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

The coumarin umbelliferone was identified as a stress metabolite of the med icinal plant Chamomilla recutita. The increased content of umbelliferone wa s already observed in leaves 12 hrs after abiotic stress elicitation by CuC l2. In 48 hrs this amount rose approximately 10 times. In the same period o f time, a decrease of (Z)- and (E)-2-beta -D-glucopyranosyloxy-4-methoxy ci nnamic 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.