Microscopic analysis of medicinal plants and raw materials is one of the stages of quality control which makes it possible to determine the authenticity of an object. This article presents the results of microscopic analysis of leaves, corolla, leafstalks and stalk of Salvia stepposa (steppe sage). This species is a relative to Salvia officinalis officinal used in traditional medical systems as an anti-inflammatory agent. The purpose of this study is to determine the features of the anatomical structures of the above-ground part of steppe sage and to reveal diagnostic signs at the microscopic level. Preliminary pharmacognostic investigation of vegetative raw material is done and diagnostic signs are identified. The detail microscopy revealed the presence of 3 types of trichomes on leaves’ epidermis: 1) simple unicellular; 2) simple multicellular; 3) glandular; their localization and shape are determined. Type of mesophyll, structure of trichomes; form and location of epidermal cells, the presence of rare simple trichomes along the edge are discovered. As a result of the research the anatomical features of the raw material were established, which make it possible to identify the above-ground part of Salvia stepposa and can be used for the development of regulatory documentation.

Histochemical analysis of medicinal plants and raw materials is intended to be used to study the localization of various chemical substances and products of their metabolism in tissues. The article presents the results of histochemical analysis of leaves, flowers and stems of Dracocephalum ruyschiana L. and Dracocephalum nutans L. The genus Dracocephalum L. belongs to the family Lamiaceae Lindl. (Labiatae), whose plants are of interest as sources for medicinal preparations. These two species of Dracocephalum are related to Dracocephalum moldavica L., used in folk medicine for respiratory diseases, as an antipyretic agent, for asthenia, as a potency-increasing agent. Studies have shown that some species of Dracocephalum have antibacterial, antitussive, antidiarrheal, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and sedative properties. To determine the localization features of certain groups of secondary metabolites in the aerial part of Dracocephalum ruyschiana L. and Dracocephalum nutans L. growing in the territory of Central Kazakhstan at the microscopic level. Materials and methods. Cross-sections of stems, flowers, and D. ruyschiana and D. nutans were fixed in Strauss-Fleming solution, after which histochemical reactions were carried out to locate and identify essential oils, phenolic acids, flavonoids, sesquiterpene lactones, polysaccharides and alkaloids. The study of microscopic features, as well as histochemical tests were carried out according to the methods of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Republic of Kazakhstan using a light microscope Biomed-4. Results and Discussion. The localization of biologically active substances in the studied plant raw materials was determined by histochemical methods using light microscopy. The presence of phenolic acids, flavonoids and essential oil was established. The absence of sesquiterpene lactones, polysaccharides and alkaloids in the studied raw materials was established. Conclusion. The localization of secondary metabolites was studied for the first time by histochemical tests in the tissues of D. ruyschiana and D. nutans. The results of histochemical studies can be used to confirm the authenticity, identification and standardization of the aerial parts of D. ruyschiana and D. nutans.

Currently, the arsenal of the pharmaceutical market has significantly expanded with highly effective drugs of plant origin. More than 1000 essential-oil-bearing plants grow in the flora of Kazakhstan. Of great interest are some species from the families Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, which have not been studied at all before, or for which there is only brief information about the chemical composition and biological properties. In this respect, the Lamiaceae L. family, which is one of the leading in the flora of Kazakhstan, is of interest. So, on the territory of the republic in this family, there are 233 species, united in 45 genera. Among them, the most famous are plants of the genus Dracocephalum, which are a rich and very common source of essential oils. The purpose of our study - to analyze the anatomical parameters of Dracocephalum ruyschiana L. and Dracocephalum nutans L. and to reveal the diagnostic features of plants at the microscopic level. Materials And Methods. The object of the study was the aerial parts (leaves, inflorescences and stems) of Dracocephalum ruyschiana L. and Dracocephalum nutans L.In the study of the aerial organs of Dracocephalum ruyschiana L. and Dracocephalum nutans L., dry samples of raw materials were softened in a mixture of glycerin-alcohol-distilled water in a ratio 1:1:1 (Strauss-Fleming mixture). Surface preparations and sections were made manually. The slides were photographed using Altami Studio software; the photographs were processed using Paint 10.0. When describing the anatomical structure, the principles set forth in the works of V.N. Vekhova, L.I. Results and Discussion. Preliminary pharmacognostic investigation of vegetative material was done and diagnostic signs were identified. The detail microscopy revealed the presence of one type of trichrome on leaves’ epidermis; essential oil glandular. Type of mesophyll, structure of trichromes; form and location of epidermal cells, the presence of rare simple trichomes along the edge are discovered. Conclusion. As a results of the anatomical features of the raw material were established, among them the shape and structure of epidermal cells of the leaf and stem, the shape and location of essential oil glands and trichomes, the structure of the leaf and stem on the cross section are diagnostic features of the raw material of Dracocephalum ruyschiana L. and Dracocephalum nutans L.