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Our experiments may help to answer the question of whether cowslip ( Primula veris L.) is a rich source of bioactive substances that can be obtained by efficient extraction with potential use as a food additive. A hypothesis assumed that the type of solvent used for plant extraction and the individual morphological parts of Primula veris L. used for the preparation of herbal extracts will have key impacts on the efficiency of the extraction of bioactive compounds, and thus, the health-promoting quality of plant concentrates produced. Most analysis of such polyphenolic compound contents in extracts from Primula veris L. has been performed by using chromatography methods such as ultra-performance reverse-phase liquid chromatography (UPLC-PDA-MS/MS). Experiments demonstrated that the most effective extraction agent for fresh study material was water at 100 °C, whereas for dried material it was 70% ethanol. The richest sources of polyphenolic compounds were found in cowslip primrose flowers and leaves. The aqueous and ethanol extracts from Primula veris L. were characterized by a quantitatively rich profile of polyphenolic substances, and a high antioxidative potential. Selective extraction with the use of mild conditions and neutral solvents is the first step to obtaining preparations from cowslip primrose with a high content of bioactive substances.

The aim of this paper was to analyze selected physicochemical properties and the pro-health potential of wines produced in southeastern Poland, in the Subcarpathian region, and commercial Carlo Rossi wines enhanced with cowslip ( Primula veris L.). This study used ultra-performance reverse-phase liquid chromatography (UPLC)-PDA-MS/MS to perform most of the analysis, including the polyphenolic compounds and saponin content in wines enriched by Primula veris L. The initial anthocyanin content in Subcarpathian (Regional) red wine samples increased four times to the level of 1956.85 mg/L after a 10% addition of Primula veris L. flowers. For white wines, a five-fold increase in flavonol content was found in Subcarpathian (Regional) and wine samples, and an almost 25-fold increase in flavonol content was found in Carlo Rossi (Commercial) wine samples at the lowest (2.5%) Primula veris L. flower addition. Qualitative analysis of the regional white wines with a 10% Primula veris L. flower enhancement demonstrated the highest kaempferol content (197.75 mg/L) and a high quercetin content (31.35 mg/L). Thanks to wine enrichment in triterpenoid saponins and in polyphenolic compounds from Primula veris L. flowers, which are effectively extracted to wine under mild conditions, both white and red wines can constitute a highly pro-health component of diets, which is valuable in preventing chronic heart failure.

Pharmaceutical herbal preparations have been used for the treatment of respiratory diseases for a long time. Alongside with the well known herbs, there are many of crude drugs to be investigated and applied in therapeutics. Respiratory diseases are mainly treated by chemical medicines and antibiotics. The use of herbal preparations is limited and they are usually used as supplemental ones. Application of modern research techniques, the new data on biochemical processes in plants, chemical compounds and information on their value in therapy were obtained. The pharmacological effect of the compounds could be foreseen from their chemical structure. The development of rational technology of pharmaceutical preparations follows the identification of active constituents in pharmaceutical herbs. The proper use of pharmaceutical herbs supplies the organism with the natural substances, thus preventing various diseases. The primrose dried raw material for use in production of pharmaceutical preparations has been analyzed and its quality was evaluated. The dry primrose extract was produced and tested, and later it was used in development of pharmaceutical preparations. The liquid primrose extract and two compositions of primrose syrup were developed. The stability of experimental preparations was evaluated.