Pharmacognostic characteristics of Artemisiae altaiensis herba

Introduction. Plants of the genus Artemisia L. are a valuable source of phenolic and terpene compounds, which accounts for their widespread use in both traditional and conventional medicine. The State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation (SP RF) currently includes only Artemisiae absinthii herba, highlighting the importance of studying closely related species to expand the range of herbal medicines. Artemisia altaiensis is an underexplored endemic species of the Altai-Sayan Mountain system and Mongolian Altai. A comprehensive pharmacognostic analysis of its aerial parts is necessary to better understand its potential.

Objective – to conduct a pharmacognostic analysis of Artemisiae altaiensis herba.

Material and Methods: The aerial part of Artemisia altaiensis was collected in the Republic of Tuva in August 2018. The authenticity and quality of the raw material were evaluated following the methodologies outlined in the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation (SP). Anatomical and diagnostic characteristics were determined after treating the samples with clearing reagents using a Lomo μVizo-10 microscope. The moisture content, total ash, acid-insoluble ash (in 10% HCl solution), and total extractable substances were quantified gravimetrically in five replicates. Qualitative analysis was performed according to standard protocols. The quantitative determination of flavonoids was carried out using a UV spectrophotometer PE 5400 at a wavelength of 405 nm. Essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation following method 2 of the State Pharmacopoeia, and their component composition was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) using an Agilent Packard HP 6890 chromatograph.

Results. Morphological and anatomical diagnostic characteristics of the raw material were established. Qualitative tests identified the presence of flavonoids, essential and fatty oils, tannins, coumarins, and polysaccharides. The quality indicators of the raw material were as follows: moisture content (5,78±0,18%), total ash (5,41±0,19%), acid-insoluble ash (5,00±0,25%), and the content of extractive substances obtained with 70% ethanol (37,40±0,46%). The presence of impurities was also assessed. The quantitative flavonoid content, expressed as rutin equivalents, was determined for various morphological parts: aerial parts (1,10±0,03%), inflorescences (1,53±0,09%), leaves (1,71±0,06%), and stems (0,44±0,03%). The essential oil content of A. altaiensis was found to be 0,20%. Major components included 9-Epi-caryophyllene, α-eudesmol, caryophyllene oxide, β-selinene, acephyllic acid.

Conclusions. The authenticity and quality parameters of Artemisia altaiensis herb have been determined. Analysis of the essential oil composition revealed the presence of compounds with pronounced anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties, substantiating the potential use of A. altaiensis in medicine.