Biological activity of humic substances: prospects and problems of their application in medicine

Abstract

The review presents data on humic substances' chemical composition, structural diversity, the prevalence in nature, biological activity. We observed the complexity of the structure of humic substances, the possibility of the formation of intermolecular and intramolecular bonds, the specificities of biosynthesis. The structural characteristics of humic substances, which allow participating in various biochemical reactions, form complex compounds, and influence photochemical processes, are described. The uniqueness of the chemical properties of humic substances can be applied in various fields of the national economy, including medical practice. In nature, there are no compounds with an identical set of the same important chemical and biological properties as humic compounds possess. All this determines the prospects of using humic substances as potential drugs of the new generation. Research in the field of development of new biologically active compounds has shown that humic substances of various origins have an immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effect, which allows them to be used for the prevention and treatment of chronic dermatoses, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and other diseases accompanied by inflammatory and allergic reactions. Using the humic substances as antifungal, antiviral agents can be promising. The natural origin of humic substances is a significant advantage over artificially synthesized drugs in the treatment of fungal and viral infections since clinically they have virtually no side effects compared to their traditional equivalent. However, the biological activity of humic substances revealed in experimental studies does not allow them to be widely used in medicine. Manufacturers of preparations based on humic substances describe a wide range of medicinal properties that are not approved by the results of preclinical and clinical trials. There are no drugs based on humic compounds in the Register of Medicinal Products of the Russian Federation, the main obstacle to which is the complexity of their standardization. Drug development at the preclinical stage involves establishing the structure of the active compound and determining the best methods and methods for its standardization for quality control. At present, knowledge of the composition and structure of humic substances is not enough for disseminating to them the ideas about the substances of medicinal products generally accepted in pharmacology and pharmacy.