One of the fundamental issues in modern pharmacy is the expansion of the range of medications based on plant-derived raw materials with specific targeted effects. An example of such a plant is the woolly-flowered milkvetch (Astragalus dasyanthus Pall.). This perennial herbaceous medicinal plant belongs to the Fabaceae family and is listed in the Red Book of Europe. Astragalus dasyanthus Pall. is cultivated for pharmaceutical purposes. The herb of a plant exhibits sedative, cardiotonic, hypotensive, and diuretic effects, as well as hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties. The herb of Astragalus dasyanthus Pall. contains polysaccharides (arabinose, bassorin), flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol), glycyrrhizin, starch, and triterpenoid saponins, which contribute to the broad spectrum of the plant’s pharmacological activity. Continuing the investigation of this plant, it is advisable to study the qualitative and quantitative composition of organic and fatty acids. By the HPLC method, the following organic acids were identified and determined quantitative content: tartaric (8.68 mg/g), citric (7.69 mg/g), oxalic (6.90 mg/g), succinic (5.01 mg/g), isocitric (1.30 mg/g), and malic (0.49 mg/g). The saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were determined by the GC/MS method. The Astragalus dasyanthus Pall. herb contained seven fatty acids. High concentrations of fatty acids such as pentadecanoic acid (4.16 mg/g), linoleic acid (1.73 mg/g), and stearic acid (1.14 mg/g) predominate in woolly-flowered milkvetch. The character of many processes in which these organic and fatty acids take part may be associated with the medicinal properties of this plant pursuant to its use in medicine and, therefore, may contribute to the insight into its therapeutic properties.

Astragalus dasyanthus Pall., fatty acids, GC/MS, herb, HPLC, organic acids

The genus Astragalus is the largest in the Fabaceae family, comprising more than 2,500 species (Chaudhary et al. 2008). Astragalus plants, including medicinal and poisonous species, are annual or perennial herbs, small shrubs – often spiny, glabrous, or hairy – with hairs basifixed or bifurcate (Xu and Podlech 2010). The center of origin of Astragalus plants is Eurasia, especially the mountainous parts of South-Central and South-Western Asia (Podlech 1986; Lock and Schrire 2005).

Species of the Astragalus genus are valued in folk medicine throughout the world and utilized as medicinal herbs against chronic bronchitis, cough, stomach ulcer, hypertension, diabetes, and gynecological disorders (Benchadi et al. 2013). Some plants of the same genus have cardiovascular, antiviral and immunostimulant activities (Verotta and El-Sebakhy 2001b; Yalcin et al. 2012). The plants of the genus Astragalus have been intensively analyzed, mainly for flavonoids, polysaccharides, and saponins, which are the main groups of biologically active compounds (Verotta and El-Sebakhy 2001a; Pistelli 2002). Flavonoids represent the largest group of polyphenolic compounds occurring in Astragalus species (Bratkov et al. 2016). The plants of this genus also include components such as anthraquinones, alkaloids, amino acids, β-sitosterol, and metallic elements (Li et al. 2014).

An urgent task of modern pharmacy is the search for plants that can supplement the range of official species, as well as the creation of new drugs based on them (Budniak et al. 2021b). Since ancient times, members of the Astragalus genus, especially A. membranaceus, A. mongholicus, A. dasyanthus, A. trigonius, and A. gummifera, have been used as important drugs in traditional Chinese medicine. Antifungal and antibacterial effects of Astragalus genus have been established in many researches (Wang et al. 2014; Jaradat et al. 2017). Some species of this genus have shown anti-protozoal effects (Özipek et al. 2005). The protective effect of Astragalus L. on the liver (Jia et al. 2012), cardiovascular system (Han et al. 2011; Zhao et al. 2015), and neurodegenerative diseases (Luo et al. 2004) suggest the presence of antioxidant components in their tissues (Chen et al. 2015).

Astragalus dasyanthus Pall. belongs to the family Fabaceae. The plant grows in Moldova, Crimea, along the Black Sea coast, and other areas. Astragalus dasyanthus is a rare plant species and is vulnerable in Ukraine; it has also been listed as endangered on the Red List of Europe (Ganea and Gacota 1996). One of the most effective ways to preserve biodiversity is through plant introduction. The introduction of Astragalus dasyanthus into plant cultivation in Ukraine also holds significant scientific significance. This is primarily due to their valuable medicinal properties; individual representatives of Astragalus have led to the natural habitats facing intensive anthropogenic pressure (Bondarchuk and Rakhmetov 2018).

