HISTORICAL AND SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF HELLEBORUS L. REPRESENTATIVES AND THEIR BIO-MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL FEATURES

The paper presents the history and taxonomy of the genus Helleborus L. It is shown that the study of the taxonomy of the genus Helleborus L., which includes many different species, involves certain difficulties in establishing the boundaries of individual species and the volume of the genus as a whole. The description of anatomical and morphological features of species belonging to this genus is also given. The importance of studying the anatomical and morphological characteristics of plants for understanding their systematics and classification is substantiated. Data on the study of biologically active substances in the roots and leaves of various hellebore species that can be used in pharmacology (alkaloids, flavonoids, steroid saponins and others) are presented. The review also considers important indicators of ecological adaptability, viability and condition of coenopopulations of Helleborus L. plants. The description of the demographic characteristics of cenopopulations is given, using the example of H. caucasicus, in various ecological and phytocenotic conditions, at an altitude above sea level from 50 to 800 m under the regime of anthropogenic habitat load in Russia and in the Republic of Abkhazia. The paper presents data from introduction experiments with different species of hellebore in Russia. The success of the introduction of Helleborus L. representatives in various regions of our country is shown. Summarizing all the above, it can be noted that representatives of the genus Helleborus L., including H. caucasicus, which grows in the Western Caucasus, are promising and valuable as sources of biologically active substances for use in medicine. Hellebores are decorative; therefore they can be used in landscaping. The only limitation for their mass use is the status of rare plants listed in the Red Books of various levels, therefore, the use of biotechnological methods for micro-reproduction and preservation of Helleborus L. species is relevant.