Resources, biotechnology and utilization of the ecdysteroid-containing plants

At present phytoedysteroids that are structurally relative to insect moulting hormones attract attention for the development of the new effective and safe adaptogenic medicinal preparations and nutritional supplements since these compounds do not have any toxic and negative hormonal effects on mammals. We developed the methodology of the screening of plants for the ecdysteroids presence. A number of perspective plant species with high ecdysteroids content are revealed among ferns and angiosperms from the geographically remote flora (European northeast of Russia, the Urals, the North Caucasus, the Ukraine, the Far East, etc). The com-position and dynamics of ecdysteroids in a number of wild and cultivated plants of the genera of Rhaponticum (R. carthamoides, R. serratuloides), Serratula (S. coronata, S. tinktoria, S. quinquefolia, S. radiata, S. gmelini), Silene (S. tatarica, S. repens), Chenopodium (Ch. bonus-henricus) are studied. The method of the micro-clonal propagation of some ecdysteroid-containing species is developed. The highly productive strains of the callus and suspension cultures of plant cells - ecdysteroids producers are obtained. The technology of obtaining the ecdysteroid-containing substance Serpisten from the overground part of Serratula coronata is developed. The results of preclinical studies showed the strongly pronounced anti-ischemic, hypolipidemic, anti-diabetic, anti-ray and actoprotective effects. On its basis three encapsulated forms of nutritional supple-ments (Kardisten with anti-ischemic and cardio-protective), Diasten with anti-diabetic and Adasten with im-mune-stimulating action) are developed and recommended for the use in geriatry and restorative medicine.