Received: 21.05.2026
Accepted: 31.07.2026
Published online: 21.08.2026
UDC: 615.322
DOI: 10.53511/pharmkaz.2026.4.22
ALPINE GOUTWEED (AEGOPODIUM ALPESTRE LEDEB.): BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION, PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND USE (A LITERATURE REVIEW)
A.K. Sarkytbekova¹, G.O. Ustenova¹, M.K. Koilybayeva¹, U.T. Beisebayeva¹, A.Sh. Amirkhanova¹, Jianbing Jiang²
¹ Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan
² Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, China
Introduction: Alpine goutweed (Aegopodium alpestre Ledeb.) is one of the insufficiently studied medicinal plant species belonging to the Apiaceae family and is considered a promising source of biologically active compounds. This plant is distributed across Eurasia and is of scientific interest for pharmacognostic, botanical-systematic and phytochemical studies. According to available literature data, the aerial parts of Aegopodium alpestre Ledeb. contain vitamins, amino acids, micro- and macroelements, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, coumarins, tannins and essential oil components. The predominance of sesquiterpenoids in the essential oil composition is one of the important indicators characterizing the biological and pharmacological potential of this plant. As a result of reviewing scientific articles and literature sources, data on the phytochemical composition, morphological and anatomical features, molecular identification and biological activity of Aegopodium alpestre Ledeb. were systematized. Individual studies have demonstrated the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the plant extracts and essential oil. However, the chemical composition of this species, its main marker compounds, mechanisms of pharmacological action, safety indicators and issues related to its standardization as medicinal plant raw material remain insufficiently studied.
Aim: To systematize scientific data on the qualitative and quantitative composition of biologically active compounds of Aegopodium alpestre Ledeb., as well as to conduct a literature review of this plant raw material by analyzing research findings confirming its pharmacological activity.
Research methods: The information search was conducted in the PubMed/MEDLINE, CyberLeninka, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and eLibrary databases for the period from January 2000 to March 2026. The following keywords and their combinations were used during the search: “Aegopodium alpestre”, “phytochemical composition”, “essential oil”, “antioxidant activity”, “antimicrobial activity”, and “morphology”. The search was conducted without language restrictions. Studies containing data on the phytochemical composition, morphological and anatomical characteristics, molecular identification, and biological activity of A. alpestre were included in the analysis.
Results: During the systematic literature review, a total of 1740 records were identified through the initial search in the selected databases. After removing duplicates and conducting preliminary screening by title and abstract, 1031 publications were selected for full-text assessment. At the full-text analysis stage, studies devoted to other species of the genus Aegopodium, publications without specific data on A. alpestre, sources without access to the full text, and studies with insufficient verifiable primary data were excluded. As a result, 18 publications meeting the established inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the final review. The selection results indicate that Aegopodium alpestre Ledeb. has scientific potential as medicinal plant raw material; however, additional phytochemical, pharmacological, toxicological studies and standardization work are required for its application in pharmaceutical practice.
Discussion: The analysis of the included publications showed that the available studies on Aegopodium alpestre Ledeb. generally confirm the presence of various groups of biologically active compounds in the plant, as well as its potential antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. However, direct comparison of the reported findings is difficult because the authors investigated different plant parts and applied different extraction and analytical methods. The qualitative and quantitative composition of the compounds may also have been influenced by the geographical origin of the plant material, the vegetation stage, and the timing and conditions of harvesting. Phenolic compounds, flavonoids, coumarins, and essential oil components have been studied in the greatest detail. Nevertheless, information on the principal marker compounds, mechanisms of pharmacological action, and safety of the plant remains limited. The findings support the need for further comparative phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological studies, as well as the development of unified approaches to the standardization of the plant material.
Keywords: Aegopodium alpestre Ledeb., alpine goutweed, Apiaceae, medicinal plant, flora of Kazakhstan, biologically active compounds, phytochemical composition, flavonoids, coumarins, sesquiterpenoids, essential oils, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, molecular identification, systematic review.
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