaboloids.

If the flowers of the camomile according to the invention are harvested at a vegetation stage where from 30 to 70% of the tubular flowers of a flower head are open and the flowers are dried at an air temperature of no higher than 50"C, a drug obtained in this way contains, for example, at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids; an essential oil optionally prepared therefrom contains at least 3.5% of chamazulene, at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10% of other bisaboloids and an alcoholic extract prepared from this drug contains at least 5.0 mg% of chamazulene, at least 10.0 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10.0 mg% of other bisaboloids.

If the flowers of the camomile according to the invention are harvested at a vegetation stage where from 30 to 70% of the tubular flowers of a flower head are open and the flowers are dried at an air temperature of from 50 to 70"C, the drug thus obtained contains, for example, at least 50 mg% of chamazulene, at least 150 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids; an essential oil optionally prepared therefrom contains at least 3.5% of chamazulene, at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10% of other bisaboloids and an alcoholic extract prepared from this drug contains at least 2.5 mg% of chamazulene, at least 7.5 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10.0 mg% of other bisaboloids.

If the flowers are harvested at a vegetation stage where from 70 to 100% of the tubular flowers of a flower head are open and the flowers are dried at an air temperature of no higher than 50"C, the drug thus obtained contains, for example, at least 40 mg% of chamazulene, at least 120 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids; an ethereal oil optionally prepared therefrom contains at least 3.5% of chamazulene, at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10% of other bisaboloids and an alcoholic extract prepared from this drug contains at least 2.0 mg% of chamazulene, at least 6.0 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10.0 mg% of other bisaboloids.

If the flowers of the camomile according to the invention are harvested at a vegetation stage where from 70 to 100% ofthetubularflowers of a flower head are open and the flowers are dried at an air temperature of from 50 to 700C, the drug thus obtained contains, for example, at least 30 mg% of chamazulene, at least 100 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids; an essential oil optionally prepared therefrom contains at least 3.5% of chamazulene, at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10% of other bisaboloids and an alcoholic extract prepared from this drug contains at least 1.5 mg% of chamazulene, at least 10 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10.0 mg% of other bisaboloids.

EXAMPLE 1 (The Starting Camomile is Tetraploid) By individual plant variability tests involving 10,000 plants of the tetraploid camomile variety described by i. Sarkany (Herba Hungar. 4(1), 125169 (1965)), it was found that, for about every 1000 individuals, there is one plant which has a high chamazulene content of 20% by weight and a high (-)-a-bisabolol content of 50% by weight in the essential oil, the content of other bisaboloids (especially (-)-a-bisabolone oxide) being very small (less than 5% by weight).These individuals were selected and subjected to the following steps: Step 1: Of the progeny of the tetraploid camomile plants selected (as described above), those individuals were picked out which A) flower at approximately the same time, B) show uniform, basal branching and a narrow flowering zone of approximately 10 cm and preferably 5cm, C) have large flower heads with an external diameter of approximately 30 mm and preferably from 25 to 35 mm, D) reach or exceed a minimum content of 150 mg% for chamazulene and 300 mg% for bisabolol, the content of other bisaboloids (particularly bisabolol oxides) being distinctly less than 50 mg%. (All values are based on flower heads which were dried at 400C and which were harvested at a stage where from 30 to 70% of all the tubular flowers of a flower head are open).

These plants were cloned. To this end, the plants (clone mother plants) were first cut back to a branch length of approximately 15cm and then exposed to daylight for 8 to 10 hours at 12 to 14"Cto produce short side shoots. The short shoots are cut and planted in a mixture of peat and sand. Under conditions of approximately 100% relative air humidity, an air temperature of 15"C and 14 hours' daylight, the rooting of the cuttings lasted 7 to 14 days.

Instead of the conventional cloning (cutting propagation) described above, propagation may also be carried out by the in vitro propagation of dividable tissue of the plant (so-called meristem propagation).

Various parts ofthe camomile plant, preferably the branch ends orthe axillary buds, are suitable for establishing camomile growth.

After the plants have been washed-with H2O2, branch ends are taken from the leaf axillary buds under aseptic laminar flow conditions (high-performance suspended-material filter with low-turbulence displacement flow) and transferred to test tubes filled with a nutrient medium, for example after Murashige and Skoog (Physiol. Plant. 15,473--497, 1962). The test tubes are then placed in a climatic chamber under conditions of 12 to 18 and preferably 16 hours' daylight (from fluorescent tubes), a light intensity of from 500 to 10,000 lux and preferably from 1000 to 3000 lux and a temperature of from 15 to 300C and preferably from 22 to 270C.

