Concentration Measurement of 12 Elements in Five Herbal Plants Using Neutron Activation Analysis Approach

Document Type : Original Paper

Authors

1 Radiation Applications Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Arak University, Arak, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Nowadays, many people use medicinal plants to manage diseases; therefore, detailed knowledge of the type and level of elements present in these plants is of prominent importance.The present study aimed to determine the weight fraction of 12 elements in the five most common medicinal plants in Iran. The names of these plants are caraway (Carum carvi), savory (Satureja hortensis), purslane (Portulaca oleracea), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), and milk thistle (Silybum marianum) which were purchased from herbal pharmacies.
Material and Methods: The neutron activation method was used to determine the elements. In the current study, neutrons from the research reactor core in Tehran, Iran were used and gamma spectra from radionuclides were recorded using a high purity germanium detector. The mass fractions of 12 elements were determined in the five abovementioned plants.
Results: Caraway had the maximum amounts of elements of Fe (8,789 ppm), Cr (8 ppm), and Na (517 ppm) among the selected plants. The savory contained maximum levels of Mn (95 ppm), Cl (3,702 ppm), Ca (18,328 ppm), K (21,562 ppm), and V (2.7 ppm) and the lowest amount of Fe (195 ppm), Zn (13 ppm), Ca (2,243 ppm), Al (99ppm), Mn (26 ppm), and Mg (177ppm) were observed in fenugreek.
Conclusion: The highest levels of Cr and Mg were obtained for caraway (8 ppm) and pursalne (3,915 ppm), respectively. These elements can help to decrease blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Furthermore, the results showed that these herbs were rich in essential nutrients for metabolic functions.

Keywords

Main Subjects


  1.  

     

    1. Ke F, Yadav PK, Ju LZ. Herbal medicine in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Saudi journal of gastroenterology: official journal of the Saudi Gastroenterology Association. 2012; 18(1):3. DOI: 10.4103/1319-3767.91726.
    2. Mashour NH, Lin GI, Frishman WH. Herbal medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular disease: clinical considerations. Archives of internal Medicine. 1998; 158(20):2225-34.
    3. Gaeddert A. Anti-Cholesterol Herbs. Acupuncture Today. 2003; 4 (10).
    4. Jarald E, Joshi SB, Jain DC. Diabetes and Herbal Medicines. Iranian Journal of pharmacology & Therapeutics. 2008; 7:  97-106.
    5. Modak M, Dixit P, Londhe J, Ghaskadbi S, Devasagayam TP. Indian herbs and herbal drugs used for the treatment of diabetes. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2007; 40(3):163-73. DOI: 10.3164/jcbn.40.163.
    6. Birhanu WT, Chaueby AK, Teklemariamc TT, Dewud BB, Funtua II. Application of instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) in the analysis of essential elements in six endemic Ethiopian medicinal plants. Int J Sci Basic Appl Res. 2015; 19:213-27.
    7. Naidu GR, Denschlag HO, Mauerhofer E, Porte N, Balaji T. Determination of macro, micro nutrient and trace element concentrations in Indian medicinal and vegetable leaves using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Applied radiation and isotopes. 1999;50(5):947-53. 
    8. Fei T, Dehong L, Fengqun Z, Junhua L, Hua T, Xiangzhong K. Determination of trace elements in Chinese medicinal plants by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry. 2010;284(3):507-11.
    9. Leal AS, Prado G, Gomes TC, Sepe FP, Dalmázio I. Determination of metals in medicinal plants highly consumed in Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2013;49(3):599-607.
    10. Weaver CM, Calcium IN, Erdman JJ, Macdonald I, Zeisel S. Present Knowledge in Nutrition. 10rd edition, John Wiley & Sons. 2012.
    11. Khalafi H, Rahmani F. Improving the NAA laboratory pneumatic transfer system for using Tehran research reactor. Annals of Nuclear Energy. 2008; 35(11):2019-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2008.06.003.
    12. Firestone RB, Shirley VS, Baglin CM, Chu SF, Zipkin J. The 8th edition of the Table of Isotopes. InProceedings of the 9th International Symposium on Capture gamma-ray spectroscopy and related topics. V. 2 1997.
    13. ENSDF I. Live Chart of Nuclides nuclear structure and decay data. Available from: https://www-nds.iaea.org/relnsd/vcharthtml/VChartHTML.html.
    14. Aziz A. Methods of Low-Level Counting and Spectrometry. Symposium. Berlin. 1981; 221.
    15. IAEA-TECDOC-564. Practical aspects of operating a neutron activation analysis laboratory. Vienna; 1990.
    16. Bode P, van Dijk C. Operational management of results in INAA utilizing a versatile system of control charts. Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry. 1997;215(1):87-94. DOI: 10.1007/BF02109883.
    17. Thomson M. Recent trends in inter-laboratory precision at ppb and sub-ppb concentrations in relation to fitness for purpose criteria in proficiency testing. Analyst . 2000;125(3):385-6.
    18. Denke MA, Fox MM, Schulte MC. Short-term dietary calcium fortification increases fecal saturated fat content and reduces serum lipids in men. The Journal of Nutrition, 1993; 123(6): 1047-53.
    19. FAO/WHO. 1967b Evaluation of some pesticide residues in food. FAO/PL: CP/15; WHO/Food Add. /67.32. 1967.
    20. Joint FA, WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, World Health Organization. Evaluation of certain food additives and contaminants: thirty-third report of the Joint FAO. World Health Organization; 1989.
    21. Pourimani R, Abasnejad K, Ghanbarzadeh K, Zare MR, Kamali M. Determining the amount of Br, Na and K in six wheat samples with neutron activation analysis (NAA) method in Arak, IR Iran. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry. 2013;295(1):163-6.
Volume 17, Issue 5
September and October 2020
Pages 303-307
  • Receive Date: 31 July 2019
  • Revise Date: 07 October 2019
  • Accept Date: 21 October 2019