FLUORIDE CONTENT AND BIOLOGICAL VALUE OF FLOWERS OF SOME CHAMOMILE (MATRICARIA RECUTITA L.) CULTIVARS

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) is one of the most important medicinal plant in Europe. Phytotherapeutically useful are inflorescences - Anthodium chamomillae. Their main biologically active compound is an essential oil. Among other active agents there are polyphenols, carotenoids and ascorbic acid. The aim of the experiment was to compare fluoride content and biological value of four Polish chamomile cultivars: Promyk (2n), Mastar (2n), Zloty Lan (4n) and Dukat (4n). The experiment was carried out in 2010 in Poland. The chemical analyses included determination of the content of dry matter, total ash, total nitrogen, total protein, crude fibre, nitrates V, total and reducing sugars, saccharose, total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and b, L-ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, total polyphenols, total flavonoids, essential oil, titratable acidity, antioxidant activity and fluoride concentration. It was proved that among the tested cultivars, the diploid cultivars of chamomile Promyk and Mastar were characterized by high biological value. They contain high amounts of total polyphenols, total flavonoids, dry matter, total ash, total nitrogen, total protein, crude fibre, total and reducing sugars and saccharose. However, the highest content of essential oil and fluoride content was determined in flower anthodia of the tetraploid cultivar Dukat.