J.V. Daironas - Ph.D. (Pharm.), Teacher of Chair of a Pharmacognosy, Pyatigorsk Medical and Pharmaceutical Institute - the branch of GBOU VPO the Volgograd State Medical University. E-mail: daironas@mail.ru
I.N. Zilfikarov - Dr.Sc. (Pharm.), All-Russia Scientific Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Moscow. E-mail: dagfarm@mail.ru
T.A. Sokolskaya - Dr.Sc. (Pharm.), Professor, All-Russia Scientific Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Moscow

Shikonin and its esters have a broad spectrum of biological activities and are the main naphthoquinones extracted from underground organs Boraginaceae family representatives. Shikonin has antitumor, neuroprotective in ischemic stroke, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, antimicrobial and antiviral effect in experiment. The aim of our research is to develop and test methods of quantitative determination of the amount of naphthoquinones in roots Echium russicum and herbal drugs of derived from this raw material. The main objects of study are the roots of Echium russicum J.F. Gmel. (family Boraginaceae), which was stored in the vicinity of the Caucasian Mineral Waters (Stavropol region, Russia) at the flowering stage and the beginning of fruiting , dried and ground. There were obtained «root extract Echium russicum, substance» - a biologically active component of two drugs «extract of the roots of Echium russicum, dissolved in oil» and «extract of the roots of Echium russicum, ointment for external and local application»; and trituration of sucrose - the basis for a solid dosage form "root extract Echium russicum, lozenges" from the roots of Echium russicum. When developing quantitative methods for determining the amount of naphthoquinones in the monitored objects has been found that the chloroform solutions were analyzed biologically active substances have their own coloring characteristic naphthoquinones of Echium russicum and shikonin and UV spectra of test solutions in all cases, have a maximum absorption at a wavelength of 525 nm. This property led to the selection of appropriate approaches to sample preparation, analysis and calculation conditions. As a standard sample was used shikonin, we highlighted as a single compound. Calculation of the amount of content naphthoquinones performed based on shikonin by specific absorption rate shikonin, which we set by experiment ( = 430). With respect to the total content of the feedstock naphthoquinones determined in percent, based on absolutely dry raw material, a soft substance and dosage forms - in percentage tablets - in mg per tablet. Results of testing methods in the analysis of the objects processed by the statistical method , showed that the relative error of the determination in all cases does not exceed 5 %, which , given the level of regulation, to use them in the standardization of raw materials and herbal drugs of Echium russicum.

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