Rapid Determination of 21 Chinese Domestically Registered Pesticides in Ginseng Using Cleanup Based on Zirconium-Oxide-Modified Silica and Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

In this study, an analytical method was developed for the rapid determination of 21 pesticides used in ginseng cultivation. All pesticides covered by this method have been registered by 2020 in China for use on ginseng. The extracts were cleaned up using zirconium-oxide-modified silica (Z-Sep) and primary secondary amine (PSA). The combination of Z-Sep and PSA provided good recovery for all analytes and the cleanest matrix background out of a number of PSA-based sorbent combinations, as indicated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). Instrumental analysis was completed in 5 min using the ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The linearity (r > 0.99) for all analytes was satisfactory over the calibration range of 0.002-0.1 μg mL^-1. Intraday recoveries (n = 5) at ginseng-spiked levels of 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, and 1 mg kg^-1 ranged between 72% and 119%, with the corresponding relative standard deviations (RSDs), were less than 19%, while the interday recoveries (n = 15) ranged between 77% and 103%, and RSDs were less than 22%. Limits of quantitation (LOQs) ranged between 0.02 and 0.05 mg kg^-1 for all 21 pesticides. This is a seminal study using Z-Sep for the efficient cleanup of ginseng samples, and it could present a practical method for future monitoring of pesticide residues in ginseng produced in China.

Evaluation of Nutritional, Phytochemical, and Mineral Composition of Selected Medicinal Plants for Therapeutic Uses from Cold Desert of Western Himalaya

The aim of this study was to determine the elemental and nutritive values of leaf parts of 10 selected wild medicinal plants, Acer pictum, Acer caecium, Betula utilis, Oxalis corniculata, Euphorbia pilosa, Heracleum lanatum, Urtica dioica, Berberis lycium, Berberis asiaticaand, and Quercus ilex, collected from the high hills of the Chitkul range in district Kinnaur, Western Himalaya. The nutritional characteristics of medicinal plant species were analyzed by using muffle furnace and micro-Kjeldahl methods, and the mineral content in plants was analyzed through atomic absorption spectrometry. The highest percentage of used value was reported in Betula utilis (0.42) and the lowest in Quercus ilex (0.17). In this study, it was found that new generations are not much interested in traditional knowledge of ethnomedicinal plants due to modernization in society. Therefore, there is an urgent need to document ethnomedicinal plants along with their phytochemical and minerals analysis in study sites. It was found that rural people in western Himalaya are dependent on wild medicinal plants, and certain steps must be taken to conserve these plants from extinction in the cold desert of Himalayan region. They are an alternative source of medicine because they contain saponin, alkaloid, and flavonoid etc. as well as minerals. The leaves used for analysis possesses good mineral content, such as Na, N, K, P, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ca, Mg, and S. Hence, in the current study it was observed that medicinal plants are not only used for therapeutic purposes, but they can also be used as nutritional supplements.

Novel approach for biosynthesizing of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Lactobacillus gasseri and their influence on microbiological, chemical, sensory properties of integrated yogurt

This research aimed to biosynthesizing zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using lactobacilli strains. All tested lactobacilli able to biosynthesis ZnO-NPs indicated by white precipitates. The characteristics of the biosynthesis ZnO-NPs from Lactobacillus gasseri were studied using UV-visible spectroscopy, TEM, SEM, DLS, FT-IR, XRD, and antimicrobial activity. The characteristic examination depicted cubic structures, pure and spherical ZnO-NPs with a diameter size of 22 nm. Antimicrobial study of ZnO-NPs displayed better higher antimicrobial activity on food pathogens in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, integrated biosynthesis ZnO-NPs in yogurt positively affected the shelf life of yogurt during storage for four weeks without changes in the sensory evaluation. The microbiological population of fortified yogurt significantly reduced during storage than control. But chemically evaluation of fortified yogurt indicated an increase in dry matter, protein, and ash content than control. The achieved results suggested that the low amount of biosynthesized ZnO-NPs lead to the development of properties of integrated yogurt. Furthermore, the biosynthesized ZnO-NPs additive to yogurt could be a good food source for groups suffering from zinc deficiency such as the elderly groups or vegetarians who do not eat meat and at risk of zinc inadequacy.