When the explantates show good growth, they are transferred to a nutrient medium as described above, but with a higher cytokinine concentration* (for example 30 mg/l of 6-isopentenyladenine) and little, if any, auxin (O0.3 mg/l of indole acetic acid). As a result, the axillae grow longer and adventive organs and more axillary buds are formed. They may be removed and grown as described above.

The explantates (of the 3rd passage=3rd propagation generation) intended for plant propagation in relatively large numbers are transferred after growth and leaf formation on the first-mentioned nutrient medium to a nutrient substrate containing 10 mg/l ofindole acetic acid or3-indole butyric acid orfrom 0.1 to 0.3 mg/l of a-naphthyl acetic acid. The young plants develope roots and, after about 4 weeks, are planted in pots filled with sterilized garden soil (treated with steam for 12 hours at 120"C) and further cultivated in a greenhouse (under the usual conditions for conventional cutting propagation).

* Cytokinines are phytohormones which promote cell division.

Nutrient Medium after Murashige & Skoog: mg/l mg/l NH4NO3 400 indole acetic acid 2.0 Ca(NO3)2 4H2O 144 furfuryl adenine 0.1 KNOB 80 thiamine 0.1 KH2PO4 12.5 nicotinicacid 0.5 MgSO4 7H20 72 pyridoxine 0.5 KCI 65 glycine 2.0 NaFe-EDTA 25 myo-inositol 100 HOBOS 1.6 casein hydrolyz. 1000 MnSO4 4H20 6.5 sucrose 2% Ins04 7H20 2.7 purified agar powder 1% KI 0.75 Step 2: The plants obtained after step 1 ceased flowering together under isolated conditions in the greenhouse.

The plants were accommodated in 11cm. pots filled with garden soil at a day temperature of 18 to 240C and a night temperature of 12 to 14"C. There were at least 14 hours of daylight which, in the winter months, was achieved with auxiliary lighting (200 watt/m2). Water was supplied as required.

Of the total of individual plants selected, those flowerheads which had withered and were about to disintegrate were harvested continuously for 4 weeks for seed recovery. Drying was carried out in a well-ventilated shed at an air temperature of from 20 to 30"C. The seeds were then sieved through a slotted screen (5x0.4 mm) and cleaned in a rising separator.

Step 3: A random sample of the seeds obtained in step 2 was taken and around 2000 progeny grown therefrom (ecological conditions as for step 2) and selected according to the same criteria A) to D) of step 1. The individuals thus selected were then further treated as in step 2.

Step 4: Some of the seeds obtained in step 3 were sown in autumn at two different locations.

Location I) 450 m MSL, 48.5" N/11.5" E, 750 mm annual precipitation total, damp temperate climate, January -10 to OOC July +10 to +200C Location II) 200 m MSL, 42"N/1"E, 400 mm annual precipitation total, Mediterranean climate, January O to +10 C July +20 to +30 C.

MSL=mean sea level, north=sea level "N=latitude north (ndegrees) "E=longitude east (ndegrees).

In both locations, sowing was carried out at the end of September/beginning of October.

The field test crops thus obtained were examined and evaluated (classified) for uniform growth, flower size and harvesting time. In addition, random samples of the flowers were analyzed for their active material contents. Those individuals of the field crop which correspond to the parameters mentioned in reference to step 1 were again selected. Seeds were recovered from those individual plants in accordance with step 2, last sentence.

Step 5: Steps 3 and 4 were repeated in that orderwith the seeds obtained in step 4.

Step 6: Approximately 1500 individuals were grown from the seeds obtained in step 5 (ecological conditions as in step 2) and selected on the same principle as in step 1.34 individuals were picked out from the plants thus selected and were cloned in accordance with step 1. 10 plants of each clone were planted in the open in random distribution at intervals of 40x30 cm (location 1, see step 4) at an isolated location. The soil was loess loam, pH 7.0; planting was carried out at the beginning of June, the first harvesting of the seeds in the middle of July, after which the plants were cut back, flowered again and produced a second seed crop in the middle to end of August.

The seed recovery of this material was carried out in accordance with step 2.

