ECOLOGICAL AND HYGIENIC STUDIES OF NETTLE OF DIOECIOUS LEAVES OF SYNANTHROPIC FLORA OF THE MIDDLE LANE OF RUSSIA

The article presents the results of an ecological and hygienic study of the accumulation of heavy metals and arsenic, as well as biologically active substances in nettles of dioecious leaves harvested in urbanized areas of central Russia, experiencing various anthropogenic impacts. More than 50 samples of nettles of dioecious leaves collected in various territories of the Voronezh region, as a typical region of central Russia, were analyzed for the content of heavy metals and arsenic, as well as the sum of oxycinnamic acids in terms of chlorogenic acid. All test samples were found to meet the requirements of regulatory documentation. Nettles dioecious leaves limitedly accumulate toxic elements such as lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, cobalt, nickel, chromium. Nettles dioecious leaves are able to selectively concentrate copper and zinc. The peculiarities of accumulation of toxic elements from nettle soils by dioecious leaves should be taken into account when planning places for harvesting medicinal plant raw materials and assessing its quality. The content of the sum of oxycinnamic acids in samples of nettle leaves collected in some urbocenoses of the Voronezh region is on average 1.5–2 times higher than in samples of natural biocenoses of protected areas. It result of a complex toxic effect on the plant organism, for example, near large roads, industrial enterprises, it is possible to reduce the biosynthesis of hydroxy-cinnamic acids in nettles of dioecious leaves. The calculated values of the correlation coefficients showed that lead, arsenic, nickel, cobalt have a moderate negative effect on the accumulation of oxycinnamic acids.