Pharmacognostic Study of Collection and Study of its Hepatoprotective Activity

Background: The aim of this work is pharmacognostic study of herbal formulation consisting of elecampane rhizomes and roots (Inula helenium L.), fruits of rose (Rosa sp.) and hawthorn (Crataegus sp.), leaves of pepper mint (Mentha piperita L.) and cowberry leaves (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.), spiny eleuterococcus rhizomes and roots (Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr.et Maxim.) Maxim., low cudweed herb (Gnaphalium uliginosum L.s.l.) as well as determination of its hepatoprotective activity. Materials and methods: An electron microscope, HPLC and methods of the State Pharmacopoeia of Russia were used in pharmacognostic study of herbal formulation. The hepatoprotective, antioxidant and choleretic activities of the herbal formulation were studied in vivo model of liver damage induced by tetracycline hydrochloride and 40% ethanol. Results: The content of biologically active substances (BAS) collected: essential oils - at least 0.30%; flavonoids in terms of luteolin - not less than 1.0%; ascorbic acid - not less than 0.5%; tannins - not less than 3.0%; arbutin - at least 0.4%; eleutheroside B - not less than 0.01%.It has been found that the course administration of herbal formulation to white Wistar rats with liver damage eliminates the prooxidant effect of tetracycline and ethanol, reduces the manifestation of cholestasis and increases the rate of bile secretion for 1-3 hours. Conclusion: The herbal formulation has hepatoprotective activity, antioxidant, choleretic effect and stimulates regenerative and antitoxic processes in the liver in rats with a model of combined liver damage induced tetracycline and ethanol. The obtained research results argue the possibility of using herbal formulation for prevention and complex treatment of liver diseases.