Matricaria genus as a source of antimicrobial agents: From farm to pharmacy and food applications.

Microbiol Res. 2018 Oct;215:76-88. doi: 10.1016/j.micres.2018.06.010. Epub 2018 Jun 25. Sharifi-Rad M1, Nazaruk J2, Polito L3, Morais-Braga MFB4, Rocha JE4, Coutinho HDM4, Salehi B5, Tabanelli G6, Montanari C6, Del Mar Contreras M7, Yousaf Z8, Setzer WN9, Verma DR10, Martorell M11, Sureda A12, Sharifi-Rad J13. Author information 1 Department of Medical Parasitology, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, 61663-335, Iran. 2 Department of Pharmacognosy, Medical University of Bialystok, Mickiewicza 2a, 15-089, Bialystok, Poland. 3 Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine-DIMES, General Pathology Unit, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo 14, 40126, Bologna, Italy. 4 Laboratory of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Chemistry, Universidade Regional do Cariri - URCA, Crato, CE, Brazil. 5 Medical Ethics and Law Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: bahar.salehi@sbmu.ac.ir. 6 Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca Industriale Agroalimentare, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Cesena, Italy. 7 Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Ambiental y de los Materiales, Universidad de Jaén, Spain. 8 Department of Botany, Lahore College for Women University, Jail Road Lahore, Pakistan. 9 Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, 35899, USA. 10 Department of Botany & Postgraduate Department, Biological Sciences, VIVA College of Arts, Science & Commerce, Virar (w), 401303, Maharashtra, India. 11 Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile. Electronic address: mmartorell@udec.cl. 12 Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, Laboratory of Physical Activity Sciences, and CIBEROBN - Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition, CB12/03/30038, University of Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. 13 Phytochemistry Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Chemistry, Richardson College for the Environmental Science Complex, The University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Canada. Electronic address: javad.sharifirad@sbmu.ac.ir. Abstract 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 factors. Moreover, other parameters, such as season of harvest and methods of extraction, can affect the extraction yield of the essential oils/extracts, their composition and, therefore, their bioactivity. Due to the importance of this genus and particularly M. recutita (M. chamomilla), this review focus on its cultivation, factor affecting essential oils' composition and their role in traditional medicine, as antibacterial agents and finally as food preservatives. KEYWORDS: Antimicrobial compounds; Chamomiles; Essential oil; Matricaria; Matricaria recutita; Natural food preservative