Adaptogens are synthetic compounds (bromantane, levamisole, aphobazole, bemethyl, etc.) or plant extracts that have the ability to enhance the body’s stability against physical loads without increasing oxygen consumption. Extracts from Panax ginseng, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Rhaponticum carthamoides, Rhodiola rosea, and Schisandra chinensis are considered to be naturally occurring adaptogens and, in particular, plant adaptogens. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of plant adaptogens in the past and now, as well as to outline the prospects of their future applications. The use of natural adaptogens by humans has a rich history—they are used in recovery from illness, physical weakness, memory impairment, and other conditions. About 50 years ago, plant adaptogens were first used in professional sports due to their high potential to increase the body’s resistance to stress and to improve physical endurance. Although now many people take plant adaptogens, the clinical trials on human are limited. The data from the meta-analysis showed that plant adaptogens could provide a number of benefits in the treatment of chronic fatigue, cognitive impairment, and immune protection. In the future, there is great potential to register medicinal products that contain plant adaptogens for therapeutic purposes.

Background: In the 1960s, research into plant adaptogens began. Plants with adaptogenic properties have rich phytochemical compositions and have been used by humanity since ancient times. However, it is not still clear whether the adaptogenic properties are because of specific compounds or because of the whole plant extracts. The aim of this review is to compare the bioactive compounds in the different parts of these plants. Methods: The search strategy was based on studies related to the isolation of bioactive compounds from Rhaponticum carthamoides, Lepidium meyenii, Eleutherococcus senticosus, and Panax ginseng. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Results: This review includes data from 259 articles. The phytochemicals isolated from Rhaponticum carthamoides, Lepidium meyenii, Eleutherococcus senticosus, and Panax ginseng were described and classified in several categories. Conclusions: Plant species have always played an important role in drug discovery because their effectiveness is based on the hundreds of years of experience with folk medicine in different nations. In our view, there is great potential in the near future for some of the phytochemicals found in these plants species to become pharmaceutical agents.

Background: High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) is an advantageous, modern analytical technique based on the principles of thin-layer chromatography (TLC), which provides essential benefits, such as improved sample application, better and faster separation, and less mobile phase usage. The aim of this work was to develop a simple and rapid HPTLC method that could be used for the identification of meloxicam and piroxicam. Methods: HPTLC. The analysis was carried out using silica gel 60 F₂₅₄ glass TLC plates and as the mobile phase: hexane: ethyl acetate: glacial acetic acid, in a ratio of 65:30:5 v/v/v. For the standard solution preparation, ethanol was used. Front: 60 mm. Detection was performed at 366 nm. Results: The Rf value for meloxicam was 0.81 and the Rf value for piroxicam was 0.57. The proposed method can be used in the detection of the analyzed compounds in very low concentrations. It was established that the detection limit of meloxicam was 0.04 μg per band and that of piroxicam was 0.05 μg per band. It was also established that the quantitation limit of meloxicam was 0.12 μg per band and that of piroxicam was 0.15 μg per band. Conclusions: The proposed method is simple, sensitive, stable, cost effective, and eco-friendly. It could be used in research or for routine quality control purposes.

The main aim of this study was to assess the differences in the chemical composition of essential oil from biocultivated Lavandula angustifolia in the Thracian Lowland floristic region, Bulgaria, and commercially available products from Bulgarian markets. Following the analytical results conducted with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we have established some differences in the chemical composition of the tested samples. The essential oil of biocultivated lavender contained 35 compounds, which represent 94.13 of the total oil. Samples from commercial products contained 2842 compounds that represent 93.0398.69 of the total oil. All the examined samples were rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons (1.6812.77), oxygenated monoterpenes (70.4287.96), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (4.0313.78), and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (0.140.76). The dominant components in all examined samples were linalool (20.045.0) and linalyl acetate (20.7939.91). All the examined commercial samples contained linalool and linalyl acetate as was described in the European Pharmacopoeia, but in one of the samples, the quality of linalyl acetate is lower than that recommended in the European Pharmacopoeia.

The naturally occurring compounds ecdysterone and turkesterone, which are present in plants, including Rhaponticum carthamoides Willd. (Iljin), Spinacia oleracea L., Chenopodium quinoa Willd., and Ajuga turkestanica (Regel) Briq, are widely recognized due to their possible advantages for both general health and athletic performance. The current review investigates the beneficial biological effects of ecdysterone and turkesterone in nutrition, highlighting their roles not only in enhancing athletic performance but also in the management of various health problems. Plant-based diets, associated with various health benefits and environmental sustainability, often include sources rich in phytoecdysteroids. However, the therapeutic potential of phytoecdysteroid-rich extracts extends beyond sports nutrition, with promising applications in treating chronic fatigue, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Background: Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Sch.Bip. (T. parthenium) is an aromatic perennial plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, also known as feverfew. It is widely distributed in various regions of Europe and other parts of the world. The plant has a rich background in the traditional medicine of many nations and has been used as a remedy for fever, pain, inflammation, asthma, rheumatism, menstrual disorders, etc. Methods: GC–MS analysis was conducted to determine the chemical composition of the isolated essential oil (EO). Using the method proposed by Litchfield and Wilcoxon, the average lethal dose (LD₅₀) of the EO on Wistar rats was determined for two routes of administration: oral (p.o.) and intraperitoneal (i.p.). The subacute toxicity of the EO was also tested by oral administration of a daily dose of 1.0 g/kg body weight (BW) for 28 days. The toxicity of the EO was evaluated by observing and evaluating changes in behavior, body weight, basic hematological and serum biochemical parameters, and histopathological changes of the internal organs. Results: Thirty-seven volatile organic compounds representing 94.58% of the total oil composition were tentatively detected in the obtained T. parthenium EO. The dominant compounds were camphor (45.47%), trans-chrisantenyl acetate (21.65%), camphene (9.48%), and cis-isogeraniol (5.42%). The results showed that the EO was not toxic when administered in acute oral doses. The acute mean lethal dose for intraperitoneal administration was LD₅₀ i.p. = 2.13 g/kg BW. In the subacute study involving administration of an oral dose of EO for 28 days, there were a number of changes in the hematological and serum biochemical parameters of the blood compared with the control group of animals. However, no symptoms of toxicity, changes in the body weight of the rats, death, or pathological changes in the histological indicators of the examined organs—brain, heart, stomach, liver, spleen and kidney—were found. Extrapolating the results obtained from the rat experiments, we can state that the EO is safe for use in doses below 1 g/kgBW for a period not exceeding one month.