A detailed literature survey of the results of Bulgarian medicinal and aromatic plants research in the last decade is presented.
The biological, ecological and phytochemical investigations of some protected, rare and economically valuable species are discussed. Using modern technics as TLC, GC/MS, IR, UV, HPLC, EI, FAR mass spectrometry, 1H and 13C NMR as well as methods of isolation, purification, separation and structure elucidation, phenolic acids, xantons, benzophenons, flavonoids, saponins, iridoids, alkaloids, essential oils etc. have been studied. The quantitative analyses of some active substances obtained from medicinal and aromatics plants are summarized.
On the base of the content of some compounds as markers the chemotaxonomy of critical families as Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Planatginaceae, as well as some genus as Hypericum, Astragalus is clarified.
The biological activity of some active compounds as flavonoids, saponins, isoenzymes and pigments is discussed.
A complex analysis of the standardization documents, which determine the quality of the herbal drugs in Bulgaria has been made. Results and recommendation for developments an effective system for standardization and control of herbal drug raw material, according the recent scientific requirements are presented.
The efforts of Bulgarian scientists working in the field of cultivation and breeding resulted in creation of a lot of varieties and development of cultivation technologies for the most economically important medicinal plants species.
The list of Varieties and Hybrids Permitted for Distribution in the Republic of Bulgaria (1995) included 66 medicinal and aromatics plant varieties.