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.

Proper assessment of the quality of the obtained phytosubstances from the raw materials under study involves establishing the level of requirements for its quality. In this regard, the aim of the work is to establish the pharmacopoeial level of requirements for the quality of medicinal plant raw materials containing cardiac glycosides, based on the results of a comparative evaluation of pharmacopoeial monographs. 16 pharmacopoeias were used to collect data, of which 4 were homeopathic. The search was performed according to the keywords denoting the names of cardiac glycosides and pharmacopoeia types of medicinal plant raw materials in Latin and the language of pharmacopoeia. Based on the comparative analysis, the main list of quality indicators has been established, taking into account the requirements of national standards, which include: definition; identification, including macro- and microscopy, physico-chemical methods for determining biologically active substances; tests that include the determination of foreign impurities, weight loss during drying, the content of total ash, ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid; quantitative determination; microbiological purity; radionuclides, heavy metals, storage conditions and shelf life. Thus, unified requirements for the quality of medicinal plant raw materials containing cardiac glycosides have been developed, and optimal regulated norms for the main quality indicators have been determined, and their relationship with the quantitative content of cardiac glycosides in raw materials has been established. Казахстанский эндемик адонис тяньшанский (Adonis tianschanica (Adolf.) Lipsch.) является одним из представителей лекарственных растений, содержащих сердечные гликозиды, препараты которых применяются для борьбы с хронической сердечной недостаточностью. Надлежащая оценка качества получаемых фитосубстанций из исследуемого сырья предполагает установление уровня требований к его качеству. Связи с этим, целью работы является установление фармакопейного уровня требований к качеству лекарственного растительного сырья, содержащего сердечные гликозиды, на основании результатов сравнительной оценки фармакопейных монографий. Зерттелетін шикізаттан алынған фитосубстанциялардың сапасын тиісті бағалау оның сапасына қойылатын талаптардың деңгейін белгілеуді қамтиды. Осыған байланысты, жұмыстың мақсаты фармакопеялық монографияларды салыстырмалы бағалау нәтижелері негізінде жүрек гликозидтері бар дәрілік өсімдік шикізатының сапасына қойылатын талаптардың фармакопеялық деңгейін белгілеу болып табылады. Деректерді жинау үшін 16 фармакопея қолданылды, олардың 4 гомеопатиялық. Іздеу латын тілінде және фармакопея тілінде жүрек гликозидтері мен дәрілік өсімдік материалдарының фармакопеялық түрлерінің атауларын білдіретін кілт сөздерге сәйкес жүргізілді. Жүргізілген салыстырмалы талдау негізінде ұлттық стандарттардың талаптарын ескере отырып, сапа көрсеткіштерінің негізгі тізбесі белгіленді, оларға мыналар жатады: сапалық анықтау; макро-және микроскопияны, биологиялық белсенді заттарды анықтаудың физикалық-химиялық әдістерін қамтитын сәйкестендіру; бөгде қоспалар, кептіру кезіндегі массадағы шығындар, хлорсутек қышқылында ерімейтін күл, күлдің жалпы құрамын анықтау; сандық анықтау; микробиологиялық тазалық; радионуклидтер, ауыр металдар, сақтау шарттары және сақтау мерзімі кіретін сынақтар. Осылайша, жүрек гликозидтері бар дәрілік өсімдік шикізаттарының сапасына қойылатын бірыңғай талаптар әзірленді және сапаның негізгі көрсеткіштеріне оңтайлы реттелетін нормалар анықталды, сонымен қатар олардың шикізаттағы жүрек гликозидтерінің сандық құрамымен байланысы анықталды.

Modern trends in the pharmaceutical industry are characterized by a steady increase in interest in herbal remedies, driven by increased attention to the safety and efficacy of drugs, as well as the global desire to use environmentally friendly and renewable raw materials. Under these conditions, the development of scientifically based technological approaches aimed at ensuring the stability of the composition and reproducibility of the quality of herbal products is of particular importance.This paper presents a methodology for obtaining medicinal herbal raw materials of pharmacopoeial quality, based on the application of the Quality by Design concept and the Design of Experiments tool. The studies were carried out using the above-ground parts of the plants Seseli sessiliflorum Schrenk, Dracocephalum bipinnatum Rupr., Dracocephalum integrifolium Bunge, Dracocephalum ruyschiana L. and Ziziphora bungeana Juz., which are characterized by a high content of biologically active components, including essential oils, flavonoids and phenolic compounds with pronounced biological activity. The study assessed the influence of harvesting, drying, grinding, and storage parameters on the preservation of heat-labile components and the stability of the chemical profile of the studied raw materials. The developed methodology for obtaining plant raw materials holds great promise for the subsequent development of drugs, dietary supplements, and cosmetics with predictable quality and effectiveness, as well as for improving the standardization and quality control system for plant materials in accordance with international requirements.

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.