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PC-48

From tradition to innovation: Plant Chemical Diversity Group in Ukraine

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1
4
Olha Mykhailenko,* ,1,2,3 Michal Korinek, Victoria Hurina, Tetyana Serhiienko, Valeria
1
Yavorska, Anastasia Volkova, Victoriya Georgiyants
1
1

1 Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy Group, UCL School of Pharmacy, London, United
Kingdom
2 National University of Pharmacy, Kharkiv, Ukraine
3 Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany;
4 Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical
University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
5 Chinese Medicine Research Center, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical
University, Taichung, Taiwan
* E-mail: o.mykhailenko@nuph.edu.ua

Abstract
Plant biodiversity is the basis of pharmaceuticals and traditional medicine. Systems such as
Chinese and Ukrainian rely heavily on natural compounds and their pharmacological potential.
The flora of Ukraine includes almost 6,000 species of vascular plants and only about 200 are
officially used in medicine. Climate change, declining yields and deteriorating quality of raw
materials pose increasing challenges to ensuring the supply and effectiveness of herbal remedies.
Environmental factors affect plant growth, secondary metabolite profile, and alter the
therapeutic potential. The scientific team “Plant Chemical Diversity Group” (National
University of Pharmacy, Ukraine) conducts interdisciplinary research at the interface of
pharmaceuticals, chemistry, pharmacology, and agroecology. The team investigates how
environmental factors influence the chemical composition of plants and identifies optimal
regions for cultivating medicinal crops. For instance, Lavandula angustifolia, Thymus vulgaris,
and Rosa damascena thrive in the temperate continental climate of the Carpathian Mountains.
Other traditionally Crimean species, such as Ruta graveolens, Hyssopus officinalis, Marrubium
vulgare have migrated in the last decade to the steppe and forest-steppe zones. Phacelia
tanacetifolia shows yield variations under drought, while Crocus sativus is successfully
cultivated both in southern Kherson and north-western Volyn. Additionally, invasive species
such as Parthenocissus quinquefolia and Lespedeza bicolor are being investigated to assess
their bioactive potential and ecological risks for the country. Understanding metabolite
dynamics and biodiversity adaptation is essential for phytotherapy today. These are factors that
ensure sustainable use of resources, preservation of local nature, and at the same time ensuring
the production of herbal medicines.

Keywords: Ukrainian plants; Cultivation; Climate change; Sustainability