Pectorales species No. 2 is a multicomponent herbal preparation with expectorant and anti-inflammatory effects. It includes coltsfoot leaves, plantain leaves, and licorice roots. This study focused on assessing the composition and content of volatile compounds and fatty acids in Pectorales species No. 2. The volatile compounds and fatty acids profile was assessed by GC-MS and GC-FID respectively. It is represented by 24 fatty acids and 91 volatile compounds. The main fatty acids in the composition of Pectorales species No. 2 are palmitic, linoleic and α-linolenic acids. The prevailing volatile lipophilic compounds are carvone, isomentone, iso-octenyl alcohol, anethole, hexyl alcohol, menthanone, cis-hex-3-enyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, pulegone, linalool, α-thujone.

Ginseng roots are medicinal plant raw materials used in pharmaceutical practice in a number of countries due to their pharmacological activities, including tonic. Ginsenosides of ginseng are the main group of biologically active substances responsible for the pharmacological effects of ginseng.One of the modern methods for analyzing ginsenosides is UPLC-MS/MS, which allows one to gain a broad understanding of the ginsenoside profile. The authors used TLC analysis and UPLC-MS/MS to identify and quantify ginsenosides. Of the 18 identified ginsenosides, ginsenosidesRb 1, Rc, Re, Rg1 can be considered as marker ones. These approaches can serve as the basis for the development of regulatory documentation for ginseng and medicines based on it. The total content of ginsenoside in tinctures is higher than in the medicinal plant material of white ginseng roots. Chemical compounds studied in this article: Ginsenoside Rb1 (PubChem CID: 9898279); Ginsenoside Rb2 (PubChem CID: 6917976); Ginsenoside Rb3 (PubChem CID: 12912363); GinsenosideRc (PubChem CID: 12855889); Ginsenoside Rd (PubChem CID: 24721561); Ginsenoside Re (PubChem CID: 119307); Ginsenoside Rf (PubChem CID: 441922); Ginsenoside Rg1 (PubChem CID: 441923); Ginsenoside S-Rg2 (PubChem CID: 12912322); Ginsenoside Ro (PubChem CID: 11815492); Ginsenoside S-Rg3 (PubChem CID: 9918693); Ginsenoside Rg5 (PubChem CID: 11550001); Ginsenoside R-Rh1 (PubChem CID: 21599923); Ginsenoside S-Rh2 (PubChem CID: 91668381); Ginsenoside Rk1 (PubChem CID: 11499198); Ginsenoside Rk3 (PubChem CID: 75412555); Ginsenoside F2 (PubChem CID: 9918692); Ginsenoside F3 (PubChem CID: 46887678); Ginsenoside F4 (PubChem CID: 73717457); Ginsenoside CK (PubChem CID: 9852086).

INTRODUCTION. The influence of anthropogenic factors on the content of toxic elements in plants increases the need for monitoring the content of toxic elements in medicinal plant raw materials and the corresponding herbal medicinal products. In addition, studying the elemental composition of herbal medicinal products will help determine their potential in the treatment of elemental metabolism disorders (macroand micro-elementoses).AIM. This study aimed to determine the elemental composition and the heavy metal content in Pectoral Species No. 2 and its components.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study used Pectoral Species No. 2 and its components, including common coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara L.) leaf, greater plantain (Plantago major L.) leaf, and liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L., G. uralensis Fisch.) root. The samples were manufactured by Krasnogorskleksredstva JSC and purchased at Moscow pharmacies. To determine the elemental composition, the study samples were digested with concentrated nitric acid and analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The calibration involved using concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 times the maximum permissible concentration for each element.RESULTS. This study identified and quantified 26 elements in Pectoral Species No. 2 and its components. The content of heavy metals was within the permissible concentrations. The study established the predominant macronutrients (potassium, calcium, and magnesium), micronutrients (iron, aluminium, and strontium), and ultramicronutrients (barium, nickel, and chromium) in Pectoral Species No. 2. The authors evaluated the contributions of each herbal drug to the total element content in the medicinal product.CONCLUSIONS. Coltsfoot leaf exerts the greatest influence on the content of macro-, micro-, and ultramicronutrients in Pectoral Species No. 2. Greater plantain leaf contributes the most to the zinc, silver, and nickel content. Liquorice root has the highest strontium and molybdenum content.

