Plants contain organic as well as inorganic substances that can provide therapeutic effects. Different plants may possess a wide spectrum of effects due to the presence of various groups of chemical compounds and various microelements. A preparation obtained from one plant can simultaneously be an analgesic, sedative, cardiotonic, anti-in fl ammatory, and expectorant. Well-formed herbal preparations can be used protractedly when necessary, without injury to a patient, which is very important when treating chronic ailments. Medicinal plants are widely used as prophylaxis for, and treatment of, many diseases, including gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, cholecystitis, colitis, enteritis, pyelonephritis, cystitis, atherosclerosis, cardiac insuf fi ciency, and arrhythmia. They are also used for treatment of hypertensive and hypotensive neurocirculatory dystonia, neurosis and asthenia, menopausal disorders, and also to boost the body's immune system during times of disease, for rehabilitation of post-infarction conditions, as a tonic, and to increase adaptive capabilities of the organism.Rational phytotherapy can promote recovery from dysbolism, normalize nervous system function, contribute to stabilization of blood pressure, improve coronary blood circulation and cerebral blood supply, help reduce insomnia and increase capacity for work. Herbal preparations promote excretion of toxic substances, help individuals to regain normal strength, increase energy metabolism and stop further disease progress during atherosclerosis and hypertension.It is known that the effectiveness of medicinal plants and their pharmacotherapeutic action is due to their complex diversity of chemical compounds. Among these compounds are alkaloids, glycosides, lactones, tannins, proanthocyanidins, pigments, ecdysones, saponins and others.Alkaloids -Alkaloids are nitrogen-containing organic bases. They are characterized by high pharmacological activity. In small doses, alkaloids represent valuable pharmaceutical substances such as lappaconitine, vincamine, reserpine, morphine, quinidine, strychnine, atropine, caffeine, ephedrine, nicotine and others. They form the main active ingredients of many medical products used for treatment of various diseases. Decoctions, infusions, extracts and others are made of alkaloid-containing plants.Glycosides -Glycosides are organic compounds of vegetative origin, composed of a sugar component (glycoside, glycone) and a non-sugar component (aglycone, genin). The aglycone forms the main physiologically active part. Depending on their chemical nature and structure, glycosides are divided into cyanogenic glycosides (aglycones contain prussic acid), cardiac glycosides (aglycones are cardinolides and bufadienolides), saponins (aglycones are triterpene and steroid compounds), anthraglycosides (aglycones are derivatives of anthracene), phenolics (aglycones are coumarins, fl avonoids, and others), and glycoalkaloids (aglycones are nitrogen-containing steroid compounds). Cardiac glycosides are used in medicine to tre...