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Background: Mucolytic and expectorant drugs are important elements in the pharmacotherapy of respiratory diseases. Phytopectol No 2 (Pectorales species No 2) is one of the herbal multi-component drugs (herbal teas). Pectorales species No 2 (PS No 2) is a mixture of three types of medicinal plants presented on the Russian pharmaceutical market. It consists of coltsfoot leaves (40%), plantain leaves (30%), and licorice roots (30%). The PS No 2 infusion is a dosage form prepared from crushed or powdered plant material. The PS No 2 infusion exhibits expectorant and anti-inflammatory activity; it is used in the treatment of respiratory diseases and to facilitate the release of sputum. Purpose: This review study aims to collect and analyze the literature data concerning the composition and content of polysaccharides, their monosaccharide composition in PS No 2 and its components. Methods: We used different scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, e-Library, Google Scholar for information search. Result: Nowadays, synthetic drugs, herbal remedies, and combined medicines with expectorant action are presented on the Russian and world markets. Herbal medicines can be classified into single drugs containing one plant/component, and medicines with two or more plants/components. Herbal medicines take leading places in the segment of the mucoactive drugs market along with synthetic ones in the Russian Federation. Most of the PS No 2 polysaccharides are arabinogalactans, rhamnogalacturonans, galacturonans, galactans. The arabinose (up to 15%), glucose (up to 26%), galactose (up to 23%), rhamnose (up to 40%), as well as galacturonic acid (up to 26%) are presented in monosaccharide composition of PS No 2 polysaccharide complex. Conclusion: Polysaccharides of various types are the main group of biologically active compounds (BAC) in PS No 2. The monomer composition of the polysaccharides causing the pharmacological action of PS No 2 should be established to improve the standardization procedures of crude herbal drugs and to identify BAC. The ratio of these carbohydrates can serve as a marker parameter in the standardization of PS No 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the Russian Federation, the viburnum fruits are used to obtain infusions and syrups as medications. This medicinal herbal raw material contains a large number of biologically active substances: vitamins, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, flavonoids, hydroxycinnamic acids, iridoids, carbohydrates, organic acids, lipids etc. The research aimed to study one of the biologically active substances group responsible for the formation of the organoleptic properties of aqueous extracts - monomeric carbohydrate composition and content. Materials and methods: Dried viburnum (guelder-rose) fruits, an aqueous infusion based on it, and viburnum syrup of industrial manufacture (Russia) were purchased from the pharmacy and prepared for research. For HPLC analysis of monomeric sugars Agilent 1260 Series HPLC system equipped with autosampler/injector, four-channel gradient pump, column thermostat, refractive index detector), software (ChemStation Version B.01), column (Waters Sugar-Pack I, 10 μm, 300 × 6.5 mm) were used. Isocratic elution was performed using purified water (with the addition of Ca-EDTA 0.05 mg/ml) as the mobile phase, at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The column was maintained at 80 °C, the refractive index detector - at 35 °C. The injection volume was 10 μL, analysis time - 20 min. Results: The main free carbohydrates of viburnum fruits and preparations based on them are glucose, fructose, and sucrose. The total content of simple sugars in the viburnum fruits is 28.393 ± 0.528%, in the infusion - 0.499 ± 0.015%, in the syrup - 69.736 ± 1.551%. The characteristic ratio of glucose: fructose: sucrose in dried viburnum fruits is 8.1:5.4:1, in infusion - 7.0:5.7:1, and in syrup - 9.2:8.8:1. The sugars' degree of passing into infusion is 74.34%. Conclusion: The composition and content of carbohydrates determined by HPLC-RID are an important characteristic data. It can be used for viburnum fruits Russian pharmacopoeial standardization along with the quantifying total content of organic acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This review focuses on characterization of Cyclamen coum Mill. (Myrsinaceae), composition and content of biologically active substances presented in the above-ground and underground parts, reporting use of this plant in traditional medicine, predicting possible pharmacotherapeutic effects. Materials and Methods: Various electronic search engines such as Google, Google scholar, scientific literature, electronic databases such as e-Library, Scopus, Web of Science, Pubmed had been searched and data obtained. Results: Cyclamen L. is classified in the Myrsinaceae family now. It is a typical element of the Mediterranean flora. C. coum. is a species characteristic of the Caucasus and Crimea with rounded leaves and rounded corolla lobes, bright and pink-purple flowers. Chemical composition of biologically active substances of C. coum was described in sufficient detail. C. coum contains saponins (coumoside A, coumoside B, cyclaminorin, deglucocyclamin, cyclacoumin, and mirabilin lactone), sterols (stigmasterol and other related compounds), piperidine alkaloid (2-β-D-glycopyranosyl-2-undecil-3,5-dihydroxy-6-carboxypiperidine), flavonoids, phenols, tannins, cardiac glycosides. Antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and antitumor activities are established for different C. coum extracts. Conclusion: C. coum can be used for the production of potential anticancer, antibacterial and antifungal drugs. It should be noted that more pharmacognostic, pharmacological studies are needed for providing further information to use this medicinal plant in the official medicine. Also, standardization procedures for a crude herbal drug should be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Modern treatment of peptic ulcers includes antibacterial and gastroprotective medications. However, current anti-ulcer drugs possess severe side effects. Therefore, all attempts to find new effective medications free from side effects are justified. Though Berberis vulgaris is a medicinal plant commonly used for the treatment of numerous disorders, gastroprotective effect of its leaf extract was not investigated before., Materials and Methods: Gastric ulcer was modelled in Sprague-Dawley rats after treatment with B. vulgaris leaf extract containing 0.07% of alkaloids, 0.48% of flavonoids and 8.05% of tanning substances, 10 or 50 mg of dry extract/kg, changes in the stomach mucosa were assessed semi-quantitatively, and the gastric wall was evaluated for prostaglandin E2 level using ELISA and assessed histologically by calculation of the lesion index., Results: B. vulgaris leaf extract at the dose of 50 mg/kg reduced the macroscopic ulcer score and the microscopic lesion index, increased prostaglandin E2 concentration in the gastric wall significantly higher than atropine and B. vulgaris leaf extract 10 mg/kg., Conclusion: The gastroprotective effect of the high dose of B. vulgaris leaf extract may be due to stimulation of prostaglandin E2 secretion in the stomach, and anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of polyphenolic complex of flavonoids and tannins present in the leaves of this plant., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that there is no conflict of interest.