The seeds obtained in step 6 are the propagation seeds for the camomile obtained by the process according to the invention. Flowers of plants grown from these seeds (sowing September/October, harvest beginning of June of the following year), which are plucked at a stage where from 30 to 70% of the tubular flowers are open and which were dried immediately afterwards (drying cabinet, 72 hours/40 C), contain for example at least 150 mg% of chamazulene, at least 300 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and at most 50 mg% of other bisaboloids, based on the weight of the dried flowers (dry matter).

Further exemplary data on the plants of the camomile according to the invention obtained in accordance with the Example: 1. Growth Stem: upright, few branches; 2. Foliage Leaf: pinnatipartite, 2 to 3-fold; thickness: medium; pinna, color mid-green; pinna (stem center); pinnation: moderately to highly pinnate; 3.Inflorescence Flowerheads: external diameter approx. 30 mm, internal diameter approx. 15 mm flowerhead weight (dry): approx. 45 mg; fertile shoot, length (mm): approx. 700, but dependent on cultivation region (climate), sowing time, soil, fertilization, plant treatment, weathering; beginning of flowering (days after 1stJanuary): approx. 160th day (sowing September, location Freising, Federal Republic of Germany, otherwise dependent on the factors mentioned above); flowering: middle of June (see above); inflorescence without stem, essential oil content (% of dry matter): approx.1.0%; content of azulene in the essential oil: at least 15%; disintegration of the dried inflorescences, flower drug: slight if harvested before opening of the last tubular flowers; pollen diameter: approx. 30 um; seed length: approx. 1.25 mm; chromosome count of the somatic cells: 4 n=36; 4. Fruit Thousand grain weight (TGW) ofthe seeds: 0.06 to 0.13 g: 5. Germinating power(GP) Approx.75%; 6. Purity 9495%; 7. Other features Shrinkage ratio fresh: dry (flower)=5.5 to 6:1, characteristic aromatic odor of the drug, finely aromatic, typical taste of the tea infusion.

In addition, the following properties may exist: uniform growth height (evenness) with a narrow flowering zone, hence particularly suitable for harvesting by machine, large flowerheads, medium-heavy crop; basally branched (3 to 5 times) form.

Recovery of the Drug: The camomile obtained in accordance with this Example is sown in fields in the usual way. When the plants have developed and the flowerheads are at the vegetation stage where around 50% of the tubular flowers are open, these flower heads are harvested by a camomile picking machine, the comb intervals of the picking machine being adjusted in such a way that only those flowerheads of which 50% of the tubular flowers are open are stripped. The harvested crop is transported as quickly as possible to a shady place where it is spread out in a thin layer pending further treatment. The flowerheads are then freed from the stalks in a sieve and dried to constant weight. The weight loss is around 80%. Drying takes place in the shade on shelves in a layer thickness of around 10 cm, being carried out in a well-ventilated place.

Drying is over after about 2-3 days. To remove stalk fragments and flower debris, the camomile drug is sieved and then pressed into bales.

Analysis Essential oil: 960 mg% Chamazulene: 162 mg% (-)-a-bisabolol: 330 mg%.

If drying is carried out, for example, in a stationary belt drying installation using artificially heated air at a temperature of from 50 to 70"C, the drying process is over after about 4-5 hours. To remove stalk fragments and flower debris, the drug is sieved and then pressed into bales.

The analytical data of a drug obtained in this way are, for example, as follows: essential oil: 870 mg% chamazulene: 94 mg% (-)-a-bisabolol: 197 mg%.

EXAMPLE 2 (The Starting Camomile is Tetraploid) By individual plant variability tests involving 10,000 plants of the tetraploid camomile variety described by I. Sarkany (Herba Hungar. 4(1), 125-169 (1965), it was found that, for approximately every 1000 individuals, there is one plant which has a high chamazulene content of 20% by weight and a high (-)-a-bisabolol content of 50% by weight in the essential oil, the content of other bisabloids (particularly (-)-a-bisabolone oxide) being very small (less than 5% by weight).

These individual plants were selected and subjected to the following steps: Step 1: Of the progeny of the tetraploid camomile plants selected as described above, those individuals were picked out which reach or exceed a minimum content of 100 mg% for chamazulene and 200 mg% for (-)-a-bisabolol and of which the content of other bisaboloids (particularly bisabolol oxides) is below 50 mg%. All the values are based on flowerheads which were dried at around 40"C and which had been harvested at a stage where from about 30 to 70% of all the tubular flowers of a flowerhead were open.

