Caltrop (Tribulusterrestris L.) is a weed plant widely growing in warm climate. The crude caltrop has multidirectional pharmacological action favorable for the development of drug preparations. As in European countries caltrop is a non-officinal plant, it seems feasible to develop raw material standardization parameters for creation of novel drugs. In the course of thin layer chromatography research the following compounds were identified in caltrop herb purveyed during the fruiting season: rutin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, diosgenin. Diosgenin content in this raw material was determined by densitometry to be min. 0,11%.

Using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), we studied the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of bioactive substances in the roots, leaves, flowers and seeds of Heliopsis helianthoides. The results of our study showed the presence of 5 phenolic compounds in its roots, 4 phenolic compounds in its leaves, 10 phenolic compounds in its flowers and 8 phenolic compounds in its seeds. The highest content of identified compounds was found in the leaves of this plant – 3192.20±79.78 mg/kg. The dominating hydroxycinnamic acid was chlorogenic acid. This had its highest concentration (1537.21±38.43 mg/kg) in the Heliopsis helianthoides leaves. Among flavonoids, luteolin prevailed in the roots, apigenin-7-glucoside prevailed in the seeds and rutin prevailed in the leaves and flowers. Maximum rutin content (1426.64±35.67 mg/kg) was found in the Heliopsis helianthoides leaves. Antioxidant activity study in vitro uncovered the substantial antioxidant potential of bioactive substances (BASs) in all tested samples of the raw materials, being within the limits of 2.81-8.13 mg/g. Most active in this respect were Heliopsis helianthoides leaves. The obtained data indicate the feasibility of the development of new antioxidant active drugs on the basis of raw materials of Heliopsis helianthoides.

Introduction. With due consideration of the properties of fatty acids, as well as their importance for normal life activity and human development, research into the fatty acid composition of poorly studied plants and the search for new domestic plant sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids is a mainstream trend in modern pharmacy. Aim. Aim of research – determination of fatty acid qualitative composition and content in threshed grass, stalks, roots and seeds of Night-scented stock ‘Queen of Night’ and ‘Evening Scent’ cultivars as grown in Ukraine. Methods. Gas chromatography. Results. Both cultivars of Night-scented stock taken for analysis had similar fatty acid composition – 5 saturated, 5 (4 for seeds) monounsaturated and 2 polyunsaturated fatty acids, Quantitatively, in all tested parts of the herb polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acid dominated, making in total 88.92% and 88.62% in the seeds of Queen of Night and Evening Scent cultivars, respectively, and averaging 65% in other parts of the tested cultivars. Linolenic and linoleic acids prevailed among the polyunsaturated fatty acids, whereas oleic acid prevailed among the monounsaturated. Conclusion. Night-scented stock can be utilized as a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids for the development of drugs and for standardization of tested raw materials.

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This study describes the identification and quantitative determination of furostanol glycosides in caltrop herb harvested in the fructification period. Furostanol glycosides were identified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and quantified by UV-vis spectrophotometry. The furostanol glycosides were visualized on the TLC plate as pink spots after treatment with dimethylamine benzaldehyde solution. UV-vis spectrophotometry quantified these substances to the amount of at least 0.4 %. The data on the identification and quantification of furostanol glycosides obtained in the course of this research was implemented in the development of the Ukrainian State Pharmacopoeia for caltrop herb.