Toxic effects of dietary copper and EGCG on bioaccumulation, antioxidant enzyme and immune response of Korean bullhead, Pseudobagrus fulvidraco

There are few reports of dietary Cu (copper) toxicity to Korean bullhead, Pseudobagrus fulvidraco, and little is known about recovery from dietary Cu exposure. In this study, P. fulvidraco (mean length 16.9 ± 1.38 cm, and mean weight 53.2 ± 1.22 g) were exposed for 4 weeks to dietary Cu concentration of 0 (control), 700, 900, and 1100 mg Cu kg^-1 dry feed to establish maximum tolerable levels of dietary Cu. All fish were then fed the dietary EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate) concentration of 100 and 500 mg EGCG kg^-1 dry feed for a further 2 weeks to assess recovery. We were measured bioaccumulation (in the intestine, liver, and gill tissue), antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) and immune responses (lysozyme and phagocytosis). The Cu exposure induced a significant accumulation in the intestine, liver, and gill tissues and the highest accumulation was observed in intestinal tissues (17-34 fold), but dietary EGCG exposure decreased (about 0.8-fold) Cu concentration in each tissue (ANOVA, P < 0.05). In antioxidant enzymes, SOD and CAT significantly increased by approximately 1.6-fold by dietary Cu exposure in the liver and gill tissue, respectively, but dietary EGCG exposure decreased SOD and CAT by about 1.1-fold, respectively (ANOVA, P < 0.05). For immune responses, lysozyme and phagocytosis in the blood significantly were decreased by approximately 1.5-fold, respectively, by dietary Cu exposure, but dietary EGCG exposure increased lysozyme and phagocytosis by about 1.1-fold, respectively (ANOVA, P < 0.05). During recovery period, bioaccumulation, antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT activity), and immune response (lysozyme and phagocytosis activity) tended to alleviate the significant changes by Cu exposure, and the tendency to return normal state was observed in high level of EGCG. The result of this study indicate that Cu exposure to P. fulvidraco affects bioaccumulation, antioxidant enzymes, and immune responses, and high level of EGCG were effective to alleviate the toxic effects of Cu exposure.

Comparative analysis of lead content during food processing

Heavy metals in groups 3-16 in periods 4 and greater. They exist naturally in the earth's crust. People are exposed to heavy metals by the inhalation of polluted air and via the intake of contaminated food. People are exposed to lead (Pb), one of heavy metals, by consuming foods that are contaminated from the environment. Pb is ubiquitous in the environment and accumulates in plants and animals that eat contaminated plants. The Pb in foods before and after processing were analyzed via Inductively coupled plasma with mass spectrometry to determine the effects of the procedures on the Pb migration and residue. This analytical method was verified to have a limit of detection of 0.011-0.859 µg/kg, acceptable linearity with the regression coefficient of 0.999, relative recoveries of 78.1-89.9% and repeatability of 1.4-7.7%. The amount of Pb was reduced during the following processes: more than 79.6% by extracting ginseng, extracting red ginseng and balloon flower roots via alcohol, more than 47.9% by blanching Chwinamul, more than 18.2% by brewing coffee with cold and hot water, more than 22.2% by extracting juices from fruits and peeling fruits. Therefore, proper cooking and food processing can be advantageous in terms of reducing exposure to Pb.

Assessment of lead and cadmium in fifty-four Indian herbal medicine: tribal and marketed varieties

The objective of this study was to assess the toxic metal content in herbal medicines being used by Indian people. Trace elements, lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd), in fifty-four herbal medicines (marketed and tribal varieties) of India were estimated, and the potential health risks were characterized by estimating the tolerable daily intake (TDI) and the total hazard quotient (THQ) associated with their consumption. A total of 12% of the marketed varieties had Pb above WHO permissible limits of 10 mg Pb/kg. In tribal varieties, none of the samples exceeded this limit. In contrast, all the marketed varieties and 17% of the tribal varieties exceeded WHO limit of 0.3 mg Cd/kg. Consumption of ~ 0.01 kg of herbal medicine per day contributed almost 20-28% of TDI of Pb and Cd for marketed varieties and < 10% for tribal varieties. Although the consumption of the Indian herbal medicine, especially the tribal varieties, posed no immediate concern as the average THQ was less than 1, 24% of the marketed varieties had a higher metal burden and could pose threat on long-term use. Our findings advocate the use of tribal medicines for therapeutic purposes owing to a relatively lesser metal burden than the marketed varieties. However, for the marketed varieties, appropriate standardization in terms of effective quality control and consistency is needed to ensure the health of the consumers.

Quantitative Analysis of Metal Contents in Korean Herbs and Herbal Products to Give Advice for Metal Allergic Patient

Background

Herbs have been used worldwide as complementary and alternative medicines. In Korea, herbs for medical purpose are strictly controlled by the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). But it does not provide standards for metal antigens.