Step 2: All the open flowerheads were removed from the plants obtained in step 1, after which the plants were placed in a greenhouse and ceased blooming together under isolated conditions. The plants were accommodated in 11-cm. pots filled with garden soil at a day temperature of 124'C and a night temperature 1 2-14"C). There were at least 14 hours of daylight which, in the winter months, was achieved with auxiliary lighting (200 watt/m2). Water was supplied as required.

Of the total of individual plants selected, those flowerheads which had withered and were about to disintegrate were harvested continuously for 4 weeks for seed recovery. Drying was carried out in a well-ventilated shed at an air temperature of from 20 to 300C. The seeds were sieved through a slotted screen (5x0.4 mm) and cleaned in a rising separator.

The seeds obtained in step 2 are the propagation seeds for the camomile obtained by the process according to the invention. Flowers of plants grown from these seeds (sowing September/October, harvest beginning of June of the following year), which were plucked at a stage where from 30 to 70% of the tubular flowers are open and which were dried immediately afterwards (drying cabinet, 72 hours/40 C), contain at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and at most 50 mg% of other bisaboloids, based on the weight of the dried flowers.

Recovery of the Drug: The camomile obtained in accordance with this Example is sown in fields in the usual way. When the plants have developed and the flowerheads are at a vegetation stage where around 50% of the tubular flowers are open, these flowerheads are harvested by a camomile picking machine, the comb intervals of the picking machine being adjusted in such a way that only those flowerheads of which 50% of the tubular flowers are open are stripped. The harvested crop is transported as quickly as possible to a shady place where it is spread out in a thin layer pending further treatment. The flowerheads are then freed from stalks in a sieve and dried to constant weight. The weight loss is around 80%. Drying takes place in the shade on shelves in a layer of thickness of around 10cm, being carried out in a well-ventilated place.

Drying is over after about 2-3 days. To remove stalk fragments and flower debris, the camomile drug is sieved and then pressed into bales.

Analysis Essential oil: 940 mg% Chamazulene: 132 mg% (-)-a-bisabolol: 243 mg%.

If drying is carried out, for example, in a stationary belt drying installation using artificially heated air at a temperature of from 50 to 70"C, the drying process is over after about 4--5 hours. To remove stalk fragments and flower debris, the drug is sieved and then pressed into bales. The analytical data of a drug obtained in this way are, for example, as follows: essential oil: 775 mg% chamazulene: 65 mg% (-)-a-bisabolol: 163 mg%.

EXAMPLE 3 (The Starting Camomile is Diploid) By individual plant variability tests involving the diploid, low-bisabolol but not bisabolol-free camomiles described in Franz, Ch., J. H61zl and A. VBmel: Acta Horticulturae 73, 109--114 (1978), it was found that at most up to 20% of all individuals have a chamazulene content of around 20% by weight and/or a high (-)-a-bisabolol content of 50% by weight in the essential oil, their content of the other bisaboloids (particularly (-)-a-bisabolone oxide) being very small.These individuals were selected and tetraploidized as follows: Seeds ofthe camomile plants thus selected were applied to a filter paper impregnated with 0.05% aqueous colchicine solution and left to swell for 6 hours at room temperature (20"C). They were then removed from the filter paper, repeatedly rinsed with water and sown in seed trays (greenhouse).Soil: peat-sand mixture 1: 1, temperature: 18 to 200C, relative air humidity: approx. 60%, daylight with artificial lighting: 14 hours The germinating plants were observed to the flowering stage and the result of polyploidization determined by comparative measurement of the pollen and seed size and by chromosome counting of the plants (F1-progeny=first progeny grown from seeds of the colchicine-treated plants confirmed as tetraploid).

The tetraploidization may be carried out as follows: Well-developed, 5 to 7 day old camomile seedlings which had germinated on water-saturated filter paper were placed with the seed leaves underneath in a 0.05% colchicine solution for 4 to 6 hours at room temperature (20"C). The delicate seed roots were treated with care. To prevent dry damage to them, the surrounding atmosphere must have almost 100% relative air humidity. After the treatment, the seedlings were repeatedly rinsed with water and transplanted in plant boxes. They were then further treated in the same way as the seeds.

The pollen size measurements are carried out with a Leitz binocular research microscope with a micrometric eyepiece and a micrometric specimen holder.

