The dissertation work is dedicated to the pharmacognostic study of promising
plant species from the Ranunculaceae family in the flora of Ukraine, namely: Caltha
palustris L., Ficaria verna Huds., and Ranunculus acris L. The research focuses on the
development of methods for obtaining extracts based on these plants, phytochemical
and pharmacological investigation of the obtained extracts, and the development of a
composition with diverse targeted effects based on these substances.
The pharmaceutical market of Ukraine has been analyzed in terms of the
assortment of modern plant-based medicinal products, particularly those based on
medicinal plant raw materials from the Ranunculaceae family.
The data from literary sources regarding the botanical characteristics,
distribution range, collection methods, content of biologically active substances,
pharmacological properties, and usage of Caltha palustris L., Ficaria verna Huds., and
Ranunculus acris L. in pharmacy and medicine have been processed and systematized.
The aspects of modern pharmaceutical development of a new medicinal product
based on plant extract have been analyzed. The algorithm for creating a plant-based
medicinal product has been considered, which involves a sequential execution of
pharmacotechnological, physicochemical, and biological studies.
Step-by-step of the planned research have been outlined. The main approaches
to selecting research objects were presented. The choice of plant research objects,
namely Caltha palustris L., Ficaria verna Huds., and Ranunculus acris L., was
substantiated based on the obtained data from information retrieval research. The
obtained extracts of the investigated plant raw materials were the subjects of
phytochemical and pharmacological studies. The methodology for collection, drying,
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and standardization of the investigated plant raw materials was provided according to
the requirements of analytical and regulatory documentation. The methods for
determining the physicochemical and technological parameters of the investigated
medicinal plant raw materials were presented.
The influence of four factors (degree of raw material fragmentation, nature of
the extractant, ratio of raw material to extractant and time parameter) on the yield of
biologically active substances and extractive compounds in the extracts of Caltha
palustris L., Ficaria verna Huds., and Ranunculus acris L. has been investigated.
The optimal conditions for obtaining plant extracts with a maximum quantity of
biologically active substances have been determined, and their standardization has
been conducted. It has been established that the extraction of a complex of biologically
active substances from Caltha palustris L., Ficaria verna Huds., and Ranunculus acris
L. is achieved by using a 70% aqueous-ethanol mixture with a ratio of dry raw material
to extractant of 1:10. The optimal extraction time is 72 hours for Caltha palustris L.
and Ranunculus acris L., and 48 hours for Ficaria verna Huds. at a temperature of 18-
20˚C. Quality control method projects have been developed for "Caltha palustris L.
herb extract," "Ficaria verna Huds. herb extract," and "Ranunculus acris L. herb
extract."
Phytochemical analysis of the extracts of Caltha palustris L., Ficaria verna
Huds., and Ranunculus acris L. has been conducted. The presence and quantitative
content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, coumarins, and
saponins have been determined and investigated.
The qualitative assessment of the chemical composition of the investigated
extracts regarding the content of phenolic compounds was conducted using qualitative
reactions. Chlorogenic acid, luteolin, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, and chrysin
were detected in the samples of the investigated objects using thin-layer
chromatography (TLC) method. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
was employed for the identification and quantitative determination of 8 phenolic
compounds in the extract of Ficaria verna Huds. herb, 6 compounds in the extract of
Caltha palustris L. herb, and 6 compounds in the extract of Ranunculus acris L. herb.
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The total content of phenolic compounds in the investigated extracts of Caltha
palustris L., Ficaria verna Huds., and Ranunculus acris L. was determined using the
spectrophotometric method, expressed as gallic acid equivalents. It was found that the
highest content of phenolic compounds was present in the extracts obtained using a
70% aqueous-ethanol mixture. The content of phenols in the Caltha palustris L. extract
was 50.51±0,11 mg GAL/g, in the Ficaria verna Huds. extract - 20.35±0,12 mg
GAL/g, and in the Ranunculus acris L. extract obtained using 70% ethanol -
18.69±0,08 mg GAL/g
