Umbelliferone, a stress metabolite of Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert

The coumarin umbelliferone was identified as a stress metabolite of the medicinal plant Chamomilla recutita. The increased content of umbelliferone was already observed in leaves 12 hrs after abiotic stress elicitation by CuCl2. In 48 hrs this amount rose approximately 10 times. In the same period of time, a decrease of (Z)- and (E)-2-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy-4-methoxy cinnamic acid and an increase of herniarin was found. In the leaves infected by powdery mildew Erysiphe cichoracearum DC., the increase of umbelliferone content was also observed.