All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

Small’s blueberry ( Vaccinium smallii ) is a berry shrub species widely distributed in northern Japan, Sakhalin Island, the Kunashir and Iturup islands, and the Sovetsko-Gavansky district of Khabarovsk Krai. This study presents the first investigation of V. smallii coenopopulations on Sakhalin Island. Research focused on native plants, selected forms exhibiting economically valuable traits, and introduced cultivars maintained at the Sakhalin Botanical Garden Department of the Botanical Garden-Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Field studies on Sakhalin Island, complemented by stationary research at the Botanical Garden conducted since 2019, have characterized the species’ biology. V. smallii shows a preference for well-lit habitats, a late vegetation and flowering onset that reduces late frost damage, low soil and moisture requirements, disease and pest resistance, and successful acclimatization in full-light experimental plots. The fruits exhibit superior quality compared to several cultivated species, with notable variability in key traits, indicating high potential for introduction into cultivation and selection research. Analysis revealed a more than 15-fold difference in sugar content and 4,1-fold difference in vitamin C infruits between typical and selected fruit forms. Therefore, the introduction of V. smallii into cultivation is a timely and important objective. Future research on high-value selected forms under both natural and cultivated conditions, combined with parallel efforts to develop improved varieties, will advance the cultivation of V. smallii as a promising novel berry crop.

Essential oils (EOs) of Mentha spicata var. crispa (Benth.) Danert and M. × piperita var. citrata (Ehrh.) Briq. and EO components are widely used in medicine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, hygiene products, the food industry, and other fields, and have a high commercial value. The variety Mentha spicata var. crispa is also used as an ornamental plant due to its distinctive curled leaves. Studying the influence of growing conditions and harvest timing on EO yield and the major compound concentrations is one of the key research directions for Mentha species, aimed at the ascertainment of the ways of increasing EO production and quality. Gas chromatography analysis of the component composition of EOs from leaves of Mentha spicata var. crispa “Kurchavaya” (MscK) showed that it remained stable both in July and September, with carvone predominating (81% and 85%, respectively). In contrast, the EO composition from M. × piperita var. citrata “Apelsinovaya” (MpcA) leaves changed in the course of the vegetation period. In July, menthofuran dominated (30%), while in September, linalool and its acetate were predominant (34% and 47%, respectively), which was typical for this chemotype. At the same time, the content of EOs and the density of glandular trichomes (GTs) (the OE storage sites) in MscK were higher in July and decreased by September, whereas in MpcA, both EO content and the number of GTs increased from July to September. These changes may have been caused by temperature fluctuations. Thus, MscK proved to be more resistant to environmental factors than MpcA.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a major global concern due to its multidrug resistance and persistence multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens pose a serious threat in hospital environments, particularly among immunocompromised patients. In this study, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were biosynthesized using Ralstonia insidiosa isolated from petroleum-contaminated soils in Iraq. SeNP formation was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, AFM, TEM, FE-SEM, and EDX analyses, which revealed predominantly spherical, well-dispersed nanoparticles in the nanoscale range. The antimicrobial activity of SeNPs was evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, Candida spp., and ten MDR Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates. SeNPs exhibited strong antimicrobial activity, with a uniform minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 16 µg mL−1 against all MDR A. baumannii isolates and concentration-dependent inhibition against other bacterial and fungal pathogens, showing notable activity against Candida guilliermondii. To explore potential resistance-related interactions, MexB efflux pump gene expression was analyzed in two representative MDR A. baumannii isolates. SeNP treatment resulted in strain-dependent modulation of MexB expression, indicating variable bacterial responses rather than consistent efflux inhibition. In addition, cytotoxicity assays demonstrated dose-dependent antiproliferative effects of SeNPs against PC3 prostate cancer cells, with lower toxicity toward normal WRL68 liver cells.

In recent decades, hardy geraniums ( Geranium L.) have become widely used in landscaping. Among the diverse representatives of this genus, Geranium macrorrhizum L. – native to the Balkan Peninsula and the Southern Alps – is identified as a highly promising species. Both literature sources and our own observations indicate that this species exhibits high adaptability in cultivation, a prolonged growing season until frost, attractive appearance, drought tolerance, and low light-demand. Our studies confirm the ability of Geranium macrorrhizum L. plants to develop under full sunlight and in shade in open ground conditions without changes in developmental rhythms and habitus. During the research years in the collection of the All-Russian Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, the height of rosette shoots and flower stalks of plants under different light conditions varied slightly, averaging 41.62±0.69 cm and 53.33±0.76 cm, respectively. However, it was established that in the shade, the development of vegetative plant organs decreased by 1.7 times, significantly reducing the propagation coefficient during green cutting. The optimal timing for cutting propagation of Geranium macrorrhizum L. in the conditions of the Central Non-Chernozem Zone is mid-April. The propagation coefficients for this crop from cuttings taken in early spring under illuminated conditions were 4.9 and 13.3 after one and two years of cultivation, respectively. Harvesting cuttings should be done once every 2 years. In Bulgaria, Geranium macrorrhizum L. is used as a medicinal plant in traditional medicine. However, the saponin content in the herb and rhizomes remains poorly studied. Our analysis of plant raw materials revealed no significant difference in the saponin content in the herb of Geranium macrorrhizum L. compared to Geranium palustre L., and Geranium pretense L., for samples collected both in summer at the onset of flowering and in autumn during the first half of October. During the autumn harvest period, a significant increase in saponin content was found in both aboveground and underground plant organs.

