Chemistry of medicinal plants as an integral part of ecological education

Abstract

The degree of variability in the composition of herbal medicines was studied on the example of the preparation of St. John's wort from various Ukrainian producers. The Cu and Zn contents were the most stable compared to other (Fe, Mn, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cd) microelements among plants of different origins. The content of toxic elements (Pb, Cd) did not exceed the established standards. Meanwhile, a 2-3-fold concentration difference was observed for hyperforin, an active pharmaceutical ingredient in St. John’s wort. Thus, the existing standards do not ensure the stability of the composition of herbal preparations. As a result, the quality of medicinal drugs can be significantly different. The key reason for the variation in plant composition is environmental influence, including anthropogenic factors. Existing training programs for prospective specialists of the pharmaceutical industry do not pay enough attention to the impact of the environment on the quality of herbal raw materials. Necessary changes to the syllabi of relevant disciplines are formulated to eliminate this shortcoming and ensure sustainable development of raw materials sources for the pharmaceutical industry.

OECD-407 Driven 28-day-repeated-dose non-clinical safety evaluation of Tinospora cordifolia (Giloy) stem aqueous extract in Sprague-Dawley rats under GLP compliance

“…The physical, chemical and safety characteristics of synthetic medicines can be clearly defined because they usually contain a single active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) ( Derkach and Tarasenko, 2021 ). Hence, their characterizations are fairly simple and straightforward.…”

“…The environmental factors, such as, climate and geophysical conditions directly influence phytoconstitutional (or API content) and inorganic element content profiles of the plants ( Sarrou et al, 2018 ; Kohzadi et al, 2019 ). This, eventually manifests as variations in the efficacy and safety profiles of the herbal preparations ( Derkach and Tarasenko, 2021 ). Therefore, it is all the more important to establish a seamless traceability between the efficacy and safety of any herbal preparation, and phytoconstitutional fingerprinting is the best way to establish such a reference signature.…”

“…Importantly, no treatment related gross and histopathological observations were noted, thus, establishing the No-Observed-Adverse-Effect-Level (NOAEL) of TCWE to be 1000 mg/kg body weight (high dose) when administered orally to male and female Sprague-Dawley rats for 28 consecutive days followed by a 14-day recovery period. The physical, chemical and safety characteristics of synthetic medicines can be clearly defined because they usually contain a single active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) (Derkach and Tarasenko, 2021). Hence, their characterizations are fairly simple and straightforward.…”