DISTRIBUTION, PHYTOCENOTIC CHARACTERISTICS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF SOMEMEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE HIGHLANDS OF THE GREATER CAUCASUS (WITHIN AZ

Monitoring of forest and meadow phytocenoses in the Greater Caucasus regions was conducted.The phytocenotic association of Lapsana communis, Leontodon hispidus, Pojarkovia pojarkovae, Tanacetum coccineum, Centaurea phrygia subsp.salicifolia, Aconitum nasutum and Lomelosia caucasica, as well as the species composition and tiering of accompanying species were studied.These species are components of forest and meadow phytocenoses and actively participate in the formation of various plant communities.A total of 107 species belonging to 88 genera and 41 families were registered in forest areas.Among from them 16 are trees, 12 are shrubs and 79 are herbaceous plants.In meadow phytocenoses 101 species from 83 genera and 32 families were noted.Herbaceous plants were the most represented (95 species), while trees (2), shrubs (3) and sub-shrubs (1) were the least represented.Most of the studied species are representatives of the Asteraceae family (10 in forest and 22 in meadow phytocenoses), Lamiaceae (9 in each phytocenosis), Apiaceae (3 and 7, respectively), Fabaceae (7 and 6), Rosaceae (5 and 6) and Orchidaceae (5 species each).Additionally, the ontogenetic and demographic structure of coenopopulations (CP) of two Caucasus endemics -Pojarkovia pojarkovae and Tanacetum coccineum was studied.Four CPs of each species were identified and studied in different areas.The study revealed that all CPs were normal, but some were incompleted due to the absence of subsenile and senile individuals.Based on the - indices, CP 1 of P.pojarkovae is a transitional type, while the remaining CPs are young.For T. coccineum CP 1-2 are transitional, CP 3 is maturing, and CP 4 is young.The study of the antimicrobial activity of aqueous-alcoholic and methanol extracts of the studied species was also examined.The extracts of Centaurea phrygia subsp.salicifolia flowers, Leontodon hispidus roots, Aconitum nasutum leaves and Lapsana communis aerial parts showed more effective effect on test cultures of Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Bacillus anthracoides, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida albicans.