Chromosome counting is carried out on root ends: 1-2cm long fresh root ends of the young plants or slip plants grown in a greenhouse are collected and placed for 5 hours in 0.002 molar hydroxyquinoline solution and then for 15 minutes in 1 N HCI. For examination, approx. 1 mm of the root tips is stained with 2% orcein acetic acid and then microscopically examined immersed in oil. In the case of the cells in mitosis, times the chromosome set of the somatic cells may thus be determined (4n=36).

Those plants in which the pollen diameter was around 50% larger than that of the diploid starting material (around 30 instead of around 20 vim) and in which the chromosome set of the somatic cellswas doubled to 36 (in the case of the diploid starting material, the corresponding number is 18) are-tetraploid.

These plants are selected. Approximately 0.1 to 0.5% of the-seeds or rather the seedlings were tetraploidized by the method described above and developed intact plants capable of flowering. The plants obtained were then subjected, for example, to steps 1 and 2 of Example 2.

The flowers of the camomile thus obtained contain, for example, at least 100% of chamazulene, 200 mg% of ()-a-bisabolol and at most 50 mg% of other bisaboloids (harvesting at a stage where from 30 to 70% of the tubular flowers are open and drying for 72 hours at 40"C in a drying cabinet).

Recovery of the Drug: The camomile obtained in accordance with this Example is sown in fields in the usual way. When the plants have developed and the flowerheads are at the vegetation stage where around 50% of the tubular flowers are open, these flowerheads are harvested by a camomile picking machine, the comb intervals of the picking machine being adjusted in such a way that only those flowerheads of which 50% of the tubular flowers are open are stripped. The harvested crop is transported as quickly as possible to a shady place where it is spread out in a thin layer pending further treatment. The flowerheads are then freed from the stalks in a sieve and dried to constant weight. The weight loss is around 80%. Drying takes place in the shade on shelves in a layer thickness of around 10 cm, being carried out in a well-ventilated place.

Drying is over after about 2-3 days, To remove stalk fragments and flower debris, the camomile drug is sieved and then pressed into bales.

Analysis Essential oil: 910 mg% Chamazulene: 117 mg% (-)-a-bisabolol: 252 mg%.

EXAMPLE 4 (The Starting Camomile is Diploid) By individual plant variability tests involving the diploid, low-bisabolol but not bisabolol-free camomiles described i-n Franz, Ch., J. H6lzl and A. Vo.mel: Acta Horticulturae 73, 109114(1978), it was found that at most up to 20% of all individuals have a chamazulene content of around 20% by weight and/or a high (-)-a-bisabolol content of 50% by weight in the essential oil, their content of the other bisaboloids (particularly (-)-a-bisabolone oxide) being very small. These individuals are selected, tetraploidized in exactly the same way as in Example 3 and the tetraploid individuals selected.

Approximately 0.1 to 0.5% of the seeds or rather the seedlings were tetraploidized and developed intact plants capable of flowering. The plants thus obtained were then subjected, for example, to steps 1 to 6 of Example 1.

The flowers of the camomile thus obtained contain, for example, at least 150 mg% of chamazulene, 300 mg% of(-)-a-bisabolol and at most 50 mg% of other bisaboloids (harvesting art a stage where from 30 to 70% of the tubular flowers are open and drying for 72 hours at 400C in a drying cabinet).

The other properties correspond to those of the camomile obtained in accordance with Example 1.

Recovery of the Drug: The camomile obtained in accordance with this Example is sown in fields in the usual way. When the plants have developed and the flowerheads are at the vegetation stage where around 50% of the tubular flowers are open, these flowerheads are harvested by a camomile picking machine, the comb intervals of the picking machine being adjusted in such a way that only those flowerheads of which 50% of the flowerheads are open are stripped. The harvested crop is transported as quickly as possible to a shady place where it is spread out in a thin layer pending further treatment. The flowerheads are then freed from the stalks in a sieve and dried to constant weight. The weight loss is around 80%. Drying takes place in the shade on shelves in a layer thickness of around 10 cm, being carried out in a well-ventilated place.

After about 2-3 days, drying is over. To remove stalk fragments and flower debris, the camomile drug is sieved and then pressed into bales.

Analysis Essential oil: 1020 mg% Chamazulene: 173 mg% (-)-a-bisabolol: 418 mg%.

EXAMPLE 5 Example of the Preparation of an Alcoholic Camomile Extract from the Camomile Drug: 400 g of dried flowers of a camomile obtained in accordance with Example 1 are extracted for 3 hours with 2100 g of aqueous ethyl alcohol (40% by weight ethanol) in a trough mixer at a mixer speed of 30 r.p.m.

