Head of Laboratory: Professor Vasily Anatolievich Babkin, D.Sc. (Habilitated)

• Member of specialized Dissertation Council No. D212.253.01 at the Siberian State Technological University, Krasnoyarsk city, RF;

• Expert of Scientific Research Institute — Federal Research Centre for Projects Evaluation and Consulting Services (SRI FRCEC), Certificate № 06-01169;

• Member of editorial boards of the Journal “Khimiya rastitel’nogo syr’ya” (“Chemistry of plant raw material”), Barnaul city and the Russian “Journal of Siberian Federal University. Chemistry”, Krasnoyarsk city.

Phone/fax: (3952)51-14-27

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

HISTORY of LABORATORY

The Laboratory of Wood Chemistry was founded under the Resolution of USSR Council of Ministers “About the maintenance of Baikal Lake ecosystem”, No. 371 in 1971.

Ten years long the Laboratory conducted research in accordance with the 4-th Theme of the State Complex Plan: “Modernization of technological processes at Baykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill”.

A number of technological processes have been developed as the result of these investigations:

• technology for electrocoagulation of local sewage treatment from high-toxic chlorinated cellulose masses after their alkalization;

• technology of electrokinetic water removal from sludge after chemical sewage treatment; and construction of equipment for the process;

• technology for preparing POLYPHEPAN medicine (registered by RF PHARM-Committee) from wood lignin. Large-scale commercial production of POLYPHEPAN is organized.

In the second middle of the 80-ies of XX century laboratory research area was reoriented to study chemical composition of extractive substances from Siberia and Far East conifer species of trees.

STAFF

FIELDS OF RESEARCH

The Laboratory of Wood Chemistry deals with the long-term systematic studies on

“Theoretical foundations of the integral processing of biomass of Siberia conifer species to develop new technologies for innovative medical and veterinary preparations”.

This is the part of the Institute Directive Project: “Chemistry of Wood Extractive substances and Natural Polymers including Nanocomposites”.

The Project aims at fundamental and applied researches of flavonoids and polysaccharides of wood as well as polyphenol components and pectines of larch bark.

Its relevance proved to be important to elaborate innovative technologies for deep integrate processing of the larch biomass, to have prospects for processing industry located immediately in the region of the raw material growth (biorefining) to produce science intensive and value-added products.

Dihydroquercetin (DHQ) is a natural flavonoid isolated from Larix sibirica Ledeb. and Larix gmelinii (Rupr.), which content is up to 4.0% by weight of dry wood. The DHQ molecule contains two asymmetric carbon atoms C-2 and C-3, therefore, it can exist as four enantiomers (two pairs) of diastereoisomers). The main natural isomer is trans-(+)-(2R3R)-dihydroquercetin.

Technology for DHQ production is developed. The technique for several analysis of DHQ isomers in lumped product, obtained by the technology, has been worked out. The lumped substance consists of no less than 96 % of bioactive trans-(+)-(2R3R) isomer, and so, it has a high antioxidant activity (on scale ORAC 32742,95 μmol TE/g. These studies were performed by ABC Testing laboratory (Advanced Botanical Consulting & Testing, INC.), USA).

Currently, the innovative medicines having no analogues and based on bioactive extractive substances from larch biomass are under developments in the Laboratory.

The main concept of the Project is the progress at domestic pharmaceuticals, based on highly active non-toxic, produced by the deep chemical processing of wood of Larix sibirica Ledeb. and Larix gmelinii (Rupr.), the natural compounds: bioflavonoids, polysaccharides, phenolic acids, proanthocyanidines, lignans and stilbenes.

The reason for use of Larix sibirica Ledeb. and Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) biomass is specified by peculiar characteristics of their extractive substances, unique component compositions of the latter, with a difference the other species of the Larix genus, growing in the Russian Federation, they differ on quantitative content of DHQ, arabinogalactan (AG), spirobiflavonoids, proanthocyanidins, etc.

The Project is expected to put into production at least 6-8 medications based on the Laboratory research background for 10-15 years.

Products, listed in the table, developed in the laboratory, are commercial ones, registered and approved for use by the Ministry of Health of Russian Federation (ROSPOTREBNADZOR).