Objective

This study conducted to identify the metal contents of Korean herbs and herbal products and to give information on counselling metal allergic patient.

Methods

The concentration of three metal allergens with high antigenicity, cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) was quantitatively determined using inductively coupled plasma with a mass spectrometer after nitric acid (HNO₃) digestion. The herbal objects are as follows: 1) ten kinds of herb plants, 2) ten herbal products sold in Korean drugstores, and 3) ten herbal extracts prescribed by Korean herbal doctors.

Results

In 30 samples, Ni and Cr were detected in all items. Co was not detected in two drugstore products.

Conclusion

Although the levels of metal detected in this study were very low relative to international guidelines and KFDA regulations, the herbal preparations contained similar or higher metal levels than known metal-rich foods. It can cause problems when it added to the daily diet and cause deterioration of skin lesions of metal sensitized person.

Metals and metalloids in traditional medicines (Ayurvedic medicines, nutraceuticals and traditional Chinese medicines)

Traditional medicine (TM) including Ayurvedic medicines, traditional Chinese medicines and nutraceuticals are popular across the globe as dietary supplements and traditional and alternative medicines. Health risks from these remedies continue to present serious concerns, with occurrences of poisoning by metals and metalloids present at concentrations above acceptable regulatory standards. This review overviews the prevalence of TM use, cases of metal and metalloid poisoning following TM consumption, and forms of TM contamination and adulteration. The review summarises regulations by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other relevant bodies. Finally, the review recommends how to protect consumers.

Sources, distribution, bioavailability, toxicity, and risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in complementary medicines

The last few decades have seen the rise of alternative medical approaches including the use of herbal supplements, natural products, and traditional medicines, which are collectively known as 'Complementary medicines'. However, there are increasing concerns on the safety and health benefits of these medicines. One of the main hazards with the use of complementary medicines is the presence of heavy metal(loid)s such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg). This review deals with the characteristics of complementary medicines in terms of heavy metal(loid)s sources, distribution, bioavailability, toxicity, and human risk assessment. The heavy metal(loid)s in these medicines are derived from uptake by medicinal plants, cross-contamination during processing, and therapeutic input of metal(loid)s. This paper discusses the distribution of heavy metal(loid)s in these medicines, in terms of their nature, concentration, and speciation. The importance of determining bioavailability towards human health risk assessment was emphasized by the need to estimate daily intake of heavy metal(loid)s in complementary medicines. The review ends with selected case studies of heavy metal(loid) toxicity from complementary medicines with specific reference to As, Cd, Pb, and Hg. The future research opportunities mentioned in the conclusion of review will help researchers to explore new avenues, methodologies, and approaches to the issue of heavy metal(loid)s in complementary medicines, thereby generating new regulations and proposing fresh approach towards safe use of these medicines.

Determination of Lead in Smilax luzonensis Herbal Preparations in Malaysia

The DCA (Drug Control Authority) of Malaysia implemented the phase 3 registration of traditional medicines on 1 January 1992. As such, a total of 100 products in various pharmaceutical dosage forms of a herbal preparation containing Smilax luzonensis, either single or combined preparations, were analyzed for the presence of lead, using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results showed that 14% of the above products possessed 10.02 to 21.21 ppm of lead, and, therefore, they failed to comply with the quality requirement for traditional medicines in Malaysia (<10 ppm). Although this study showed that 86% of the products complied with the quality requirement for traditional medicines in Malaysia pertaining to lead, they cannot be assumed safe from lead contamination because of batch-to-batch inconsistency.

Nutritional Content and Elemental and Phytochemical Analyses ofMoringa oleiferaGrown in Mexico

Moringa oleiferais a tree distributed in Mexican semiarid and coastal regions.M. oleiferais used in practice in the treatment of various diseases and is available without a medical prescription, often in the form of an herbal infusion for everyday use. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the chemical composition and nutritional values of driedM. oleiferaleaf powder collected from two different regions in Mexico. All samples ofM. oleiferaexhibited moisture levels varying from 3.06 to 3.34%, lipids from 10.21 to 10.31%, fiber from 7.29 to 9.46%, ashes from 10.71 to 11.18%, crude protein from 10.74 to 11.48%, and carbohydrates from 54.61 to 57.61%. The predominant mineral elements in the leaf powder according to ICP-MS were Ca (2016.5–2620.5 mg/100 g), K (1817–1845 mg/100 g), and Mg (322.5–340.6 mg/100 g). The HPLC analysis indicated the presence of phenolic acids (gallic and chlorogenic acids) and flavonoids (rutin, luteolin, quercetin, apigenin, and kaempferol). We concluded that LombardiaM. oleiferasamples could be employed in edible and commercial applications. Our results showed that the highest mean value of As from the San Pedro samples exceeds the recommended level and may constitute a health hazard to consumers.

