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Vol 74, No 4 (2025)
Pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacognosy
Pharmacognosy: ways of creating herbal medicines
Abstract
The use of plants as medicines is one of the most ancient methods of treatment. Pharmacognosy is one of the pharmaceutical sciences that multifacet and comprehensively studies medicinal plants, medicinal raw materials of plant and animal origin, as well as their primary processing products (gums, resins, fatty and essential oils). Pharmacognosy as a science was formed towards the end of the 19th century.
The article analyzes the place and significance of pharmacognosy in modern medicine, the relevance of the use of medicinal herbal remedies among the modern range of drugs.
The work presents data indicating that pharmacognosy, as a science, is becoming increasingly important for modern pharmacy not only in Russia, but throughout the world. Interest in medicinal herbal products is increasing, new drugs are being developed, including for the treatment and prevention of socially significant diseases, new types of medicinal plant raw materials are being actively studied with the aim of introducing them into pharmaceutical practice.
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On the issue of assessing the content of Dicamba herbicide in medicinal plant raw materials
Abstract
Introduction. Medicinal plants, which are the basis of many medicines and a source of promising pharmaceutical substances, are at significant risk of contamination with various toxic substances in the modern man-made environment due to the increasing influence of anthropogenic factors on all parts of the natural environment. On the territory of the Russian Federation, the problem of the content of residual amounts of pesticides in medicinal plants and raw materials for the production of medicines and biologically active additives is still poorly understood. Due to insufficient regulation of the handling of pesticides, the risk of contamination remains significant. The purpose of this review is to study the regulatory framework for the permissible content of pesticides and methods for detecting a derivative of chlorobenzoic acid, the herbicide dicamba.
Material and methods. The content analysis was carried out using legal and regulatory documentation regulating the quality of LRS in terms of herbicide content. In our country, the rules for handling them are regulated by the "State Catalog of pesticides and agrochemicals approved for use in the Russian Federation" and the requirements of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation XV edition. The quality of medicinal plant raw materials imported from other countries must comply with the Uniform Sanitary, Epidemiological and Hygienic Requirements for goods subject to sanitary and epidemiological supervision (control). Results. Dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid) can be classified as a group of herbicides with auxin-like activity. Using the example of the chlorine-containing aromatic herbicide dicamba, it has been shown that it is potentially dangerous to human health after ingestion, even in small quantities. It is shown that the issue of the content of residual amounts of pesticides in plant raw materials is insufficiently regulated on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Conclusion. There are no modern selective and highly sensitive methods for determining the residual content of dicamba both in medicinal plants and in the soil at their cultivation sites.
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Pectoral species No. 4: molybdenum, tungsten, lithium, vanadium, titanium and zirconium content
Abstract
Introduction. In medicinal plants, elements are contained in available biogenic complexes. Ultramicroelements (selenium, cobalt, chromium, molybdenum, lithium and others) enter the human body with water, food, medicinal preparations and participate in various biochemical processes. Unlike macro- and micronutrients, information on the content of ultramicroelements in the complex plant preparations is practically absent.
Purpose of the study. Study of pectoral species No.4 and medicinal forms on its basis as a potential source of ultramicroelements in the human body.
Material and methods. Objects – pectoral species No.4, its components, dry extract and infusions from them. Elemental analysis was carried out by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry on an ICP-AES 720-ES device (Agilent Technologies) with preliminary acid mineralisation.
Results. The concentration of ultramicroelements (Mo, W, Li, V, Ti, Zr) in various components and in pectoral species No. 4 varied in the range of 0.48–101.02 mg/kg, the transition of these elements in infusions was 0.39–28.06% of the initial content in raw materials. It was found that the daily intake of molybdenum and vanadium with infusion from the pectoral species can reach respectively 42 and 100% of the daily physiological requirement. Breast collection №4 can be considered as an additional source of ultramicroelements in the human body.
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Prospects for developing dietary supplements with taxifolin and andrographolide
Abstract
Introduction. Psoriasis is a chronic immunoinflammatory skin disease with a prevalence of about 2% among the population, characterized by immune system imbalance and excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines. Standard therapy is effective but limited by side effects, creating a need for new safe approaches.
Objective: theoretical substantiation of the prospects of combining taxifolin and andrographolide in a gel formulation for adjunctive psoriasis therapy based on analysis of current data on molecular targets of each component.
Material and methods. Analysis of current publications in PubMed, Scopus, eLibrary databases using keywords: taxifolin, andrographolide, psoriasis, inflammation, NF-κB, IL-17. Mechanisms of action at cellular and molecular levels, in vitro and in vivo study data were reviewed.
