MINERAL COMPOSITION OF RUSSELL’S LISIANTHUS HERB AND THICK EXTRACT FROM IT AND THE STUDY OF ITS ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY

Abstract

Introduction. Modern studies connect the development of many diseases with the deficiency of macro- and microelements. They also confirm the exceptionally important role of minerals in healthy human nutrition. The main biological accumulator of mineral substances are plants, which are increasingly considered as a source of easily digestible form of trace elements in a complex with other biologically active substances for the treatment and prevention of a number of diseases. One of the new representatives of Ukrainian flora is Russell’s lisianthus (Lisianthus russellianus Hook.) or large-flowered eustoma (Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinners) of the Gentianaceae family. Scientific information on the chemical composition of the plant is partial, and the study of the elemental composition was not carried out.

The aim of the study – to investigate the macro- and microelemental composition of the Russell’s lisianthus herb of the Borealis Apricot variety and its thick extract in order to study the possibility of their further use as active pharmaceutical ingredients in the creation of new phytoremedies, as well as to determine the antimicrobial activity of the thick extract.

Research Methods. Research of the elemental composition was carried out on the basis of the Institute of Single Crystals of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kharkiv). The research was carried out by the method of atomic emission spectrometry. The alternating current arc was obtained using an IVS-28 generator. DFS-8 diffraction spectrograph was used to obtain the spectrum. The antimicrobial activity of a thick extract from the Russell’s lisianthus herb was determined on the basis of the State University “I. Mechnikov Institute of Microbiology and Immunology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine”. The research was carried out by the method of diffusion in agar (“wells” method) and the disk method.

Results and Discussion. It was determined that the qualitative elemental composition of Russell’s lisianthus herb and its thick extract is the same – it contained 19 elements each. Their distribution by quantitative content shows that potassium, sodium, ferrum, manganese, zinc and aluminum were dominant in the herb of the plant; potassium, magnesium, sodium, manganese and zinc prevailed in the thick extract. The content of toxic elements did not exceed the maximum permissible concentrations. Moderate antimicrobial activity of a thick extract from the Russell’s lisianthus herb was established.

Conclusions. The elemental composition of Russell’s lisianthus herb and its thick extract was investigated using atomic emission spectrometry. The conducted research makes it possible to evaluate them as a promising source of active pharmaceutical ingredients in the creation of new phytoremedies. The moderate antimicrobial activity of the thick extract from the Russell’s lisianthus herb indicates its therapeutic significance and the prospects for further research.