Mercury and methylmercury in Korean herbal medicines and functional health foods

Total mercury (Hg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) were analysed in functional health foods (FHFs) and in Korean herbal medicines (KHMs). A total of 560 samples (FHFs, n = 511; KHMs, n = 49) were collected. The levels of total Hg in 416 samples were lower than the limit of detection. MeHg analysis was conducted in 45 samples and the ranges of MeHg levels in samples were less than the LOD of 38.92 ng g(-1). Weekly intake per body weight (WIPBW) values of total Hg in FHFs and KHMS were 0.89 and 11.77 ng kg(-1) BW, respectively. The margins of exposure (MOEs) of total Hg for FHFs and KHMS were 598,753 and 36,503, respectively. The WIPBW values of MeHg for FHFs and KHMS were 0.22 and 0.01 ng kg(-1) BW, respectively. MOE values of MeHg for FHFs and KHMS were 412,276 and 517,363, respectively.

Microbial and heavy metal contamination in commonly consumed traditional Chinese herbal medicines

OBJECTIVE

The increasing popularity and widespread use of traditional Chinese herbs as alternative medicine have sparked an interest in understanding their biosafety, especially in decoctions that are consumed. This study aimed to assess the level of microbial and heavy metal contamination in commonly consumed herbal medicine in Malaysia and the effects of boiling on these contamination levels.

METHODS

Four commonly consumed Chinese herbal medicine in Malaysia-"Eight Treasure Herbal Tea", "Herbal Tea", Xiyangshen (Radix Panacis Quinquefolii) and Dangshen (Radix Codonopsis) were evaluated in this study. Herbal medicines were prepared as boiled and non-boiled decoctions, and their microbial enumeration and heavy metal detection were conducted with plate assay and atomic absorption spectroscopy, respectively.

RESULTS

Findings revealed that herbal medicines generally had 6 log10cfu/mL microbial cells and that boiling had significantly reduced microbial contaminants, where no Bacillus spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Clostridium spp. were recovered. Heavy metals such as Mn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Fe and Zn were also detected from all the samples, generally in low concentrations (< 1 mg/L) except for Mn (18.545 mg/L). All decoctions (after boiling) have reduced concentrations of Cu, while others were not significantly different. Comparisons between samples with single and multi-herbs suggest level of microbial and metal contamination is not influenced by number of herbs in sample.

CONCLUSION

Herbal medicines generally have microbial and heavy metal contaminants. However, the boiling process to generate decoctions was able to successfully reduce the number of microbes and Cu, ensuring safety of herbal medicines for consumption.

Assessment of potential health risk for arsenic and heavy metals in some herbal flowers and their infusions consumed in China

Herbal tea is consumed widely in China due to their therapeutic efficacy, mild features, and relatively low cost. To assess the health risk associated with drinking herbal tea, arsenic and seven heavy metals, namely Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cd, Ni, and Pb in eight different types of herbal flowers and their infusions were determined by inductively coupled-mass spectrometry after microwave digestion. The accuracy and precision of the analytical method were confirmed by the certified reference material (GBW 07605). The results suggested that significant differences existed in all metal concentrations determined among different varieties of herbal flowers and their infusions. In general, the concentration of iron was higher than those of seven other metals in the investigated herbal flowers and their infusions. The hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) were calculated to evaluate the noncarcinogenic health risk from individual metal and combined metals due to the dietary intakes via consumption of herbal infusions. Both the HQ and HI levels were far below one, suggesting that the dietary intakes of the eight metals determined from daily consumption 4.5 g of the investigated herbal flowers for a normal adult should pose no potential risk to human health.

