Usnea Filamentosa (Usnea Utilissima Stirt): Pharmacognostic Analysis and Evaluation of Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Viability in an In Vitro Experiment

Since ancient times, lichens have been known for their medicinal properties. The peoples of Siberia, the Russian Far East, and the forest-tundra regions traditionally used Usnea to treat pulmonary, dermatological, and gastrointestinal diseases in the form of infusions, decoctions, powders, and etc. [4; 8]. The article presents research on Usnea filamentosa (Usnea utilissima Stirt), including its pharmacognostic characteristics. The external morphological features of the plant are described. Microscopic and phytochemical analyses have confirmed the presence of several biologically active compounds, as well as quality indicators, extractive substance content, and the absence of extraneous organic and mineral impurities. The article has also assessed the viability of a primary human cell line after introducing aqueous Usnea extracts of varying concentrations into a nutrient medium for cell culture [1].