For example, plant growth stimulator — Larixin is developed on the basis of DHQ, it enhances the resistance of cultivated plants to diseases, increases resistance against pests and decreases anti-climatic impact. Larixin is registered by RF State Chemical Committee № 09-00632-0063(0680) and entered in the list of the “Pesticides and Agrochemicals” — State Catalogue, and approved for use in Russian Federation.

One of the higher-priority investigation of the Laboratory is the technology for extraction of arabinogalactan, i.e. natural polysaccharide containing in wood of the larch, having unique biological and physicochemical properties. Its natural macromolecular structure, water-solubility, membranotropic properties, ability to receptor-induced endocytosis have aroused the interest for its soluble dietary fibers, and not for that, but it is the carrier for pharmacological molecules to bring biologically active substances to tissues that prolong the latter action. AG matrix is used as carrier for poor soluble and toxic medications to create new soluble medicines. For example, clathrates of AG with arbidol, remantadine and DHQ are developed by solid-phase mechanochemical synthesis. Bioavailability (solubility) of the drugs consisting of clathrates is increased, so, the therapeutic doses can be substantially decreased at the same adequate level of activity of unmodified preparations.

Another high-priority area of the Laboratory research is the technological synthesis of complex compounds on the basis of available antioxidants (flavonoids) and biogenic metals, the study of their pharmacological properties and the elaboration of import-substituting domestic medicines and veterinary drugs. Thus, a lot of socially hazardous diseases, which etiology and pathogenesis caused by cellular redox-status affection, can be treated by new-developed effective high-antioxidative drugs.

The areas of the Laboratory research have the unique character, because they have no analogues in Russia and abroad. The above priorities present the most general fields research, but not exhaustive.

MAIN ACHIVEMENTS

Methods for extraction of the main components — dihydroquercetin and arabinogalactan have been developed and flow charts for their industrial production have been elaborated. Analytical methods for larch biomass components, meeting all the modern requirements for drug certification have been found. Preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated their biological activity and proved the larch preparations adaptability for the prevention and treatment of such diseases as influenza, SARS, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, cancer.

As example, the successful protective activities of DHQ flavonoid and AG polysaccharide at experimental influenza infection induced by A(H1N1), A(H5N2) and B types of viruses have been shown

In neurology, Diquertin preparation, based on DHQ, is widely used for the treatment of early phases of cerebrovascular diseases. It is developed by unique technique of the Laboratory and registered by RF Ministry of Health (Order № 302 of 29.07.1996). Diquertin, possessing antiaggregant, hypolipidemic, vasoactive and neuroprotective effects, has a significant impact on mechanisms of development of cerebral and systemic ischemia. Diquertin is prospective for use at ischemic heart disease, ventricular fibrillation, varicose veins, diabetes.

Chemical composition and biological activity of larch bark components have been extensively studied by the Laboratory. Larch bark is still unusable waste of wood processing industries. Larix sibirica Ledeb. and Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) barks are the rich sources of spirobiflavonoids such as larixinol, larixidinol, larizinol, triflarixinol (trimer) and stilbenes, that represent the new class of flavonoid compounds.

The Laboratory achievements on extraction process with two-phase solvent system for larch wood and bark is very actual. This research presents the study of kinetics of the extraction process from larch biomass, finding of mass-transfer and diffusion coefficients, the investigation of physicochemical characteristics of transfer process, its nature and mechanism of extraction, as well as construction of mathematical model for the extraction process.

The nonwaste technology, developed at the Laboratory, provides the obtaining of novel biologically active natural products for medicine, pharmacology, agriculture, perfume and cosmetic industries. Simultaneously, some environmental problems of waste wood processing industries have been solved. The peculiarities of this technology are the lack of waste production, closed water recycling, minimum heat and energy consumptions.

Laboratory researches can also revolutionize the domestic timber processing industry and refocus it on production of unique high-profitable products for pharmaceutics and veterinary.

Manufacture of natural origin compounds with high biological activity, ecologically sound and harmless for people and nature is undoubtedly of great importance for the development of domestic pharmacology and pharmaceutical industry. For the first time the first production of natural pharmaceutical medicines based on wood processing was organized by the Laboratory more than 15 years ago. Such course of the research and development should become th

e national priority for this industrial branch.