Astragalus dasyanthus Pall. is a valuable herb. In medicine, the overhead parts are used and gathered during the blooming period. The herb of this plant contains flavonoids and triterpenoid glucosides (Ganbarov and Ibrahimov 2015). Experimental studies have shown that preparations of Astragalus dasyanthus exhibit hypotensive, diuretic, and sedative properties, and also expand coronary vessels (Khoron’ko and Glyzin 1973). In folk medicine, a decoction of the woolly herb of Astragalus dasyanthus is used as an expectorant and diuretic, as well as for asthenia, kidney disease, burns, rheumatism, rinsing the mouth and pharynx in cases of angina, and stomatitis (Kodirova 2021).

The genus Astragalus is well-known for being a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolites. However, no phytochemical investigations of primary metabolites in Astragalus dasyanthus have ever been reported. This deficiency in experimental data motivated us to determine the presence of organic and fatty acids in the herb of the Astragalus dasyanthus, cultivated in Ukraine.

The quantitative content of fatty acids is present in Table 3.

As shown in Fig. 1, Table 3, Astragalus dasyanthus herb contains a mixture of fatty acids saturated (7.06 mg/g; 80.32%) and polyunsaturated (1.73 mg/g; 19.68%).

Figure 1. 

GC/MS chromatogram of fatty acids in the Astragalus dasyanthus Pall. herb.

Unsaturated fatty acids play an essential role in the body’s vital functions. These acids exhibit F-vitamin activity, which improves blood circulation in all bodily organs and tissues, consequently facilitating the renovation of the entire human body (Magnusdottir et al. 2014; Molfino et al. 2014; Makhatova et al. 2016).

Fatty acids play various roles in biological systems, such as being components of plasma membranes and functioning as signaling molecules that regulate cell growth, differentiation, and gene expression (Das 2006; Calder 2015; Czumaj and Śledziński 2020).

Saturated fatty acids serve a significant biological function as they act as an energy source for the human body. Additionally, they play a significant role in constructing cell membranes, synthesizing hormones, and facilitating the transfer and absorption of vitamins and trace elements (Marchyshyn et al. 2021d). As a result, fatty acids possess a vast range of opportunities to regulate the immune functions of the cell by impacting its structure, metabolism, and function (Brown and Marnett 2011; Radzikowska et al. 2019). These acids in humans are ingested with foods and they are synthesized by cells (Radzikowska et al. 2019). Polyunsaturated fatty acids are important cellular components that significantly impact the proper development and functioning of various organisms (Ganbarov and Ibrahimov 2015; Czumaj and Śledziński 2020).

The results of the study showed that the major components of Astragalus dasyanthus herb were pentadecanoic acid (4.16 mg/g; 47.33%), linoleic acid (1.73 mg/g; 19.68%), and stearic acid (1.14 mg/g; 12.97%). The content of other fatty acids is lower. Mounting experimental evidence supports the nutritionally beneficial role of odd-chain saturated fatty acids for human health. Notably, pentadecanoic acid exhibited specific cytotoxic effects in MCF-7/SC cells compared to the parental cells. This suggests that pentadecanoic acid could act as a novel inhibitor of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in breast cancer cells, indicating the potential benefits of consuming pentadecanoic acid-rich foods during breast cancer treatments (To et al. 2019). This herb is also a source of the fatty acid omega-6 (linoleic acid), also known as linoleate. This fatty acid must be obtained through the diet because the body requires them but cannot synthesize them. Therefore, this acid is considered essential and must be supplied by the diet to be the starting point for the synthesis of a variety of other unsaturated fatty acid (De Lorgeril et al. 2001; Anez-Bustillos et al. 2018; Radzikowska et al. 2019).

Linoleic acid serves a multitude of crucial functions within the body, including the synthesis of bile acids in the liver, the regulation of metabolic processes, the production of prostaglandins, the maintenance of hormonal balance, and the enhancement of digestive enzymes. Within the body, linoleic acid is converted into γ-linolenic acid, which exhibits high activity and further transforms into prostaglandin E1, contributing to an improved immune response. Prostaglandins also play a role in suppressing inflammatory processes, regulating brain function, reducing the risk of vascular and cardiac diseases, normalizing the nervous system, and controlling metabolism and insulin levels. Additionally, linolenic acid helps in regulating blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels (Stoyko et al. 2015; Marchyshyn et al. 2021d).

Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid found in fats derived from both animal and plant sources. After palmitic acid, it takes the lead as the most extensively consumed fatty acid in both the United States and the Western population at large (Ervin et al. 2004). Stearic acid amounts to 26% of the total intake of saturated fatty acids (Valenzuela et al. 2011). Also, stearic acid, another example of an even-chain saturated fatty acid, was found to inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation in vitro (Wickramasinghe et al. 1996; Evans et al. 2009) and breast tumorigenesis in vivo (Habib et al. 1987). This underscores the dual impact of saturated fatty acids on cancer cells (To et al. 2020). Certain saturated fatty acids are known to raise low-density lipoprotein (bad) cholesterol levels, but stearic acid, in contrast, does not have this effect (FAO 2010). Currently, stearic acid is the only suitable choice for producing solid fats that are considered safe (Crupkin and Zambelli 2008; Valenzuela et al. 2011; Anushree et al. 2017).

The absorption of fatty acids in the human digestive system primarily relies on the position they occupy in dietary triglycerides (Mu and Høy 2004), which constitute approximately 90–95% of our fat intake (Valenzuela et al. 2011).

In total, six organic acids were determined in the Astragalus dasyanthus herb, including tartaric, oxalic, citric, isocitric, malic and succinic acids by means of the HPLC method (Fig. 2, Table 4)..

Figure 2. 

HPLC chromatogram of organic acids in the Astragalus dasyanthus Pall. herb.

As shown in Table 4, the highest tartaric (8.68 mg/g), citric (7.69 mg/g), oxalic (6.90 mg/g) and succinic (5.01 mg/g) acids content were found in Astragalus dasyanthus herb. Tartaric acid possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which help in keeping the immune system healthy. It finds pharmaceutical applications in formulating effervescent tablets, powders, and antibiotic tablets, as well as drugs for heart diseases. Moreover, in cosmetic industry extensively utilizes tartaric acid, making it a common ingredient in various cosmetic products such as creams, moisturizers, and serums. It acts as an anti-aging acid that helps maintain the skin’s pH level (Uses of tartaric acid 2023).

Oxalic acid is characterized by metabolic stability and prolonged action. It also selectively acts on malignant cells without affecting healthy cells in the body, leading to apoptosis (death) of cancer cells. Oxalic acid is used in the production of a therapeutic anticancer drug (WO2011/119126 A1 2011).

Citric acid is a naturally occurring component and a common metabolite found in plants. It is the most widely used organic acid in both pharmaceuticals and foods. Citric acid and its salts are used in different industries as pH adjustment, chelating, derivatization and buffering (Crolla and Kennedy 2001; Celik et al. 2014).

Succinic acid is the precursor to various biological compounds and plays a crucial role in the accumulation of the mitochondrial metabolite succinate (in the citric acid cycle) (Rousová et al. 2014; Ozpinar et al. 2015). Additionally, it regulates reperfusion injury during ischemia by controlling mitochondrial reactive oxygen production (Jarukas et al. 2018). In the living organism, succinic acid exists in the form of an anion called succinate, which serves various biological functions as a metabolic intermediate. It is converted into fumarate, involved in ATP production, and acts as a signaling molecule, reflecting the cellular metabolic state (Tretter et al. 2016).

The research findings indicate that Astragalus dasyanthus is a promising plant due to the important role of organic and fatty acids in various biological processes.

The results of the research indicate that Astragalus dasyanthus Pall. herb contained fatty and organic acids. Using the GC/MS method, the composition of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Among seven identified fatty acids dominant acids of Astragalus dasyanthus Pall. herb were pentadecanoic, linoleic, and stearic, the content of which was 4.16 mg/g, 1.73 mg/g, and 1.14 mg/g respectively. The qualitative composition and quantitative content of organic acids were studied by the HPLC method. Six organic acids in the herb of Astragalus dasyanthus Pall. was determined. Among them, tartaric (8.68 mg/g), citric (7.69 mg/g), oxalic (6.90 mg/g), and succinic acid (5.01 mg/g) acids were dominant. Thus, Astragalus dasyanthus Pall. displayed a particular composition of fatty and organic acids which could be of interest for pharmaceutical manufacturing, and this plant’s raw material can be used as a source for new medicines in the future.