Rastitelʹnye resursy

The review presents literature data on the resources and biological activity of aboveground and underground parts of 18 wild woody medicinal plants from the families Rosaceae, Rhamnaceae, Tiliaceae, Eleagnaceae, Viburnaceae, Sambucaceae, Cupressaceae, Salicaceae, Betulaceae, Pinaceae and Fagaceae distributed in Russia. The following medicinal species of woody plants found in Russia are included in State Pharmacopoeia and the State Register of Medicinal Species: Pinus sylvestris L., Picea abies L., Juniperus communis L., species of the genera Alnus L. and Betula L., Quercus robur L., Tilia cordata Mill., Populus nigra L., Sorbus aucuparia L., species of the genus Crataegus L., Padus avium L., Rosa majalis Lindl., Sambucus nigra L., Viburnum oppulus L., Rhamnus сathartica L., Frangula alnus Mill., Hippophae rhamnoides L. While Populus tremula L. does not belong to the officinal species, its bark and leaves are widely used in traditional Tibetan and folk medicine. For the listed wild medicinal plants, general information is provided on the reserves of raw materials, recommendations for their collection; the main components and biological activity of the extracts of the above-ground and underground organs of these species are listed, as well as indications for their use in traditional and folk medicine. For these species, the results of research on the resource base and methods for its determination for different regions of Russia are given, the biological activity of the plant extracts and the components exhibiting such activity are listed; medical conditions for which preparations from wild medicinal plants are recommended are indicated.

The article examines conservation of natural coenopopulations of valuable medicinal plant species in demand in international trade, that are not included in the CITES Appendices. These species are: Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk, Arctostаphylos иva-иrsi (L.) Spreng, Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz., Glycyrrhíza glаbra L., Symphytum officinale L., and Atractylodes ovata L. Trade in these species is regulated by environmental authorities. The article provides data on the volumes of legal and cases of illegal trade in the studied species in the Russian Federation. The negative impact of long-term trade on the number of natural populations of Saposhnikovia divaricata and Arctostаphylos uva-ursi is established. Measures for preserving natural populations of medicinal plants in demand in trade are proposed. An assessment of measures taken at the state level to ensure the protection of rare and endangered plant species is given.

This paper investigates the effect of long-term annual fertilization with major mineral nutrients (N, K, P) on microstructural parameters of wood in artificial pine stands on fire-affected sandy soils. Fertilization has resulted in augmentation of the annual layer and, hence, a decrease in latewood percentage and density, but the differences in these parameters were below the confidence level. All qualitative characteristics showed the highest values under treatment with nitrogen. Within the observation period, the width of annual rings increased, while the wood density remained as in the control. Under N treatment, the thin-walled early- and latewood tracheids were formed, and their total number in radial rows was the smallest; it was counter-balanced by the formation of a greater number of rows of thick-walled larger-size latewood tracheids in the aftereffect period. Evaluating the set of the parameters in question it was found that wood quality does not deteriorate under nitrogen fertilization. Phosphorus had a minor effect on the wood quality. While the share of latewood and density decreased slightly during the period of observations, annual ring width increased. The greater increment was due to rows of thicker-walled larger-diameter latewood tracheids. Tracheids in earlywood have thinner walls. Fertilization with potassium resulted in a reliable decline in basic density due to lower latewood content compared to the control plot, and to the formation of thin-walled earlywood tracheids. Pine trees on burnt heather cutovers regenerating in lingonberry pine communities consume high amounts of nitrogen. Pine wood from the sites annually fertilized with major nutrients on a long-term basis can be recommended as high-quality sawtimber fulfilling the state standard (GOST 968-68) and the criteria of the Institute of Pulp and Paper Industry Raw Material Laboratory.

Long-term introduction is an important area in the activities of botanical gardens. Long-term introduction is an important area in the activities of botanical gardens. The study examined the main ecological, biological and morphological features of the exotic species Sorbus graeca (Spach) Lodd. ex S. Schauer, introduced in the Botanical garden of Orenburg State University (OSU). To assess the prospects of the introduction, a modified methodology was used, taking into account the limiting climatic factors of the point of introduction. The following parameters were evaluated: annual growth, preservation of the growth form, the degree of maturation of shoots, winter hardiness, drought resistance, heat resistance, methods of possible plant reproduction, the ability of plants to generative development. In S. graeca, a change in habit is noted, in which the plant takes the form of a low-growing shrub. The introduced species is characterized by average drought and heat resistance in the climatic conditions of the point of introduction. S. graeca has an annual growth rate that is not susceptible to freezing. The species under the conditions of introduction is characterized by seed propagation (artificial sowing). According to the modified methodology for assessing the prospects of introduction, the S. graeca species is assigned to group I — promising plants, and is recommended for introduction into culture in the Orenburg region.

Currently, special attention is paid to plants of the genus Cirsium Mill. (Asteraceae) used in traditional medicine as medicinal raw materials with antibacterial, nootropic and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, Cirsium species are used in folk medicine as anti-ulcer and vulnerary agents. The therapeutic properties of these plants are due to the content of phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids. Cirsium vlassovianum Fisch. ex DC., is one of the poorly studied plants growing in the Russian Far East, the flavonoid composition of which has not been examined. Three flavonoids were isolated from the aboveground part of C. vlassovianum by extraction, column chromatography, and RP-HPLC methods: hispidulin (1), hispidulin-7-O-β-glucopyranoside (2), and pectolinarin (3). The structure of the isolated compounds was confirmed by NMR-spectroscopy. By the method of RP-HPLC—MS/MS in the initial alcoholic extract of C. vlassovianum, six more flavonoids were identified: rutin (4), cynaroside (5), apigenin-7-O-β-glucuronopyranoside (6), apigenin (7), kaempferol (8), isokaempferide (9). Therefore, this plant can be a promising source of biologically active compounds.

Korean mint or wrinkled giant hyssop (Agastache rugosa L.) is one of the promising plant sources for the production of medicinal herbal preparations. In this work a technique that has been developed for the quantitative determination of the amount of hydroxycinnamic acids in the herb of A. rugosa by direct spectrophotometry is described. The analytical maxima of the studied compounds are 330 nm and the shoulder is 290 nm. The optimal conditions for the extraction of hydroxycinnamic acids from A. rugosa raw materials are substantiated. Chlorogenic acid was chosen as a reference sample for calculating the content of hydroxycinnamic acids. The developed method is evaluated according to the validation characteristics: specificity, linearity, precision, correctness and is found suitable for use in analytical purposes. It was revealed that the content of hydroxycinnamic acids in the herb of A. rugosa is 7.50 % of the weight of absolute dry raw materials.