PECULIAR PROPERTIES OF THE PLANT TAXONOMY AT THE HERBARIUMMUSEUM DEPARTMENT PHARMACEUTICAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES FIRST MOSCOW STATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY NAMED AFTER SECHENOV

Objective: Department of Pharmaceutical and Natural Sciences of Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University offers students herbarium which should be attributed to special herbaria, namely the collection contains medicinal plants that are well known as official medicine and are widely used in folk medicine. The herbarium provides samples of medicinal plants for the formation of knowledge, practical skills of students of the pharmaceutical faculty. More than 7000 copies of herbarium sheets are offered for the work of students. Methods: Herbarium samples were identified and selected according to the engage thematic plan: Medicinal plants containing essential oils, cardiac glycosides, saponins, polysaccharides, phenolic glycosides, coumarins, lignans, flavonoids, tannins, anthracene derivatives, vitamins, fatty oils, and different groups of biologically active substances. In addition, the department made a small collection of the rare herbarium, which presents medicinal plants widely used in homeopathy, which is used for conducting elective discipline. The wide research of different branches of the medicinal plan was made with the help of pharmacognosy department. The study was carried out with an objective to estimate the need for each herbarium by topic Results: The herbarium fund was formed by the staff of the pharmacognosy department for many years on the basis of the approved pharmacognosy program. The collection is used for research by students – to perform diploma, qualifying works, and teachers to prepare teaching aids, and pharmacopeia articles develop and conduct research. The number of herbarium specimens is stored in the main fund – more than 5000. 240 species of medicinal plants belonging to 104 families are represented

Therapeutic Effects of Allium sativum and Allium cepa in Schistosoma mansoni experimental infection

The effects of both garlic (Allium sativum) and onion (Allium cepa) on some biochemical parameters in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice individually and mixed either with or without the currently used drug, praziquantel (PZQ) were investigated. These involved some immunological parameters, namely IgM, IgG, interleukins 2 and 6 (IL-2 and 6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), some antioxidant enzymes [catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX)]. In addition, parasitological and histopathological investigations were performed. No changes were observed in the normal control mice treated with dry extract of onion or garlic, individually or mixed, with or without PZQ, compared to the normal healthy control group. Infection with S. mansoni showed an increase in IgG, IgM, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α and catalase enzyme, accompanied with a decrease in GPX and SOD antioxidant enzyme activities. Remarkable amelioration was noticed in the levels of all the measured parameters in S. mansoni infected mice after administration of the studied extracts. Moreover a significant reduction in worm burden, hepatic and intestinal eggs and oogram count was noticed which was reflected in normalization of liver architecture