Results. Taxifolin primarily modulates inflammatory cascades in keratinocytes through NF-κB/STAT3 blockade, reducing IL-6, IL-8, CCL20 production. Andrographolide affects dendritic cells, reducing IL-6, IL-1β, IL-23 production through autophagic degradation of MyD88. The combined approach covers several key pathogenic mechanisms of psoriasis.
Conclusion. The combination of taxifolin and andrographolide has high theoretical substantiation for psoriasis therapy due to complementary mechanisms of action on different parts of the inflammatory cascade and potential synergistic effect.
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Technology of medicines
Selection and evaluation of high molecular weight compounds for the development of a gel base
Abstract
Introduction: gels, as a medicinal and cosmetic form, are widely used in medicine and cosmetology and consist of a gel base and a medicinal substance distributed in it, therefore development of a suitable gel base begins with the selection of high molecular weight compounds at the optimal concentration that impart the appropriate rheological properties to the desired dosage form. In this work, solutions of polymer gels (HPMC, carbopol and sodium alginate) of various concentrations were prepared to conduct tests and determine their properties.
Purpose: the purpose of the study was to study the properties of high molecular weight compounds to use it for developing a gel bases.
Material and methods: To achieve this goal, polymer gels of various concentrations were prepared and rheological and technological properties were studied: viscosity, shear resistance, spreadability, covering ability.
Results: the results obtained showed that the studied polymer gels have the desired properties, such as unifed coverage on the skin area and the ability to return to its original viscosity after deformation.
Conclusion: the study made it possible to identify promising gelling agents that can be used for the development of a gel preparations due to their high efficiency and ease of use.
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Activation of Zeolites of the Kholinsky deposit
Abstract
Introduction. The problem of wound treatment and stopping bleeding is an urgent problem in the modern world. Medical clays are coagulants of local action. The hemostatic effect of medical clays is based on their porosity and water absorption capacity, which can be increased by activation.
The purpose of the work is the activate from the Kholinsky deposit in order to obtain a local hemostatic agent based on them.
Material and methods. The object of research is the zeolites of the Kholinsky deposit (Zabaikalsky Krai). Methods: energy dispersion analysis, study of sorption characteristics, visualization and rendering of virtual three-dimensional molecular models of zeolite, complex thermal analysis, evaluation of water absorption index.
Results. It has been established that the fundamental mineral of medical clay is the mineral clinoptilolite. According to the sorption characteristics, the pores occupy half the volume of medical clay, and are available for sorption of water and low molecular weight substances. Energy dispersion spectroscopy revealed the presence of exchange cations in the amount of: Mg2+ – 0.60%, Ca2+ – 2.10%, Na+ – 1.90%, K+ – 4.10%. Thermal analysis recorded thermal effects associated with dehydration of water in the form of free water (at 120°C), adsorbed moisture on the surface of pores (at 160°C) and water coordinated with exchange cations (up to 300°C). After thermal activation, the bulk density of medical clay was 0.79 g/cm3, water absorption was 148 wt.% and porosity – 40.87%.
Conclusion. After thermal activation, there was a decrease in bulk density, an increase in the water absorption index by 1.3 times, an increase in porosity by 2.2 times, which indicates the prospects of using the thermal activation method in the development of local hemostatic agents with a high water absorption index based on medical clays.
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Organization and economy
Pharmaceutical care: main vectors of development and prospects perspectives
Abstract
Introduction. Provision of pharmaceutical care makes it possible to use medicines optimally and efficiently, apply professional knowledge of pharmaceutical workers effectively for the needs of the health care system thus promoting pharmaceutical industry development and increasing availability of medical care. Despite long existence of the pharmaceutical care concept in the world pharmaceutical practice and its positive contribution to public health, our country is facing difficulties of putting the concept into practice due to the lack of both a unified approach to its content and the availability of regulatory documents.
Objective: the aim of the research was to analysis and generalization of main vectors of the pharmaceutical care concept development and search for further perspectives of pharmaceutical care use within the health care system based on the international approach.
Material and methods. The study used the methods of information retrieval, generalization, formalization, logical, comparative and structural analysis. The search was conducted for the sources of information in the field of pharmaceutical care with the help of the domestic and foreign databases: Elibrary, Web of Science, Core Collection, Scopus, PubMed predominantly for the period of 2013–2014 years.
Results. Pharmaceutical care has been implemented into the pharmaceutical practice and used by many countries around the world what is due to the increase in consumption of medicines, health care costs and shortage of medical personnel, the need to reduce the burden on the medical community when treating patients with mild illnesses who seek for medical aid from specialists. Professional competences of pharmaceutical workers allow them to reveal, prevent and solve the problems related to the ways of taking medicines, their effects on the organism, and safety of patients. The pharmaceutical care concept motivates pharmaceutical workers to use their experience, knowledge, and skills in provision of medical care during medication based on new approaches and strategies. Involvement of pharmaceutical workers into the fight against COVID-19 has identified wide range of their potentials and abilities as active subjects within the healthcare system, in our country as well, which is especially important under the conditions of medical staff shortage. Pharmaceutical practice of many countries involves pharmaceutical practitioners extensively in provision of primary medical and sanitary care to sick people, they collaborate with the teams of medical professionals prescribing medicines. Despite numerous studies and scientific development, however, the health care system of our country does not show interest to promoting pharmaceutical care concept intensively or to enhancing the role of pharmaceutical workers within the public health.