The drug material is then squeezed and the extract filtered. The extract contains: 3.7 mg% of chamazulene and 10.2 mg% of(-)-a-bisabolol.

The camomile flowers for the drug used were harvested at a stage where from 30 to 70% of the tubular flowers of the flowerheads were open and dried at an air temperature of no higher than 50"C. This drug then had a chamazulene content of 105 mg% and an (-)-a-bisabolol content of 212 mg%.

EXAMPLE 6 Example of the Preparation of an Alcoholic Fresh Camomile Extract: 758 g of fresh camomile flowers* of a camomile obtained in accordance with Example 1 (water content approx. 74%) are extracted with 510 g of ethanol (84% by weight) in a trough mixer at a mixer speed of 65 * The flowers were harvested at the stage where from 30 to 70% of the tubular flowers were open.

r.p.m. After 30 minutes, the extraction material is squeezed and the extract filtered. In the extract, the active material content is determined in known manner: chamazulene: 11.7 mg%, (-)-a-bisabolol: 16.3 mg%.

EXAMPLE 7 Example of the Preparation of an Essential Oil: In a 5-liter spherical flask, 3.6 liters of water and 2 g of sodium ascorbate are added to 200 g of the dried material of Example 1 (drying was carried out at an air temperature of 50"C in the absence of sunlight) and the pH-value adjusted to 5.0 with 1N HCI. After addition of boiling stones, the contents of the flask are heated to boiling temperature. Approx. 1.2 liters of distillate are collected over a period of about 3 hours.

On completion of distillation, the distillate is extracted by shaking three times with 100 ml of petroleum ether and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The dried solution is filtered and the solvent is then distilled off in a rotary evaporator. The yield comprises 1.44 g of essential oil containing 3.6% of chamazulene and 10.2% of (-)-a-bisabolol.

Appendix A Recovery of the Essential Oil The starting material is a drug of the camomile according to the invention. Only those flowerheads in which from 30 to 70% and more especially from 40 to 60% of the tubular flowers are open are used for preparing the drug. Drying is carried out in a drying cabinet for 72 hours at 40"C.

The essential oil ofthe camomile flowers is recovered by subjecting the drug to steam distillation for 2 hours as described in the following: In a liter spherical fiask, 250 ml of deionized water are added to 2.0 g of uncomminuted drug which is then subjected to reflux distillation for 2 hours in a Clevenger apparatus (steam distillation reflux apparatus for quantitatively determining small quantities of essential oils). 1 ml of pentane per analysis is used as the receiving medium. The reflux rate is 40+4 drops/minute. On completion of distillation, the essential oil dissolved in pentane is run offsubstantially free from water into test tubes and any essential oil remaining in the apparatus is rinsed out with pentane.To remove any traces of water, a spatula tip of dried Na2SO4 is added to the solution, after which the solution is filtered under suction through a glass suction filter of porosity D3 or D4 into round-rim flasks. After evaporation of the pentane at 40"C in a water bath and drying in an exsiccator, the quantity of oil is gravimetrically determined.

The chamazulene and the bisabolol are subsequently determined in the oil thus obtained (approx. 20 mg).

Spectrophotometric Determination of the Chamazulene Measuring solution: All the essential oil (approx. 20 mg) obtained (as described above) from 2 g of drug is dissolved in 25 ml of n-hexane orcyclohexane.

Measuring instrument: Filter photometer (for example Eppendorf).

Wavelength: 578 nm Cuvette: 1 cm Specific extinction of chamazulene (1 9/100 ml; 1 cm): 20.8 Compensation liquid: n-hexane orcyclohexane Found chamazulene content in mg/100 g: 120 E578 If no filter photometer is available for measurement, the determination may also be carried out with a spectrophotometer: Measuring instrument: Spectrophotometer (for example Ziess PM Q II or PM Q III) Wavelength: 605 nm Cuvette: 1 cm Specific extinction of chamazulene (1 9/100 ml; 1 cm): 24.5 Compensation liquid: n-hexane or cyclohexane Found chamazulene content in mg/100 g: 102 E605 The bisabolol is subsequently determined in the measuring solution.

Gas-Chromatographic Determination of the Bisabolol and the Other Bisaboloids Gas chromatograph: Hewlett Packard Model 5750, Erba Fractovap 2350 or similar instrument.

