PHARMACOGNOSTIC RESEARCH OFTHE OVER-GROUND PARTS OFMELITTIS MELISSOPHYLLUM-L.CULTIVATED IN GEORGIA

Abstract

Melittis melissophyllum L. (Lamiaceae) is a monotypicspecies of the genus Melittis, which is a wild spread in south-ern and central Europe. Information about its developmentand chemical composition is scarce, there is a danger of itsdisappearance, and so in situ studies were conducted forassimilation into culture under natural growth conditions.There are only a few data regarding the chemical compo-sition and biological activity of Melittis melissophyllum L.Also, the methodology for identification and qualitative in-dex is not established yet.The aim of the research was to search for identificationmethods and some qualitative index with macroscopic, mi-croscopic and phytochemical analyses.As a result of the research, morphological signs and an-atomic peculiarities of the over-ground parts of – Melittismelissophyllum L.cultivated in Georgia have been found viamacroscopic and microscopic study. In addition, some qual-itative properties of plant material have been identified, such     96as: Moisture – 6,6%, total ash – 15,93%- Extractive substances- 22,13%.By phytochemical analysis, for which we used liquidchromatographic mass spectrometric method and gas chro-matographic mass spectrometric method, we found the fol-lowing compounds -8 phenolic carbonic acid: P-coumaricacid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, ellagic acid, syring-ic acid, vanillic acid. 9 flavonoids: rutin, quercetin-3-o-gly-coside, quercetin-3-o-ramnoside, myricetin, isoramnetin, ga-locatechin, apigenin. naringenin, catechin, Benzoic acid prod-ucts - phytol, fatty acid - linoleic acid, aromatic compound -vinylguaiacol, trisaccharide sugar - melezitosis, phenoliccompound - 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole were found in theobject.The antioxidant activity of the extracts of the above-ground parts of Melittis melissophyllum L was determined.Therefore, mentioned plant material is perspective for fur-ther studies, in order to be used in medicine