The results of the work on the Project “Flavonoids and polysaccharides of larch wood as a basis for medicines and nutraceutics” have been reported as invited and plenary lectures at different international conferences and symposia:

· Natural Products Conference, Antigua, March 2008;

· The Korean-Russia Joint Forum on Industrial Technology, KIST-Gangneung, Korea, June 2009;

· 2-nd Nordic Wood Biorefinery Conference (NWBC), Helsinki, Finland, September 2009;

· 2-nd World Congress on Biotechnology, Philadelphia, USA, November 2011;

· X^th Internation Simposium on the Chemistry of Natural Compounds, Bukhara, Uzbekistan, November 2013.

A great number of reports have been made at the International Russia—Belarus Centre for Research and Harbin R&D Center, PR China.

SCIENTIFIC COOPERATON

Laboratory staff successfully cooperate with hospitals and medical enterprises of different profiles: on oncology, e.g. with Siberian Oncological Center with its authority Professor V.V. Dvornichenko, D.Sc.(medicine), leading oncologist of SFO; on virology — with Professor, RAMS Academician O.I. Kiselev, director of the Research Institute of Influenza; on neurology — with Professor, RAMS Academician E.I. Gusev, Chairman of the All-Russian society of Neurologists, and with Professor V.V. Shprakh, rector of Irkutsk State Medical Academy of Advanced Training, and with other well-known scientists (joint patents, scientific publications, reports at international and national conferences).

LABORATORY AWARDS

• Gold Medal for Exposition of the Laboratory of Wood Chemistry “Medications from Siberian larch”, the 60-th International Exhibition of Inventions “JENA — 2008” (Nurenberg, Germany, 2008).

• Diploma and Gold Medal of Irkutsk Exhibition Complex “Sibexpocentre”, in the frameworks of the Agroindustrial Week (26-29 October 2010), during the Degustation Contest “Irkutskaya marka” (“The Irkutsk Brand”) for cookies “Ovsyanye” (“Oatmeal”) with nutrient of arabinogalactan. The Invention has been joint developed with JSC “Irkutsk bakery plant”, and protected by RU patent № 2460303 “Method for production of Oatmeal Cookies with arabinogalactan nutrient and composition thereof” (published on 10.09.2012 ). The Cookies are manufactured at JSC “Irkutsk bakery plant” in pilot scale.

• Levchuk Alexey Alexandrovich is the Prize Winner, holder of Diploma of Regional Competition “The Youth of the Irkutsk region in faces” in the nomination “Professional achievements in science ”, Irkutsk, 2010.

GRANTS AND CONTRACTS FOR THE YEARS 2011-2013.

1. Integration Project “Development of environmentally-friendly and resource-saving technologies for complex processing of wood and bark larch — a bulk waste of wood processing industry, to produce highly efficient import-substituting products of medical, food and industrial applications” of the Program of the Department of Chemical Science Materials (DCSM) of RAS. Budget financing for three years — 1.2 million rubles.

2. Interdisciplinary integration project of SB RAS: “Research in clinical chemistry and pharmacology as a scientific basis for creating domestic drugs”. Financing — 200 000 rubles.

3. Integration Project “Development of innovative preparation for combustiology based on products of Siberian larch biomass complex processing” of RAS DCSM Program “Fundamental sciences for medicine”. Financing — 300 000 rubles.

4. Governmental (Irkutsk Region Administration) contract No 02-66 “Development of technology for obtaining the larch extracts of abinogalactan and flavonoids from waste larch wood for the prevention and treatment of the gastrointestinal tract diseases of young cattle; organization of extracts’ production in pilot scale, 2011”. Financing — 400 000 rubles.

5. Governmental (Irkutsk Region Administration) contract No 63-53-37/2, 16.11.2012 “Development of industrial aqueous extraction technology from larch wood, study of the extracts’ chemical composition and elaboration of the Process Regulations for the production. Multiplication of the testing extracts throughout farms with animals of Irkutsk region” Financing — 400 000 rubles.

