Veredina E.G., Nikitina N.S., Larynovskaya Yu.B.
State Scientific Center of Drags,
33 Astronomicheskaya Str.,
Kharkov, 61085
Ukraine,
Fax: (+38-0572) 441-118,
Phone: (+38-0572) 446-323

Chamomilla recutita L. is one of the most well-known and widely used medicinal plants. The anti-inflammatory, spasmolitic, bactericide, wound-healing and capillary strengthening effects of Chamomilla recutita are well-known and this is far from the complete list of the healing power of the plant which looks like the sun.

We studied the effect of flavonoids isolated from Chamomilla recutita on the basic metabolic values of breedless white rats with acute and chronic tetrachloride-induced liver diseases. The following values have been determined in blood serum: level of enzyme (alaninaminotransferase, aspartataminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase) activity and cholesterol, glucose, urea, common protein and common bilirubin contents. Common protein concentration has been also determined in liver tissues and a morphologic structure of both the liver sites and the cells has been studied.

The peripheral blood and bone marrow content as well as exacrinous liver function have been studied in the pubertal and senescent animals. The results obtained show that use of flavonoids decreases the inflammatory and hepatocyte cytolysis syndromes, inhibits cholestasis development and stimulates the regeneration processes in liver. Moreover, administration of tetrachloride and flavonoids stimulates the erythroid germ of rat bone marrow. In the senescent animals the mild bile-expelling effect of Chamomilla recutita flavonoids has been found experimentally though the investigations carried out by the other investigators earlier led to a supposition that the bile-expelling effect of Chamomilla recutita was mainly associated with the components of essential oil fraction.. Based on the results obtained, it may be concluded that the Chamomilla recutita flavonoids possess the marked hepatoprotective effect and stimulate the erythroid germ of bone marrow when the rat liver is affected by a toxic tetrachloride action.

For archive of summaries of bio-medical researches from Kharkov (Ukraine) universities and institutes contact: Nataliya Babenko, Head of Department of Physiology of Ontogenesis, Institute of Biology, Kharkov National University, e-mail: babenko@univer.kharkov.ua, fax: (0572)352923.