Biological activity of the purified extract from the herb Dracocephalum moldavica L.

Introduction. The search for plants that can become sources of BAS for the creation of new highly effective and safe medicines is one of the promising areas of pharmaceutical science. Moldovan snakehead (Dracocephalum moldavica L.) has long been used as an anti-inflammatory, wound healing, expectorant and sedative, as well as an essential oil and aromatic herb. A dry purified extract from Moldovan snakehead grass with a rosemary acid content of about 56.6% was obtained at VILAR State Medical University.

The aim of the study was to conduct a primary screening of the biological activity of an extract from Moldovan snakehead grass in in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Materials and methods. The primary screening of the biological activity of the extract was studied using specific enzyme biotest systems in vitro based on glutathione reductase, catalase, and inducible NO synthase. The capillary-strengthening effect of the extract was studied according to the "Method for determining the reactivity of skin capillaries to inflammatory stimuli" based on a model of a local inflammatory reaction (xylene inflammation) in rats.

Results. The results of the conducted studies indicate that when introduced into the incubation medium, the extract had a direct (120% higher relative to the control) effect on the rate of the glutathione reductase reaction, that is, it contributed to an increase in the antioxidant protection of thiol enzymes involved in muscle contraction through the natural antioxidant glutathione. At the same time, the extract under study showed anti-inflammatory activity, reducing the rate of reaction catalyzed by inducible NO synthase. In vivo experiments showed that the studied extract of Moldovan snakehead grass had a significantly pronounced capillary-strengthening effect in the experimental model of xylene inflammation, significantly increasing the time of petechiae appearance by 37%, and the time of distinct petechiae staining by 21% compared with the control.

Conclusions. As a result of in vitro experiments, it was shown that the activity of the dry extract of Moldavian snakehead grass is manifested through the binding of BAS to the enzymes lutathione reductase and inducible NO synthase, which suggests possible mechanisms of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of this plant. An experimental model of xylene inflammation using laboratory animals has shown that at a dose of 200 mg/kg, the extract has a pronounced capillary-strengthening effect.