6. Governmental (Ministry of Industrial Policy and the forest complex of Irkutsk Region) contract No 2013.217139, 10.12.2013. “Development of pilot technology of nutrients, containing polysaccharides and polyphenols of larch, for all-mash for farm animals”. Financing — 500 000 rubles.

An efficient, environmentally-friendly technology of aqueous arabinogalactan’s extracts from larch wood wastes has been developed, pilot batches of the extracts have been produced. The multiplication tests conducted in 2011-2013 have shown the use of arabinogalactan to be prospective for prevention and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in young cattle, that can significantly increase the average daily weight increment of calves, and to avoid the antibiotics administration. According to economic calculations, the economic efficiency is 9.4 — 21.6 rubles for 1 ruble charged, depending on the preparation method.

Technology for the production of larch biomass from waste of larch lumber (wood and bark) to obtain complex nutrients, containing valuable bioactive substances: polysaccharides and polyphenols, has been developed. Formulation of all-mash compositions, modified with nutrients has been proposed. It is shown that the economic efficiency of the modified all-mash to farm pigs is 15.9 rubles for 1 ruble charged.

According to the research results the guidelines for use of arabinogalactan and the all-mash compositions have been developed and spread among specialists-breeders.

7. Governmental (Government of Irkutsk region) contract No 63-57-35/2, 16.11.2012. “Development of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and dosage forms of dihydroquercetin and arabinogalactan, their pilot-scale production and clinical tests at the treatment of oncological patients during radiotherapy and chemotherapy”. Financing — 1.5 million rubles.

8. Governmental (Ministry of Industrial Policy and the forest complex of Irkutsk Region) contract No 2013.209792, 03.12.2013. “Synthesis of nanobiocomposites based on dihydroquercetin and arabinogalactan from larch wood, development of pharmaceutical formulation on their basis and treatment of oncological patients”. Financing — 2 million rubles.

According to the Contract the biocomposite of two natural compounds extracted from larch wood and with high biological activity — dihydroquercetin and arabinogalactan has been worked out by mechanochemical method. The method of obtaining has been developed. Technological description of the synthesis process has been presented. A batch of 11 kg has been supplied.

Biocomposite administration at treating patients in combination with standard chemotherapy of oncological diseases is well tolerated by the patients. The biocomposite reduces the toxicity level of treatment, and it is a good prevention for hematologic complications at radiotherapy.

Biocomposite is recommended to the patients, exposed the chemotherapy, to improve patients’ life quality and health, to reduce gastrointestinal toxicity, to decrease diarrhea.

9. Governmental (Magadan region Administration) contract, 09.08.2012.“Study of chemical composition of extractives of larch wood, growing in Magadan region, to develop the technological scheme of the pilot production plant, to obtain medicines, nutrients and veterinary drugs”. Financing — 197 667 rubles.

10. Cooperation Agreement No 4528-EA/13 with “Regional Oncologic Dispensary” Financing — 250 000 rubles.

11. Publishing grant SB RAS, 61 113 rubles.

The Laboratory of Wood Chemistry Funds (2011-2013) are:

• additional governmental financing for integration projects of RAS, SB RAS — 1,761,113 rubles;

• off-budget financing for Governmental contracts -5,247,667 rubles.

Total Fund of additional financing for projects and Government Contracts — 7,008,780 rubles.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS

· Larch biomass: from chemical composition to innovative products / V.A. Babkin, L.A. Ostroukhova, N.N. Trofimova // Editor A.A. Semenov. — Novosibirsk: Publishing House of SB RAS, 2011. — 236 p. ISBN: 978-7692-1175-1.

· Trofimova N., Medvedeva E., Ivanova N., Malkov Y., Babkin V. Polysaccharides from larch biomass / Chapter in book “The complex world of polysaccharides” // Editor Desiree Nedra Karunaratn. — Publisher: InTech, 2012. — 634 p. ISBN: 978-953-51-0819-1. DOI: 10.5772/2947. Р.153-194. On-line: http://www.intechopen.com/articles/show/title/polysaccharides-from-larch-biomass.

· Ivanova S.Z., Fedorova T.E., Ivanova N.V., Babkin V.A. Phenolic compounds of larch bark // In Book: “Phenolic compounds: fundamental and applied aspects” / Editors N.V. Zagoskina, E.B. Burlakova. M: Nauchny mir, — 2010, P.127-134. ISBN: 98-5-91522-218-1.

