Heavy Metals Content in Selected Medicinal Plants Produced and Consumed in Serbia and Their Daily Intake in Herbal Infusions

Abstract

The heavy metals content (HMs) was investigated in 14 different medicinal plants collected from the three regions in Central Serbia, Zlatar, Sokobanja, and Kopaonik. The concentrations of Cd, Cr, Ni, Hg and Pb were determined: Cd (<0.03–2.72 mg/kg); Cr (<0.08–12.1 mg/kg); Ni (<0.08–12.2 mg/kg); Pb (0.6–49.0 mg/kg); the Hg concentration was below the detection limit of 0.06 mg/kg in all samples. The daily intake of HMs due to ingestion of 200 mL of herbal infusion was in all cases below the recommended limit prescribed by the World Health Organization. The estimated daily intake values were below the values for the oral reference dose regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USA EPA). The target hazard quotient and hazard index for Cd, Cr Ni, and Pb were below 1. Nevertheless, due to the tendency of heavy metals to accumulate in the organism, attention should be paid to the daily intake of herbal infusion during long-term usage. Specifically, it is recommended to consume not more than one cup (200 mL) of infusion per day made from thyme (Mt. Zlatar) and blueberry (Mt. Kopaonik), and not more than two cups per day for other herbs.

Health risk assessment of toxic metal(loids) (As, Cd, Pb, Cr, and Co) via consumption of medicinal herbs marketed in Malawi

“…The results indicated that mean As concentrations for Malawian Moringa in this study ( Table SM1 , Fig. 2 a ) were at least 2-fold lower than those reported in herbs from Bulgaria (range: 0.012–0.225 mg kg −1 ) [4] and Poland (range: 0.120 ± 0.310 mg kg −1 ) [4] , [25] , [26] , [27] , [28] , [29] . Another study conducted by Ahmed et al [30] found As concentrations ranging from 0.040 to 0.126 mg kg −1 in medicinal plants from Pakistan.…”

“…A study conducted in India reported As concentrations ranging from 0.16 to 1.1 mg kg −1 in medicinal plants [31] . Similarly, in a study conducted by Vuong et al [32] , mean As concentrations of 0.343 mg kg −1 , 1.628 mg kg −1 , 0.182 mg kg −1 and 0.295 mg kg −1 in Artemisia vulgaris L., Plantago asiatica L., Eleusine indica (L.) and Phyllanthus urinaria L., respectively [26] , [27] , [28] , [29] , [32] .

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