DIFFERENCES IN DRYING PROCESSES OF MORPHOLOGICAL PARTS OF PURPLE CONEFLOWER (ECHINACEA PURPUREA L. MOENCH)

As compared with synthetic pharmaceuticals, the pharmaceuticals originated from medicinal plant raw materials are characterised by wider therapeutic spectrum, their effect is smoother and side effects are less common. Currently in Lithuania traditional and folk medicine uses nearly 460 species of plants. Purple coneflower is one of the most popular medicinal plants. It is grown as a medicinal, as well as an ornamental, melliferous and fodder plant. It accumulates alkylamides, polysaccharides, proteins, lectins, chicoric acid and essential oils. Medicinal products from it are used for skin, gynaecological, urological, oncological diseases and colds treatment. Drying is used for preparation of herbal ingredients. The drying technology and parameters are chosen according to the raw material, its morphological structure, as well as to the chemical composition, stability of biologically active substances and according to other factors. Different parts of plants are used for the production of raw materials: leaves, flowers, stems, roots, etc. All these parts of the plant differ in their properties. These differences are highly significant in purple coneflower: big flower, medium thick stem and thin leaves. This paper analysis differences in intensity of the drying process of various morphological parts of Echinacea purpurea L. It was determined that rigid morphological parts of the plants lead to more stable and porous mound structure of the medicinal plant raw material. Therefore, conditions of flowers, grass and especially chopped stems drying with active ventilation are more favourable then in a mound of picked leaves.