Prospects of studying and using Saussurea elegans Ledeb. in the foothills of the Zhetysu Alatau

Abstract

The conservation and rational use of plant resources combined with global warming and other environmental stresses and human activities can lead to the rapid destruction of existing ecosystems, especially in arid regions, which include most of the territory of Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan's Second National Communication, 2009). The article represents the results of studies of a promising medicinal plant Saussurea elegans Ledeb including of phytochemical research, the compositional analysis of the main groups of biologically active substances. The quantitative content of S.elegans was determined such as polysaccharides, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, extractives, free organic acids, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin C, and groups of 15-component fatty acid. Additionally, ethnobotanical studies have shown the purpose of this plant usage (forage, ornamental, etc.) by geobotanical, floristic, ethnobotanical, resource, physico-chemical methods. The resource data of S. elegans are presented in three gorges (the Krutoe tract, the right bank of the Terekti River valley (Topolevka), the Karasyryk Gorge) of the Zhetysu Alatau. elegans is practical interest for introduction into medical practice as a source of biologically active substances. At the moment, the anthropogenic load on the S. elegans site leads to their gradual reduction (haymaking, fires, plowing the land for agricultural purposes), or causes a succession of phytocenosis. A detailed literature overview shows the distribution and resources together with chemical composition of the S. elegans have not been properly studied in the Zhetysu Alatau. Keywords Saussurea elegans Ledeb, Asteraceae Dumort., flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, polysaccharides, vitamins, resources.