Investigation of trace element concentrations in some traditionally used medicinal plants in Kerala, India

Abstract

The Ayurvedic drugs are widely used in Kerala, India, for primary health care and comprise medicinal plant parts. In the present study, trace element concentrations of 16 traditionally used medicinal plants were determined by the energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence technique. The iron (Fe) shows the highest concentration of the order of 7482 ± 101 mg kg−1, while the allowed limit by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/WHO is 20 mg kg−1. Nonessential element lead is detected in all analyzed samples, but its amount is less than the limit set by FAO/WHO 1984. The trace element profile obtained is the fingerprint identity of each plant used in drug formulations. Such baseline data act as the standardization tool for manufacturing compound medicines.

Keywords

• medicinal plants
• trace elements
• who
• x-ray fluorescence spectrometer