Elemental Characterization of Romanian Crop Medicinal Plants by Neutron Activation Analysis

Abstract

The metallic elements concentrations of medicinal plants (coriander, dill, Echinacea, lavender, chamomile, mint, and plantain, used for phytopharmaceutical products), cultivated in unpolluted region, were analyzed by neutron activation analysis. The essential nutrients, macro-, micro-, and trace elements (K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Rb, Sr, and Zn), potentially toxic elements (Al, As, Ba, Co, Sb, Cr, and V), and rare earth elements were monitored and were compared with those presented in the literature. An estimation of their contributions to intake and toxicity for a person was made, which revealed that (a) teas prepared from the examined plants represent useful contribution to the food provided intake of three essential macronutrients (K, Ca, and Mg); (b) the Cu, Mn, Rb, Sr, Zn, and rare earths levels are normal or low; (c) the quantities of As, Ba, Co, Sb, Cr, and V do not represent toxicological concerns; (d) the examination of the estimated Al and Fe quantities recovered in infusions in the conditions of usual daily tea consumption is below the Tolerable Daily Intake values. The strategy of cultivation of medicinal plants in unpolluted areas is efficient and beneficial. However, individual plants ability to concentrate preferentially certain elements suggests controlling the contamination level of raw materials.

Elemental Characterization of Medicinal Plants and Soils from Hazarganji Chiltan National Park and Nearby Unprotected Areas of Balochistan, Pakistan

“…In the medicinal plants under investigation, Sb was found in a range of 0.16 mg/kg in Achillea wilhelmsii and Nepeta praetervisa and 0.03 mg/kg in Sophora mollis when the plants were collected from protected sites, and between 0.05 mg/kg in Nepeta praetervisa and 0.03 mg/kg in Achillea wilhelmsii and Peganum harmala when the samples were collected from unprotected ones Table 5 . The results obtained were in agreement with those present in the literature 31,49 . Although the levels of Sb that have been detected in the samples were lower enough, the biological function of this trace element inside living tissues is not well known and it could be toxic or even carcinogenic when absorbed at elevated levels 81 .…”

“…The permissible limit for edible plants was set at 20 mg/kg 52 ; no limits are, however, set for medicinal plants. Similar or even higher ranges of Fe were detected in other medicinal plant 8,47,49,53 . Concerning the soil samples, relatively high amounts of Fe have been detected in samples collected in protected sites 26,370 mg/kg compared to the samples collected in unprotected ones 23,320 mg/kg Table 3 .…”

“…These results agreed with those reported by other authors 58,78 and disagreed while those detected by others 8, 31, 34, 47 . Rubidium Rb content ranged between 14.60 mg/kg, in Peganum harmala, and 2.78 mg/kg, in Sophora mollis, when the samples were collected from protected sites and between 8.11 mg/kg, in Hertia intermedia, and 2.05 mg/ kg, in Sophora mollis, when the samples were collected from unprotected sites Table 5 . The overall range is still much lower when compared to the results previously detected 27,31,49,59 . In the soil samples collected from protected and unprotected sites, Rb concentrations were found to be 67.80 mg/kg and 60.20 mg/kg, respectively Table 3 .…”

“…Similarly, in the samples collected from unprotected sites, higher levels were found in Hertia intermedia 265.70 mg/kg of Br and 148.00 mg/kg of Sr , while lowest levels were detected in Sophora mollis and Perovskia atriplicifolia 4.70 mg/kg of Br and 41.20 mg/kg of Sr . Br concentrations were found moderate to extremely high when compared with the results previously reported 31,49,81 . Sr concentrations agreed with the results of other researchers 27,49,71 .…”

The Hazardous Level of Heavy Metals in Different Medicinal Plants and Their Decoctions in Water: A Public Health Problem in Brazil

“…Environmental factors that affect plant growth and development include soil, temperature, water, humidity, and pollution [8]. However, effects of some organic compounds and their products present in medicinal plants on human health are not well known.…”