Monitoring of arsenic levels in some ready-to-use anti-malaria herbal products from drug sales outlets in the Madina area of Accra, Ghana

In Ghana anti-malaria herbal medicines or products are used to compliment commercial drugs in treatment and prevention of Plasmodium falciparum infections. In this study, four common aqueous based anti-malaria herbal products (coded HEB, KFE, MDM and NIB) which are used by Ghanaian population from pharmacy/herbal stores in the Madina area, Accra were blindly and randomly sampled for cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and Lead (Pb) analysis using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry technique. Arsenic concentrations were 1.087 μg/mL (108.7%), 1.027 μg/mL (102.7%), 0.330 μg/mL (33.0%) and 0.274 μg/mL (27.4%) in MDM, KFE, NIB and HEB respectively. Arsenic concentration determined in MDM and KFE were above the maximum permissible limit of 1.0 ppm determined by WHO/FAO. Cadmium concentration in each of the four products as well as lead concentration in KFE, NIB and HEB were below the detection limit of <0.002 mg/mL (Cd) and <0.005 mg/mL (Pb) respectively. The maximum permissible limits for Pb and Cd determined by WHO/FAO are 10.0 ppm and 0.3 ppm respectively. Thus, random assessment on the safety of some ready-to-use aqueous based anti-malaria herbal products on the market is necessary to prevent public health hazards associated with consuming these plant extracts. Although lead and cadmium concentration in the anti-malaria herbal products were below the maximum permissible limits, their cumulative effect on the health of an individual which consume recommended volume of not less than 1000 mL for effective malaria parasite clearance cannot be ignored.

Multiresidue pesticide analysis in Korean ginseng by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry

In this study, a new analytical method was developed based on gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) and used to determine 32 multiclass pesticides in ginseng products. The analytical method was validated, yielding recovery rates in the range of 55.2-108.3%, with precision values expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD) lower or equal to 12% at the spiking levels of 30, 100, and 1000 μg/kg. Correlation coefficients and LOQs (limit of quantification) were in the range 0.9801-0.9989 and 0.15-70 g/kg, respectively. With these validation data and this method, multiresidue pesticides of ginseng samples (fresh ginseng (n=118), red ginseng (n=24), dried ginseng (n=10)) were analysed. Among them, the most frequently detected pesticide was tolclofos-methyl. Tolclofos-methyl was detected in 86.4% of fresh ginseng (18.25-404.5 μg/kg), 91.7% of red ginseng (13.14-119.4 μg/kg), and 87.5% of dried ginseng (23.15-3673 μg/kg).

Detection of toxic heavy metals and pesticide residue in herbal plants which are commonly used in the herbal formulations

Herbal formulations are getting popular throughout the world and commercialized extensively for various medicinal properties. WHO has emphasized the need for quality assurance of herbal products, including testing of heavy metals and pesticides residues. In view of WHO guidelines, single herbal drugs used in herbal formulations were collected from local market, for testing heavy metals and persistent pesticides residue. Therefore, in the present case, we have examined few local samples of certain herbs viz. Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belerica, and Withania somnifera. The present studies were selected for estimation of four heavy metals namely Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury. Apart from these, pesticide residue Viz. Organochlorine pesticides, Organophosphorus pesticides, and Pyrethroids were analyzed in the four samples of single crude drugs. Heavy metals and pesticide residue were found below detection limits in all the samples.

Analytical methods for heavy metals in herbal medicines

INTRODUCTION

It is estimated that about 70-80% of the world's population relies on non-conventional medicine, mainly of herbal origin. However, owing to the nature and sources of herbal medicines, they are sometimes contaminated with toxic heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium, which impose serious health risks to consumers. It is critical to analyse source materials for heavy metals in order to ensure that their concentrations meet the related standards or regulations limiting their concentrations in herbal medicines. In this review, different analytical methods for analysis of heavy metals in herbal medicines are discussed.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a comprehensive review of the current state of the art in analytical methods used to detect heavy metals in herbal medicines.

METHODOLOGY

We systematically searched and reviewed the research articles regarding analytical methods for heavy metals in herbal medicine from various databases, such as Medline/PubMed, ScienceDirect, SciFinder, Google Scholar, EBSCO, Gale InfoTrac, Ingenta, Ovid, ProQuest and ISI Web of Knowledge.

RESULTS

In this review, we discuss in detail several commonly used and sensitive analytical techniques, including atomic absorption spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry or mass spectrometry, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, differential pulse polarography, neutron activation analysis and anodic stripping voltammetry. We also provide some application examples of these analytical techniques for heavy metals in herbal medicines.

