Growing scientific evidence indicates that Achillea biebersteinii is a valuable source of active ingredients with potential cosmetic applications. However, the data on its composition and pharmacological properties are still insufficient. This study aims to optimize the extraction procedure of the plant material, evaluate its phytochemical composition, and compare anti-tyrosinase potential of A. biebersteinii extracts obtained by various methods. In order to identify compounds responsible for the tyrosinase inhibitory activity of A. biebersteinii, the most active anti-tyrosinase extract was fractionated by column chromatography. The fractions were examined for their skin lightening potential by mushroom and murine tyrosinase inhibitory assays and melanin release assay. HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis of the total extract revealed the presence of several phenolic acids, flavonoids, flavonoid glucosides, and carboxylic acid. Among them, fraxetin-8-O-glucoside, quercetin-O-glucopyranose, schaftoside/isoschaftoside, gmelinin B, 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid (1,3-DCQA), and ferulic acid were found in the fractions with the highest skin lightening potential. Based on obtained qualitative and quantitative analysis of the fractions, it was assumed that the caffeoylquinic acid derivatives and dicaffeoylquinic acid derivatives are more likely responsible for mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity of A. biebersteinii extracts and fractions. Ferulic acid was proposed as the most active murine tyrosinase inhibitor, responsible also for the reduced melanin release from B16F10 murine melanoma cells.

The aim of the present study was to determine the composition, antiradical and antimicrobial activity of fruits, leaves and roots of an underestimated species of barberry—Berberis iliensis—growing in Kazakhstan. Particular attention was paid to the determination of the composition of its extracts by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS) analysis. As a result of the chromatographic and spectrometric study 33 secondary metabolites from the groups of phenolic acids and their esters, flavonoids, alkaloids and organic acids were identified and 15 of them—quantified. The isomers of caffeoyl-glucaric acid, caffeic acid derivatives, isoquercetin, berberine and jatrorrhizine were the most abundant components of the tested extracts. The antiradical activity tests were performed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Folin-Ciocalteu assays on four types of extracts (water, ethanol, ethanol-water 7:3 v/v, ethanol-water 1:1 v/v) from the three organs of the plant. The highest antiradical potential (IC50 = 80 ± 6.36 µg/mL) and phenolic content (440 ± 17.1 mg gallic acid equivalents/L) was calculated for ethanol- water (1:1 v/v) extracts from the leaves and could be influenced by the abundant presence of simple phenolic acids, flavonoids and glucaric acid esters. Among reference microorganisms, M. luteus, S. epidermidis, some S. aureus and B. cereus belonging to Gram-positive bacteria and yeasts from Candida species were the most sensitive to roots extract that was found the most active among the studied samples. The results of the study classify Berberis iliensis as a strong antioxidant agent and as a plant with an antimicrobial potential.

Carrying out macroscopical and microscopical analyses of plants allows determining the species and identifying diagnostic signs of the plant that distinguish the studied object from other related species. Endemic plant species are a specific component of the flora, whose representatives grow in a relatively limited area, represented by a small geographical area. Their diagnostic morphological and anatomical data are insufficiently studied. Such endemic unexplored plant species include Eryngium karatavicum Iljin, which grows in the territory of South Kazakhstan. This article presents the results of macroscopical, microscopical and histochemical analyses of leaves, flowers and stems of Eryngium karatavicum. The results of morphological analysis of Eryngium karatavicum showed that the plant has distinctive features of macroscopical, microscopical and histochemical signs on the upper and lower sides of the leaf, stem, inflorescence, leaves of the wrapper and flower. These results can be used to confirm the authenticity, identification, and standardization of aerial parts of the endemic plant Eryngium karatavicum Iljin.

