SPECIES OF THE GENUS ALCHEMILLA L. (ROSACEAE): CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY AND USE IN MEDICINE (REVIEW)

Abstract

Data about on taxonomy of Alchemilla L.genus, distribution of Alchemilla species in world flora, use in traditional and official medicine of the different countries are presented. Questions of chemical composition, biological activity and pharmacological studying are considered. It is shown that in the last decades in Russia there is an active research of Alchemilla species at the level of regional and local floras. Species of this difficult genus in the systematic relation are offered to be used as the vegetable medicinal raw materials of different function containing compounds of different chemical classes and possessing a wide range of biological activity. As a result of complex studying with application of the latest methods of a research and standardization of vegetable raw materials a lady's mantle on existence and content of the main active ingredients 13 types of the Alchemilla species growing in Russia have been recommended for medical application. For the first time researches on antiviral activity of preparations from plant extracts of Alchemilla vulgaris L.s.I concerning some RNA - and DNA - genomic viruses are discussed. Analysis of the literature data reveals the prospects for the use of species of the genus Alchemilla.