Chamazulene

Chamazulene is the deep blue chromophore of German chamomile and yarrow. The compound is not present in the plant itself but forms during distillation from matricin as a precursor.

Antioxidant activity. Chamazulene is a strong antioxidant. IC50 for lipid peroxidation inhibition is 18 μM (3.31 μg/mL) after 45 minutes. It inhibits deoxyribose degradation and non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation with very low IC50 values.

Direct toxicity data are very limited.

Chamazulene gives the unique deep blue color to blue chamomile and blue tansy. The compound is sensitive to light and heat; oils lose color on prolonged exposure.

The anti-inflammatory skin activity of German chamomile is largely attributed to chamazulene and α-bisabolol.