Volatile (As and Hg) and non-volatile (Pb and Cd) toxic heavy metals analysis in rhizome of Zingiber officinale collected from different locations of North Western Himalayas by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

Ginger is an important ingredient of spice and herbals. The monitoring of toxic heavy metals in the rhizome of ginger is important for protecting public health against the hazards of metal toxicity. The concentration of volatile and non-volatile metals (As, Hg, Pb and Cd), in the soil and rhizome of Zingiber officinale were analyzed using AAS. Soil analysis profile showed uniformity in the metal contents, in active root zone and subsoil, except mercury, which was present in higher quantity in one, out of the four sectors, of the field. The infield metal content in the soil in increasing order was, cadmium < arsenic < lead < mercury. In ginger rhizome the volatile toxic heavy metals arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) varied from not detected to 0.13 μg/g and 0.01 to 0.42 μg/g, respectively. The non-volatile metals lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) ranged from 0.06 to 0.64 μg/g and 0.002 to 0.03 μg/g, respectively(.) The results illustrated the findings that soil is the major but not the only source of metal accumulation in the plants. In our study, the volatile metal content (As, Hg) was found more in rhizomes collected from Himachal Pradesh while the non-volatile metals were predominant in samples from Uttarakhand.

Quantitative determination of multiple elements in botanicals and dietary supplements using ICP-MS

A method was developed and validated for the analysis of 21 elements in various botanicals and dietary supplements using ICP-MS. Closed-vessel microwave digestion of botanicals and dietary products was assisted by various different procedures. The samples digested with concentrated nitric and hydrochloric acid (8:2) revealed the best recoveries (91-106%) using the reference certified materials (SRM 3280, SRM 1566b). The method was validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, LOD, and LOQ. The LOD was found to be in the range from 0.005 to 1.09 ng/mL with the exception of potassium. Eleven botanicals and 21 dietary supplements were analyzed. Among the analyzed elements, K was the most abundant followed by Na, Mg, Al, Ca, Mn, and Fe, whereas V, Cr, Co, Ni, Se, Cd, Hg, and Pb were present in low concentrations in most of the samples. The results showed that the ICP-MS method is a simple, fast, and reliable for the multielement determination in dietary supplements and botanicals.

Public safety and dietary supplementation

Approximately 6 in 10 Americans report regularly using some type of dietary supplement, and approximately 1 in 6 Americans reports using herbal remedies on a regular basis. The diversity of manufacturers, manufacturing processes, and quality control issues are enormous. As with all plant products, herbal products are complex mixtures of a variety of chemical constituents with considerable variation in the growth, harvesting, and storage conditions, including different extraction procedures. Furthermore, not only is there variation in batches, but also the potential for contamination. In addition, herbal products have the potential to interact with pharmaceuticals. These problems have led to consumer and physician confusion about the use of herbal products and have not been satisfactorily resolved, because the Food and Drug Administration has only very recently started to fulfill its mission of consumer protection in the realm of dietary supplements. More importantly, we provide a working plan for addressing this important issue.

Dietary supplements and herbal medicine toxicities-when to anticipate them and how to manage them

BACKGROUND

Dietary supplements and herbal medicines are gaining popularity in many developed countries.

AIMS

Although most can be used without any problem, serious toxicities do occur.

METHODS

Problems can be anticipated when they are used for non-traditional indications, at excessive dose, for prolonged duration, or by patients who are also on multiple modern pharmaceuticals. Problems should also be anticipated when these products claim to be able to relieve symptoms rapidly or when herbs with pronounced pharmacological effects or toxic components are used.

RESULTS

Resuscitation, symptomatic and supportive care are the most important aspects of management of toxicities from these products.

CONCLUSION

This article reviews when problems with these products can be anticipated and outlines a practical approach to management.

Indian medicinal herb: a source of lead and cadmium for humans and animals

The authors aimed to analyze 35 commonly used medicinal plants in India by exploring the possibilities of translocation of lead and cadmium into humans and animals. They collected plant materials from the same sources used by traditional healers and commercial drug manufacturers and estimated lead and cadmium levels in leaf stem bark, roots, and seeds, depending on the medicinal value of the plant portion. The authors determined lead and cadmium content of the digested samples using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Lead and cadmium concentrations were higher in aerial parts of the medicinal plants than in the roots. Lead concentration in 54.29% of medicinal plants and cadmium concentration in 77.14% of medicinal plants exceeded the maximum permissible level designated by the World Health Organization. The results indicate that prolonged consumption of such medicinal plants may be detrimental to one's health.

Impurities in Herbal Substances, Herbal Preparations and Herbal Medicinal Products, IV. Heavy (Toxic) Metals

The main source of available forms of heavy metals (toxic metals) for the plant kingdom is anthropogenic, resulting from diverse activities such as metallurgic processing of ore, cement plants, uncontrolled discharge of sewage sludge, burning of fossil fuels and waste incineration plants, and leaded petrol. