# Phytochemical Analysis of _Symphytum officinal_ Root Culture Extract
## 4 Discussion
[PERSON] et al. [1] give a description of four oligomers of caffeic acid (globoidnan, rhabdosin, rosmarinic acid, and globoidnan) and isomers of salvianolic acids (polyphenolic acids, conjugates of 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl lactic acid and caffeic acid), indicating their total anti-inflammatory activity in extract samples. It was noted that rosmarinic acid was the main component of various alcoholic extract samples of comfrey [5,21], in our studies this is confirmed in samples of extract containing a polymer of the second type, while in samples with a polymer of type 1, m-methoxybenzoic acid was the main component. [PERSON] et al. [22] demonstrate the isolation of a new biopolymer polyoxy-1-carboxy-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl!) ethylene from a water-soluble high molecular weight preparation of _Symphytum asperum_ roots with strong anti-complementary and antioxidant activity. Later [23], using IR and NMR spectroscopy, two high molecular weight (\(>\)1000 kDa) water-soluble biopolymers with a similar main component (poly [3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl! )glyceric acid] or poly [hydroxy-1-carboxy-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl!)ethylene]. These polymers exhibited antioxidant activity, expressed in a decrease in reactive oxygen species (ROS), directly interfering with the process of their formation by polymorphonuclear neutrophils and directly binding ROS. Confrey contains polysaccharides, allantoin, phenolic acids, phytosterols, saponins, tannins, pyrrolidine alkaloids, and other components. The pharmacological components include phenolic acids, which determine the therapeutic use of comfrey preparations [24,25]. Polypphenols demonstrate a neuroprotective effect when consuming foods rich in phenolic compounds [26,27]. Rosmarinic, caffeic, and caffeoylquinic acids were the leading components in our samples. Rosmarinic acid is a water-soluble polyphenic phytonutrient found in various plant families, e.g., in the Boraginaceae. It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, antitumor, neuroprotective properties, and a wide range of therapeutic applications [28,29]. Moreover, rosmarinic acid has a potent neuroprotective effect against Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and ischemic brain diseases [30, 31, 32, 33, 34]. [PERSON] et al. [35] showed a neuroprotective effect of rosmarinic acid against H\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{2}\)-induced neuronal cell damage. [PERSON] et al. [36] reported that rosmarinic acid has antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties that protect against ischemic stroke. In [29], it was noted that RA exhibited a neuroprotective effect in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis through the Nrf2, NF-kB, and caspase-3 pathways, respectively. Rosmarinic acid has improved the locomotor function of rats with spinal cord injury, which unlocksits potential as a target for developing therapeutic agents for this disease. [PERSON] et al. [37] confirmed the neuroprotective effect of rosmarinic acid against nigrostriatal neurodegeneration (a model of [PERSON]'s disease induced by hydroxidopamine) after its intragastric administration for 21 days with a decrease in iron levels and regulation of Bcl-2/Bax gene expression (a regulator of apoptosis) as a mechanism of action. [PERSON] et al. [38] demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of rosmarinic acid (intracerebral injection, for 14 days) by affecting antioxidant-oxidative imbalance and cholinergic disorders, increasing cholinergic tone, weakening peroxidation lipids, and potentiating antioxidant protection in an in vivo model of [PERSON]'s disease induced by bilateral injection of A842 peptide. A study by [PERSON] et al. [39] showed that rosmarinic acid has a potent protective effect against ischemia-reperfusion brain injury and ischemic depression. Caffeic acid is widely available in vegetables, fruits, plants, and chemical synthesis [40]. It has antitumor and antioxidant properties. Caffeic acid improves cognitive function in animals with [PERSON]'s disease and reduces damage caused by cerebral ischemia.