Role of Essential Trace Elements in Pharmacological Preparation of Ethno Medicines

Abstract

People all over the world take the herbal products in an impression newlineof being safe because of the natural origin. But there are many reports of newlinetoxicities from traditional medicines. Evaluation of the safety and quality of newlinethese traditional medicines for the content of specified adulterants and newlinecontaminants such as toxic heavy metals need to be done. There is the need newlinefor studies to quantify the frequency and potential risk of heavy metal newlinepoisoning from traditional medicines. newlineFourteen locally available Unani preparations of three different drug newlinemanufacturers were tested for levels of heavy metals. All the samples were newlinecoded. After coding, each tablet was weighed on digital balance and then newlineeach tablet sample was gently ground to fine powder with the help of newlinemortar and pestle. Quantitative estimation of Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), newlineChromium, Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn),Iron (Fe), Selenium newline(Se), Aluminium (Al), Arsenic (As), Mercury (Hg) and Molybdenum (Mo) newlinewas done during the study by ICP OES method. newlineIn the present study it has been observed that all these preparations newlinedo not contain, Arsenic, Mercury, Molybdenum and selenium. Although newlinedetectable levels of metals were observed in the preparations, it was not newlineharmful. We noted that one preparation has Aluminium, one preparation has newlineZinc, four preparations has Manganese, two preparations has copper, two newlinepreparations has lead and five preparations has cadmium content above the newlinepermissible limit. Presence of trace elements can be beneficial but existence newlineof toxic heavy metals above permissible level may have deleterious adverse newlineeffects on the consumer health. newline newline