Plant viruses cause significant economic losses and pose a threat to the sustainability of the agricultural sector. Actinomycetes bacteria are a benign, effective, and environmentally friendly method of disease control. An endophytic actinomycete isolate designated as HESN was recovered from Melissa plants (Melissa officinalis L.) and exhibited 99.79% sequence similarity with Nocardiopsis alborubida (Acc no. NR026339.1). In this study, N. alborubida culture filtrate (NCF) was evaluated for its antiviral activity against cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) on squash plants. Treatment of squash plants with NCF under greenhouse conditions, either 24h before or after virus inoculation, effectively controlled CMV infection. Pre-inoculation treatment reduced CMV accumulation by 50.3% (P≤0.01) at 21 days post-inoculation (dpi) with a further increase in suppression reaching 66.9% at 40 dpi compared to the positive control (P≤0.01). Furthermore, foliar treatment of infected squash plants significantly improved total plant chlorophyll and growth parameters compared to the untreated CMV-infected plants. In addition, the oxidative reductive enzymes, peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), exhibited elevated activity at 4 dpi in NCF-treated plants before CMV inoculation. Following 14 days of viral inoculation, PPO activity increased, whereas POD level decreased across all treatments. GC/MS analysis of the NCF revealed that lactic acid 2TMS derivative was the predominant compound, followed by glycerol monostearate, 1-monopalmitin, propanedioic acid, bis (trimethylsilyl) ester, butanedioic acid, glycerol, and 1-hexadecanol. These metabolites produced by N. alborubida demonstrated significant protective and curative effects against CMV infection, providing insights into controlling plant viruses in an environmentally acceptable manner.

Introdаction. Every year there is an increase in the use of herbal preparations to maintain public health. Herbal medicines, as a rule, are character-ized by a wider range of pharmacological activity and lower toxicity compared to synthetic drugs. Common chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) of the Aster-aceae family, due to its rich content of biologically active substances and significant raw material base, is used to treat various ailments and is a promising object for the development of new medicines and feed additives for farm animals. The aim of the work is a comparative analysis of experimental data on the toxicity of dry extracts from the aboveground part of wild and cultivated chicory with a single injection to laboratory animals of different species, age and gender to determine the prospects for the creation of medicines based on them. Material and methods. Toxicity parameters of dry extracts from wild chicory grass (Cichorium intybus L.) and rosette leaves of a cultivated form of chicory obtained in the Department of Phytochemistry of the Center for Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology of the VILAR Federal State Medical University with a single intraperitoneal and intragastric administration to male and female BALB/c mice and Wistar rats aged 3 weeks, 3- and 12 months old. Results. In previous experimental studies, the parameters of acute toxicity of the studied extracts for laboratory animals of different species, sex and age with two methods of administration were determined. A comparative analysis of the data obtained showed that the dry extract from the leaves of cultivated chicory is on average 2 to 2.5 times less toxic than the dry extract from the grass of a wild plant with both methods of administration to both mice and rats of different ages. Conclusions. Significant differences in the content and qualitative composition of phenolic compounds determine the difference in the toxicity of dry extracts of wild and cultivated chicory and allow them to be used as raw materials for the production of medicines and feed additives for farm ani-mals.

The review article discusses the currently used preclinical research methods of angioprotective activity of biologically active substances. Published data indicate the social and economic significance of chronic venous pathologies as a common group of diseases affecting a significant part of the population, characterized by a major risk of complications that require prompt correction. One of the main methods of complex treatment is pharmacotherapy with phlebotropic agents, due to their complex effect on various links of this pathology: increasing vascular tone, reducing pain, improving lymphatic drainage, beneficially affecting all stages of inflammation, membrane-stabilizing and antioxidant effect. The creation and introduction of new and effective medicines of phleboprotective action, including herbal origin, is one of the priority areas of pharmacology and medicine. However, preclinical trials, as one of the long stages of drug development, need optimization. The purpose of the publication: systematization of methods for determining angioprotective activity, consisting of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, capillary-strengthening activity. The review contains information about the main stages of the preclinical phase of testing – from the search for promising compounds to the developed and used preliminary pharmacological tests to determine biological activity.

Soil salinity is a significant environmental stressor that impacts species distribution, plant development, and genetic diversity. Conservation and ecological management depend on an understanding of how Tetraena species respond to salinity. The genus Tetraena, which includes several species of succulent shrubs native to arid regions, is of significant interest for studying plant adaptation mechanisms. The study aims to evaluate the genetic diversity and ecological characteristics of eight groups of Tetraena species in Saudi Arabia using inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphism (IRAP) markers, ycf5 and trnH gene sequences, as well as soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC). Soil pH indicated slightly alkaline conditions, while electrical conductivity (EC) ranged from 822 μS/cm in the T. propinqua population at Al Thumama Road (population 8) to 23,800 μS/cm in the T. hamiensis population at Al Jawhara-Dammam Road (population 2). The genetic relationships were determined by analyzing IRAP marker polymorphism, generated using 10 primers. Clustering through principal component analysis and biostatistical methods distinguished the populations of T. propinqua subsp. Migahidii (6, 7, and 8) from the populations of T. hamiensis var. qatarensis (1, 3), (4, 5), and (2). Ten primers had high polymorphism (60.5%) according to IRAP analysis between T. hamiensis and T. propinqua. The evolutionary trees of T. propinqua and T. hamiensis cluster together. Analysis of conserved motifs revealed common motifs that support the use of ycf5 and trnH as barcodes. The genetic diversity and population clustering of T. hamiensis and T. propinqua are influenced by environmental salinity and species-specific genetic adaptations. While T. hamiensis has more differentiation, maybe as a result of historical separation or localized adaptations, T. propinqua exhibits strong genetic similarities. These results demonstrate that common environmental stresses and species-specific characteristics are the main drivers of genetic diversity. Future studies should explore adaptive genetic mechanisms at the molecular level and assess the functional roles of salinity-responsive genes in support conservation efforts.