Detector: Flame ionization detector Carrier gas: Helium Column: 1/8 inch; 200 cm; steel Column filling: 3% nitrile-silicone rubber "XE 60" silanized on kieselguhr "Chromosorb WAW HP" 125 to 150 pom as carrier material Temperature: Detector: 320"C Injection block: 220"C Column: 85--220"C Temperature program: 4 C/minute Sample solution: The measuring solution for the chamazulene is used.

Comparison solution: Approx. 15 mg of standard bisabolol are dissolved in cyclohexaneto 25 ml.

Injection volume: 5 ul of sample solution and 5 ul of comparison solution Evaluation: Evaluation is carried out by peak comparison.

Bisabolol content in mg per 100g of drug: peak (sample) 10xweighed portion (comparison) [mg]x peak (comparison) The other bisaboloids may also be determined by gas chromatography, for example under the following conditions: Instrument: Packard, Model 7721, Series 800 or Erba Fractovap Series 2350 Columns: Glass columns, 3 m/2 mm in diameter; 2 m/2 mm in diameter Filling: 3% methylphenyl silicone rubber "OV 1" silanized on kieselguhr "Gaschrom Q" 125 to 150 pom as carrier material Carrier gas: 30 ml/minute N2 Temperature program: 80 to 1 800C, 2.5 (3)"C/minute Injector/detector.

temperature: 200"C Detector: flame ionization detector Injection volume: approx. 2 ul of the essential oil diluted in a ratio of approx. 1:50.

Evaluation is carried out partly with and partly without an internal standard. Suitable internal standards are lauric acid methylester or hexadecane for low-chamazulene or chamazulene-free oils. In the case of oils containing more than 5% of chamazulene, the chamazulene should be used as the internal standard, the contents being determined photometrically (at 578 nm).

Claims (19)

1. A bisabolol-rich,tetraploid camomile of the cultivated plant species true camomile (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert, synonymous with Matricaria chamomilla L., Asteraceae) of which the flowers dried at 400C contain at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of(-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids, based on dry matter.

2. Propagation seeds of a camomile as claimed in claim 1.

3. A process for producing a new bisabolol-rich tetraploid camomile of the cultivated plant species true camomile (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert, synonymous with Matricaria chamomilla L., Asteraceae), of which the flowers dried at400C contain at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids, based on dry matter, which comprises selecting those plants of which the flowers dried at 400C contain at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg % of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids from a tetraploid camomile, in which (-)-a-bisabolol is the main component of the essential oil, and optionally subjected the plants to further selection and propagation steps and optionally obtaining propagation seeds and/or a camomile drug from camomile plants of the camomile varieties thus obtained.

4. A process as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the tetraploid camomile is obtained from a diploid camomile in which (-)-a-bisabolol is the main component of the essential oil, by tetraploidization using chemicals at temperatures of from 0 to 35"C, using y-rays, X-rays or UV-rays at temperatures of from 0 to 35"C, using high temperatures of from 33 to 50"C, using low temperatures of from 0 to 5"C, using the decapitation-callus method or by another cultivation followed by tetraploidization.

5. A process as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the selection and propagation steps comprise: a) selection of at least 10 individuals of the tetraploid plants according to their active material content (at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids, based on dry matter), concurrent flowering, uniform basal branching and a flower head size of from 20 to 40 mm, cloning the plants thus selected and recovering seeds from the plants obtained by cloning, b) cultivation of progeny from the seeds obtained in accordance with a), subsequent selection in accordance with a) and recovery of seeds from the plants thus selected, c) repeating the measures according to b) from 3 to 5 times, d) cultivation of progeny from the seeds obtained in accordance with c), selection of these progeny in accordance with a), cloning of the plants thus selected and recovery of seeds from the plants obtained by cloning,

6. Camomile or camomile propagation seeds when obtained in accordance with a process as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5.

7. The use of camomile obtained in accordance with any of claims 3 to 5 for producing propagation seeds.

8. A process for producing propagation seeds, which comprises obtaining seeds or cuttings from camomile plants obtained according to any of claims 3 to 5.

9. The use of a camomile according to claim 1 or 2 or produced according to any of claims 3 to 5 for producing a camomile drug.