Phytochemical composition data of various parts of celery (Apium graveolens L.) and pharmacological activity thereof are analyzed herein. Flavonoids, organic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, ether oil terpenoids, tannins, vitamins and microelements are A. graveolens biologically active substances (BAS). Rich composition of BAS causes multiple both biological and pharmacological effects of herbal raw materials extracts mainly due to antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the extracts have neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, antihypertensive and antibacterial effects. A. graveolens possesses wide spectrum of pharmacological activities and is a nontoxic plant; A. graveolens-based medicines will have high margin of safety. The results obtained provide opportunities for making herbal pharmaceutical celery-based substances and introduction thereof into the academic medicine.

Background: Mucolytic and expectorant drugs are important elements in the pharmacotherapy of respiratory diseases. Phytopectol No 2 (Pectorales species No 2) is one of the herbal multi-component drugs (herbal teas). Pectorales species No 2 (PS No 2) is a mixture of three types of medicinal plants presented on the Russian pharmaceutical market. It consists of coltsfoot leaves (40%), plantain leaves (30%), and licorice roots (30%). The PS No 2 infusion is a dosage form prepared from crushed or powdered plant material. The PS No 2 infusion exhibits expectorant and anti-inflammatory activity; it is used in the treatment of respiratory diseases and to facilitate the release of sputum.\r\nPurpose: This review study aims to collect and analyze the literature data concerning the composition and content of polysaccharides, their monosaccharide composition in PS No 2 and its components. \r\nMethods: We used different scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, e-Library, Google Scholar for information search. \r\nResult: Nowadays, synthetic drugs, herbal remedies, and combined medicines with expectorant action are presented on the Russian and world markets. Herbal medicines can be classified into single drugs containing one plant/component, and medicines with two or more plants/components. Herbal medicines take leading places in the segment of the mucoactive drugs market along with synthetic ones in the Russian Federation. Most of the PS No 2 polysaccharides are arabinogalactans, rhamnogalacturonans, galacturonans, galactans. The arabinose (up to 15%), glucose (up to 26%), galactose (up to 23%), rhamnose (up to 40%), as well as galacturonic acid (up to 26%) are presented in monosaccharide composition of PS No 2 polysaccharide complex.\r\nConclusion: Polysaccharides of various types are the main group of biologically active compounds (BAC) in PS No 2. The monomer composition of the polysaccharides causing the pharmacological action of PS No 2 should be established to improve the standardization procedures of crude herbal drugs and to identify BAC. The ratio of these carbohydrates can serve as a marker parameter in the standardization of PS No 2.

Objective: Free and bounded amino acids are one of the valuable biologically active substances (BAS) containing in medicinal plants with other BAS groups. The research aims to determine the profile and content of free and bounded amino acids in coltsfoot leaves infusion by HPLC-UV, as well as suggest alternative ways to use it in medicine. Materials and methods: Coltsfoot leaves (crushed herbal drug) were used as plant material for preparing infusion and analysis. Amino acids profile and content were analyzed by RP-HPLC-UV after pre-column derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (OPA) (derivatization of primary amines) and with fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (FMOC) (secondary amines). The sources of scientific literature concerning the amino acid composition of crushed herbal drugs were also studied. Results: 10 free and 13 bounded amino acids were identified in coltsfoot leaves infusion. Total content was 44.04±2.20 mg/g (Arg > Tyr > Gln > Ala > Asn > Met > Ile > Val > Lys > Leu) and 57.79±2.89 mg/g (Arg > Gln > Lys > Tyr > Gly > Asn > Val > Thr > Ala > Ile > Nva > Leu > Met) respectively. Content of essential amino acids – 0,89±0,04 mg/g (5 free); 9,58±0,48 mg/g (5 bounded). Conclusions: Since the coltsfoot leaves contain a significant amount of arginine, studies involving the prevention and adjunctive treatment of viral diseases, including SARS-CoV-2 virus infection (COVID-19), are promising.

This review provides an overview of polysaccharides as a multifaceted group of biologically active compounds; they are discussed in the framework of modern pharmacognostic analysis. Data on chemical classification, component composition, physicochemical properties, and the content of polysaccharides in crude herbal drugs in the Russian Federation are consistently presented and analyzed. Some general groups and major compounds are characterized taking into account the use in pharmaceutical practice. Polysaccharides are the products of secondary metabolism; some of them can be used in pharmacy as excipients, while others have pronounced pharmacological effects and are active pharmaceutical ingredients. Improvement and development of procedures for the pharmacopoeial.analysis of crude herbal drugs containing polysaccharides and preparations based on are important tasks of modern pharmacognosy