Conclusion. Thus, using to apply global trends to the pharmaceutical care concept introduction into the health care system, to enhance the role of the pharmacist`s profession in the society, to expand the areas of the pharmacist`s competences and skills for the sake of medical service availability especially under the conditions of medical staff shortage, to prevent and identify all possible unfavorable effects of medicines, to develop professionally effective collaboration of patients with the medical personnel and pharmaceutists so as to achieve overall involvement and compliance of all the participants in the process of medication and getting pharmaceutical assistance thus raising the responsibility for the outcome of the patient`s therapy.
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Marketing research of biological drugs used in rheumatoid arthritis
Abstract
Introduction. Advances in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are associated with the rational use of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs). This group of drugs is represented by a wide range of humanized (tocilizumab, olokizumab) and human (adalimumab, golimumab, sarilumab, etc.) monoclonal antibodies, pegylated antibody fragments (certolizumab pegol), hybrid fusion antibodies (abatacept) and recombinant forms of the human IL-1 receptor antagonist (anakinra).
Objective. Marketing analysis of the range of bDMARDs recommended for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by the current version of the clinical guidelines “Rheumatoid Arthritis”, 2024 for the subsequent comprehensive assessment of available healthcare technologies.
Material and methods. Analysis and classification of information obtained from the records of the state register of medicines based on the following criteria: 1) availability of approved biosimilars; 2) available dosage forms; 3) available routes of administration; 4) possibility of self-administration of the drug by the patient; 5) localization of production.
Results. As of the beginning of 2025, 25 trade names of bDMARDs were registered in Russia. The drugs are registered in the dosage forms of “lyophilizate”, “concentrate for solution preparation”, “solution for subcutaneous administration” and are available for subcutaneous and intravenous administration. For 2019–2024, an expansion of the range of bDMARDs for subcutaneous administration was revealed – out of 8 new drugs, six drugs are produced in the dosage form of "solution for subcutaneous administration". A trend towards expansion of the biosimilar drug market was identified – the first biosimilar of bDMARDs was registered in 2014 and as of the beginning of 2025, the share of biosimilars already amounts to 44% (11 drugs out of 25 bDMARDs).
Conclusion. The study systematized the basic information about biologic drugs, identified a trend of expansion of the biosimilar drug market. In recent years, the development of dosage forms for subcutaneous administration has been actively underway, as the most convenient for the patient and economical for the healthcare system as a whole.
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Education
The algorithm of planning the group student project “Аpothecary's garden”
Abstract
SUMMARY
Introduction. Collections of living medicinal plants perform a multifunctional role: educational, educational, research, environmental, and others. The formation of a pharmacy garden at universities is a task of high relevance. At the same time, the current Federal State Educational Standards of various levels require students to carry out individual projects. “Apothecary's Garden” is a promising and relevant group activity for students.
The aim. To develop a structured algorithm for organizing a group student project “Apothecary's garden”.
Material and methods. The work is based on real educational experience in the implementation of personal projects in Moscow educational institutions: Moscow University “Synergy” and “Sechenov University” for the period 2020–2024. The following methods were used: structured interviewing of the teaching staff (n=12), questioning of student participants (n=95), analysis of educational and methodological documentation, expert analysis of the effectiveness of implemented initiatives. The control parameters included: the level of student engagement, educational effectiveness, and the stability of the functioning of the created facilities.
The results of the study. The main directions of personal developments within the framework of teamwork have been identified: schemes for the placement of medicinal plants according to classification principles (botany, biology, pharmacology, chemistry, etc.); practical application options for research, the educational process, the social sphere; promotion through web resources and social media. A step-by-step algorithm is presented: selecting the topic and title; determining the target audience; setting goals and objectives; developing an implementation plan; selecting methods, resources, and evaluation criteria. Limitations and coping strategies have been identified. Recommendations for the presentation are given. The functionality of the Aptekarsky Ogorod complex being created is described.
Conclusion. The result of the project is an incentive for the development of participants, it should be focused on expanding competencies and developing professional skills. The name should be bright, emotionally appealing, preferably with a memorable abbreviation. Adaptability is required – the possibility of adjustments during operation is provided. It is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of perception by different audiences, including when preparing a presentation for the competition committee, the target audience, and society as a whole.
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