10. A process for producing a camomile drug from flowers of the camomile as claimed in claims 1 or 2 or produced according to any of claims 3 to 5, which comprises harvesting the flowers at a vegetation stage where from 30 to 100 mg% of the tubular flowers of a flower head are open and drying the flowers at an air temperature of up to 700C, a drug obtained in this way containing at least 30 mg% of chamazulene at least 100 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids and optionally preparing an essential oil containing at least 3.5% of chamazulene, at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10% of other bisaboloids from the drug thus obtained by distillation in the presence of water or optionally preparing therefrom an alcoholic camomile extract containing at least 1.5 mg% of chamazulene,

at least 5.0 mg% of (-)-Q-bisabolol and less than 10 mg% of other bisaboloids by extraction with lower alcohols.

11. A process for producing a camomile drug from flowers of the camomile as claimed in claim 1 or 2 or produced according to any of claims 3 to 5, which comprises harvesting the flowers at a vegetation stage where from 30 to 70% of the tubularflowers of a flower head are open and drying the flowers at an air temperature of no higher than 50"C, the drug thus obtained containing at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of ()-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids and an essential oil optionally prepared therefrom containing at least 3.5% of chamazulene, at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10% of other bisaboloids and an alcoholic extract prepared therefrom containing at least 5.0 mg% of chamazulene, at least 10.0 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10.0 mg% of other bisaboloids.

12. A process for producing a camomile drug from flowers of the camomile as claimed in claim 1 or 2 or produced according to any of claims 3 to 5 which comprises harvesting the flowers at a vegetation stage where from 30 to 70% of the tubular flowers of a flower head are open and drying the flowers at an air temperature of from 50"C to 70"C, the drug thus obtained containing at least 50 mg % of chamazulene, at least 150 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids and an essential oil optionally prepared therefrom containing at least 3.5% of chamazulene, at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10% of other bisaboloids and an alcoholic extract prepared therefrom containing at least 2.5 mg% of chamazulene, at least 7.5 mg% of ()-a-bisabolol and less than 10.0 mg% of other bisaboloids.

13. A process for producing a camomile drug from flowers of the camomile as claimed in claims 1 or 2 or produced according to any of claims 3 to 5 which comprises harvesting the flowers at a vegetation stage where from 70 to 100% of the tubular flowers of a flower head are open and drying the flowers at an air temperature of no higher than 50"C, the drug obtained containing at least 40 mg% of chamazulene, at least 120 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids and an essential oil optionally prepared therefrom containing at least 3.5% of chamazulene, at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10% of other bisaboloids and an alcoholic extract prepared therefrom containing at least 2.0 mg% of chamazulene, at least 6.0 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10.0 mg% of other bisaboloids.

-

14. A process for producing a camomile drug from flowers of the camomile as claimed in claim 1 or 2 or produced according to any of claims 3 to 5, which comprises harvesting the flowers at a vegetation stage where from 70 to 100% of the tubular flowers of a flower head are open and drying the flowers at an air temperature of from 50 to 70"C, the drug thus obtained containing at least 30 mg % of chamazulene, at least 100 mg /0 of ()-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids and an essential oil optionally prepared therefrom containing at least 3.5% of chamazulene, at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10% of other bisaboloids and an alcoholic extract prepared therefrom containing at least 1.5 mg% of chamazulene, at least 10 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10.0 mg% of other bisaboloids.

15. A process for producing a camomile drug as claimed in any of claims 10 to 14, wherein the drug contains at least 100 mg% of chamazulene and at least 200 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol, the content of other bisaboloids being less than 50 mg%.

16. A camomile drug containing at least 100 mg% of chamazulene, at least 200 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 50 mg% of other bisaboloids, characterised in that flowers of the camomile as claimed in claim 1 or 2 or produced according to any of claims 3 to 5 are used for its production.

17. An essential oil obtained using fresh, frozen or dried flowers ofatetraploid camomile as claimed in claim 1 or 2 or produced according to any of claims 3 to 5 characterised in that it contains at least 3.5% of chamazulene, at least 10% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10% of other bisaboloids.

18. An alcoholic camomile extract obtained using fresh, frozen or dried flowers of a tetraploid camomile as claimed in claims 1 or 2 or produced according to any of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that it contains at least 1.5 mg% of chamazulene, at least 5.0 mg% of (-)-a-bisabolol and less than 10 mg% of other bisaboloids.

19. The use of a tetraploid camomile as claimed in claim 1 or 2 or produced according to any of claims 3 to 5 or dried flowers thereof for producing alcoholic camomile extracts or for producing essential camomile oil.