The genus Inula has been used in folk medicine for centuries; however, the data concerning Inula britannica L. are scarce. This study aimed at investigating the chemical composition of methanolic and ethanolic extracts from the aerial parts of I. britannica collected in Kazakhstan and evaluating their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, with special attention being paid to polyphenols. The total content of polyphenols and flavonoids in the extracts was determined colorimetrically, while their qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted using HPLC/ESI-QTOF-MS and RP-HPLC/DAD. Their antioxidant potential was determined using the FRAP and DPPH methods, whereas their antimicrobial activity was determined by the microdilution method towards a panel of reference microorganisms, including pathogens of the human gastrointestinal tract. Chemical analysis demonstrated that the methanolic extract had a higher content of polyphenols (58.02 vs. 43.44 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (21.69 vs. 13.91 mg QUE/g) than the ethanolic extract. In both extracts, 15 compounds were identified, with the highest contents being those of cynarine (13.96 and 11.68 mg/g) and chlorogenic acid (9.22 and 5.09 mg/g). The DPPH assay showed a higher antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract (19.78 ± 0.12 mg GAE/g) in comparison to that of the ethanolic extract (15.56 ± 0.24 mg GAE/g). Similarly, the FRAP method showed that the methanolic extract exerted a much higher antioxidant activity (5.07 ± 0.18 mmol Fe²⁺/g) than the ethanolic extract (0.39 ± 0.01 mmol Fe²⁺/g). In contrast, both extracts showed similar antimicrobial properties, with the highest activity being that against Helicobacter pylori ATCC 43504 (MIC = 0.125–0.25 mg/mL). This paper presents novel data on I. britannica L., implying its significance as a source of valuable active compounds and being a prerequisite for further biological studies.

Geum aleppicum Jacq. (yellow avens), a species traditionally used in folk medicine, remains understudied in the ethnopharmacological aspects. In this study, we comprehensively evaluated the phytochemical composition and biological activity of a hydroethanolic (50:50, v/v) extract from the aerial parts of G. aleppicum collected in Kazakhstan. Using the high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS), we identified 24 compounds, predominantly phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, and triterpenoids. The major compound was ellagic acid (2.28 mg/g dry extract) as revealed by the reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detector (RP-HPLC-DAD). The extract exhibited a high polyphenol content (131.45 mg GAE/g) and strong antioxidant activity in Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay (3.82 ± 0.07 mmol Fe²⁺/g and 106.61 ± 0.89 mg GAE/g, respectively). Antimicrobial assay of the extract revealed notable antifungal activity against Candida spp., especially against C. glabrata and C. tropicalis with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of as low as 0.125 mg/mL, showing fungistatic effect. Although the extract inhibited the cytopathic effect induced by Human Herpesvirus 1 (HHV-1) in VERO cells, it did not significantly reduce viral replication. Moreover, among human cancer cell lines studied, the extract exerted moderate and selective cytotoxicity against A549 lung cancer cells (CC₅₀ = 75.51 µg/mL, SI = 9). These findings highlight G. aleppicum as a rich source of bioactive compounds, especially phenolics, supporting its potential for development of pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications.

Context: Inula caspica F.K. Blum ex Ledeb and Inula britannica L. (Asteraceae) are medicinal plants used in traditional medicine for their therapeutic effects. Despite this, detailed phytochemical studies on these species are scarce, especially concerning their polyphenolic compounds and other bioactive constituents. Objectives: This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive phytochemical analysis of ethanol extracts from I. caspica and I. britannica using advanced chromatographic and spectrometric methods, with the goal of assessing their potential for therapeutic and biotechnological applications. Methods: Aerial parts of both species were collected in Kazakhstan and extracted with 70% ethanol via ultrasound-assisted and percolation methods. Extracts were analyzed using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for volatile and semi-volatile compounds, and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with UV and Mass Spectrometry detection (HPLC-UV-MS) for phenolic acids and flavonoids. Results: GC-MS analysis identified 34 compounds across three extracts, including fatty acids, sesquiterpene lactones, and bioactive aldehydes with reported anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic effects. HPLC-UV-MS profiling revealed 10–11 phenolic constituents, notably chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, quercetin, cinaroside, luteolin, and kaempferol. Comparative extraction showed both ultrasonic and percolation techniques efficiently recovered phenolics, with chlorogenic acid and cinaroside being dominant. Conclusions: The phytochemical diversity of I. caspica and I. britannica underscores their value as sources of biologically active metabolites. Their rich polyphenolic and flavonoid composition support traditional uses and highlights promising avenues for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical development. Further in vivo validation and standardization are recommended.