The composition of the ethanolic extract from the aerial parts of Crocus alatavicus Regel & Semen from southern Kazakhstan spontaneous flora was analyzed together with the determination of its antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anticancer activity. The phytochemical profile analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-QTOF-MS) revealed the presence of multiple kaempferol derivatives. High-performance reverse-phase liquid chromatography combined with a photodiode-array detection (RP-HPLC/PDA) found that kaempferol 3-O-dihexoside and kaempferol 3-O-acyltetrahexoside accounted for 70.5% of the kaempferol derivatives. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the extract for all the tested reference microorganisms were high, reaching 10 mg/mL for yeasts and 20 mg/mL for bacteria. In contrast, antiviral activity was observed at 2 mg/mL, resulting in the inhibition of the HSV-1-induced cytopathic effect and the reduction in virus infectious titer by 1.96 log, as well as the viral load by 0.85 log. Among the tested prostate cancer cell lines, significant cytotoxic activity of the extract was noted only on the LNCaP cell line, with an IC₅₀ value of 1.95 mg/mL. The LNCaP cell line treated with 2 mg/mL of the extract showed a noticeably reduced number of spindle-shaped cells with longer cellular projections, a significant increase in the peak corresponding to the population of apoptotic cells in the sub-G1 phase and a decreased intracellular glutathione (GSH) level, suggesting the prooxidative properties of the extract. The obtained data provide novel information about the flavonoids present in the aerial part of C. alatavicus and suggest its potential application as a source of the compounds active against HSV-1 and metastatic, androgen-sensitive prostate cancer.

This review systematically compiles and evaluates current research on the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacological effects, and the clinical potential of plants of the genus Ribes L. Ribes species have long been used in traditional medicine for cardiovascular diseases, hepatitis, gastrointestinal ailments, hyperlipidemia, and detoxification, owing to their rich content of phenolic glycosides, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, and polysaccharides. We analyze data from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, focusing on antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, and vision-protective properties of extracts and isolated compounds. Particular attention is given to R. nigrum, a species recognized in French and British pharmacopeias for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory properties. Our synthesis reveals significant gaps: many Ribes spp. remain poorly characterized chemically; toxicology and pharmacokinetics are seldom studied; clinical trials are limited in number and rigor. We propose that future research should prioritize the comprehensive metabolomic and chemoprofiling of understudied Ribes species; standardized safety and dosage studies; the elucidation of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of key bioactives; and well-designed randomized clinical trials to validate traditional uses and establish therapeutic efficacy. Our review demonstrates that Ribes spp. are promising sources for novel phytopharmaceutical agents and functional foods, but that translational and regulatory research is essential to move from traditional claims toward evidence-based medical applications.

Adonis tianschanica is a lesser-known plant species belonging to the genus Adonis that grows in Kazakhstan. The aim of this study was to characterize the composition of the ethanolic, water, and hydroethanolic extracts from the aerial parts of A. tianschanica by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS to isolate the major compound isoquercitrin by HSCCC (High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography) and to determine the cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory potential of the extracts produced with this plant. Fingerprinting of the analyzed extracts showed the presence of a multitude of metabolites comprising polyphenols, organic acids, and coumarins, and only trace quantities of cardiac glycosides in the analyzed samples. Flavonoids were certainly the best-represented group, with kaempferol, quercetin, and their derivatives as the major components of the extracts. Key findings in this paper were that the ethanol: water (50:50 v/v) extract of A. tianschanica and its major compound isoquercitrin were able to reduce the production of NO induced by LPS, in addition to demonstrating anti-inflammatory effects by reducing cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β.

According to the forecasts of the World Health Organization, the share of herbal medicines in the global pharmaceutical market is more than 40%. The pronounced growth trend of phytopreparations can lead to depletion of stocks of medicinal plants and the introduction of medicinal plants into the culture is a suitable solution to the problem. In order to ensure the quality of medicinal plants, in 2003 the World Health Organization (WHO) issued guidelines on Good cultivation and harvesting practices (GACP) medicinal plants. This article presents the results of the introduction of the Crocus alatavicus plant by seeds. The aim of the study is to develop a technology for the introduction of Crocus alatavicus by the method of seed propagation according to the principles of GACP. The development of the introduction technology according to the principles of GACP guarantees the provision of domestic pharmaceutical production with high-quality plant raw materials. The introduction was carried out at the pilot production plantation of "Phytoleum" LLP. The results of the study showed that during seed propagation, autumn sowing of Crocus alatavicus seeds is preferable. The introduction of organic fertilizer of vermicompost before sowing seeds has a positive effect on the germination of seeds and the survival of seedlings. The plant in the fourth year of vegetation goes into the generative period and the fruit will form. The results of the introduction of Crocus alatavicus by seeds in the period from 2018 to 2022 showed good seed germination and high survival of seedlings, which makes it possible to recommend the plant for introduction into culture. It is important to emphasize that the ability to cultivate C. alatavicus from seeds creates new opportunities for use as domestic raw materials for the purpose of further rational use in scientific and practical medicine, preserving this species in culture.

Relevance. Direct compression enables lozenge manufacturing without wet granulation and drying. However, variability in the properties of herbal extracts may affect the reproducibil-ity of critical quality attributes. Quality risk management within the Quality by Design frame-work supports systematic identification of variability sources and justification of a control strate-gy. Objective. To identify and assess quality risks during the development of a direct com-pression technology for lozenges containing dry Ajania fruticulosa (Ledeb.) Poljak extract. Materials and methods. Potential sources of variability were structured using an Ishika-wa cause-and-effect diagram. Risks were ranked using Failure Mode and Effects Analysis. Se-verity, occurrence, and detectability were assessed using five-point scales, and Risk Priority Numbers (RPNs) were calculated. Residual risks were predicted by expert reassessment of oc-currence and detectability under the proposed mitigation scenario, while severity scores re-mained unchanged. Results. Thirty-six potential variability factors were identified, and seven priority failure modes were selected for Failure Mode and Effects Analysis. Initial RPNs ranged from 18 to 48. Powder blend segregation during feeding into the hopper zone had the highest initial RPN. Un-der the proposed mitigation scenario, predicted residual RPNs ranged from 6 to 24. Six of the seven failure modes were classified as low risk, including five initially classified as medium risk. Powder blend segregation remained a medium risk requiring continued monitoring. Conclusions. The proposed control strategy provides a basis for further process devel-opment, technology transfer, and scale-up. Risk reduction represents an expert prediction and requires experimental confirmation through measurement of the corresponding critical quality attributes.

Adonis aestivalis L. is a member of the genus Adonis, traditionally associated with cardiotonic compounds; however, its polyphenolic composition and anti-inflammatory potential warrant further phytochemical and pharmacological evaluation. The aim of this study was to characterise the metabolic profile of A. aestivalis extracts, with a focus on flavonoid-containing components, and to evaluate their anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Aqueous, 50% ethanolic, and absolute ethanolic extracts were analysed by HPLC–ESI–QTOF-MS/MS in positive and negative ionisation modes. The ethanolic extracts exhibited the most diverse chromatographic profiles, with a predominance of flavonoids, including derivatives of kaempferol, quercetin, and apigenin, as well as C-glycosylated flavones such as orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, and isovitexin. Phenolic acids, fatty acid derivatives, organic acids, and adonitol were also tentatively identified. The occurrence of glycosylated, acylated, and glucuronidated flavonoid derivatives indicates marked structural diversity within the flavonoid fraction. In biological assays, the 50% ethanolic extract showed no cytotoxicity towards RAW 264.7 cells at concentrations up to 50 μg/mL and produced a statistically significant but moderate reduction in LPS-induced NO production. Furthermore, it attenuated the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, to varying degrees. The data obtained indicate that A. aestivalis is a promising source of flavonoid-containing extracts with anti-inflammatory potential and may provide a foundation for further studies aimed at developing standardised phytochemical preparations with a defined polyphenolic profile. Further quantitative phytochemical analysis, bioactivity-guided fractionation, mechanistic studies, safety assessment, and in vivo evaluation are required to confirm the active constituents and therapeutic relevance of the extracts.