Pharmacognostic characteristics of Artemisia messerschmidtiana Bess

Introduction. Despite the wide distribution and extensive use of Artemisia L. species in official and traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory, infectious, and other diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, and viruses, the chemical composition of Artemisia messerschmidtiana Bess. growing in the territory of Buryatia remains insufficiently studied.

Aim of the study. To perform a pharmacognostic analysis of the aerial part of A. messerschmidtiana.

Materials and Methods. The object of the study was the whole aerial part of A. messerschmidtiana collected during the flowering stage near Udinsk village, Khorinsky District, Republic of Buryatia (August 2023). Anatomical and diagnostic features, as well as the main quality indicators of the raw material, were determined according to the methods of the State Pharmacopoeia, 15th edition. The essential oil was obtained by steam distillation. Lipid fractions were isolated using a modified Bligh and Dyer method followed by acid methanolysis. The chemical composition of the essential oil and lipid fraction was analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS).

Results. The main anatomical and diagnostic characteristics of the raw material were determined. The leaf epidermis consists of isodiametric cells with slightly sinuous walls; stomata are of the anomocytic type, mainly located on the lower epidermis. T-shaped trichomes and oval, tiered essential oil glands are characteristic features. The main quality indicators were as follows: moisture content 7.6%, total ash 7.9%, acid-insoluble ash 0.6%, ethanol-soluble extractives (70%) 42.8%, organic impurities 0.8%, browned and blackened parts 2.0%. The yield of essential oil was 0.3%, its main components were 1,8-cineole (11.6%), camphor (19.6%), borneol (4.0%), α-terpinene (6.1%), isoterpinolene (3.4%), phytol (7.0%), dehydrosesquicineole (4.8%), and caryophyllene oxide (2.3%). The yield of the lipid fraction was 4.5%, containing ten higher fatty acids - palmitic (42.0%), linoleic (16.6%), linolenic (14.9%).

Conclusion. The main anatomical and diagnostic features and quality indicators of A. messerschmidtiana were established. The composition of the essential oil was found to be stable regardless of the growing region or extraction method. The dominant compounds are monoterpenoids – 1,8-cineole, camphor, and borneol, while caryophyllene oxide is the main sesquiterpenoid. The lipid fraction is characterized by palmitic, linoleic, and linolenic acids. The findings confirm the potential of A. messerschmidtiana as a promising medicinal plant source for the development of new herbal medicinal preparations.