· Ivanova S.Z., Babkin V.A. Polyphenolic compounds from Larix gmelinii phloem // Chemistry of Natural Compounds. — 2011. — V.47, № 1. — P.124-125.

· Babkin V.A. Biologically active extractives of larch as the basis for new medicines // Journal of Microbial biochemical Technology. — 2011.-V.3, № 6.- P.59.

· Babkin V.A., Malkov Yu.A., Medvedeva E.N., Trofimova N.N., Ivanova N.V. An Eco-Friendly Technology for Polysaccharide Production from Logging and Sawing Waste // Russian Journal of General Chemistry. — 2012. -V.82, № 5. — Р.955—962.

· Ivanova N., Trofimova N., Eskova L., Babkin V. The Study of the Reaction of Pectin-Ag(0) Nanocomposites Formation // International Journal of Carbohydrate Chemistry.- 2012, ID 459410, Р. 9. DOI:10.1155/2012/459410. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijcc/aip/459410.

· Ostroukhova L.A., Raldugin V.A., Babkin V.A., Onuchina N.A., Levchuk A.A. Investigation of the Chemical Composition of Larch Wood Resin1 // Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry. — 2012. — V.38, № 7.- P.775—779.

· Ivanova S.Z., Gorshkov A.G., Kuzmin A.V., Gordienko I.I., Babkin V.A. Phenolic Compounds of Siberian and Dahurian Larch Phloem // Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry. — 2012. — V.38, № 7. — P.107-112.

· Neverova N.A., Levchuk A.A., Ostroukhova L.A., Medvedeva E.N., Onuchina N.A., Babkin V.A. Distribution of extractives in larch wood // Khimia Rastitelnogo Syriya. −2012. — № 4.-Р.91-100.

· Method for producing pure arabinogalactan / Yu.A. Malkov, E.N. Medvedeva, V.A. Babkin // RU Patent № 2447086. Publ. 10.04.2012 . Bull. № 10.

· Method for producing arabinogalactan / Y.A. Malkov, E.N. Medvedeva, V.A. Babkin // RU Patent № 2454429. Publ. 27.06.2012. Bull. № 18.

· Method for producing oatmeal cookies with arabinogalactan nutrient and composition thereof / E.N. Medvedeva, V.A. Babkin, V.V. Nesteruk, V.A. Vereshchako, N.V. Likhova // RU Patent № 2460303. Publ. 10.09.2012.

· Method of treatment of chronic recurrent aphthous stomatitis and drugs thereon / Artemyeva I.A., Zyubr T.P., Aksenova G.I., Vasiliev I.B. Ostroukhova L.A., Babkin V.A., Es’kova L.A. // RU Patent № 2464989, Publ. 27.10.2012, Bull. № 30.

· Neverova N.A., Levchuk A.A., Ostroukhova L.A., Medvedeva E.N., Onuchina N.A., Babkin V.A. Distribution of Extractive Substances in Wood of the Siberian Larch (Larix Sibirica Ledeb.) // Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry. — 2013 — V.39, № 7. — P.712—719. DOI: 10.1134/S1068162012070151.

· Romanko T.V., Kostyro Ya.A., Gumennikova E.N., Alekseev K.V., Romanko V.G., Grishchenko L.A., Ostroukhova L.A., Es’kova L.A., Babkin V.A., Trofimov B.A. Rheological properties of the original pharmaceutical composition including nanostructured silver stabilized by arabinogalactan // Khim. Farm J. — 2013.- V.47, № 2.- P.99-102.

· Neverova N.A., Levchuk A.A., Ostroukhova L.A., Medvedeva E.N., Onuchina N.A., Golobokova G.M., Babkin V.A. Investigation of basic practically sound extractives in core wood of Larix cajanderi Mayr. // Khimia Rastitelnogo Syria. — 2013.- № 4.- P.89-103.

· Tatarnikova E.A., Kuprina O.V., Ostroukhova L.A. Functional pastry with dihydroquercetin // Rus., Izvestiya VUZov. Prikladnaya khimiya I biotekhnologiya. — 2013.- № 1(4).- P.46-50.