Abstract
A review of Kazakhstani species of the genus Hedysarum L. (sweetvetch) has been conducted, that includes 28 plant species with scientific names recognized by international floristic bases, 10 of which are endemics. The ranges of distribution, botanical characteristics, phytochemical composition and profile of pharmacological activity of some represented species were studied. The life form of all the studied sweetvetches is represented by perennial herbs, the chemical composition of which is characterized by such phenolic compounds as three isoflavonoids – ononin, formonononetin, formonononetin-7-O-β-D-glucoside-6′- O-malonate and pterocarpan – medicarpin. It is established that the pharmacopoeial species of the genus is Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz, the most phylogenetically close to it is Hedysarum semenowii Regel & Herder species, which commonly grows on the territory of the Central Tien Shan. This species is used in folk medicine and is not inferior in its valuable properties to pharmacopoeial species, but it has not been widely studied, which was the reason for its selection as an object for further research.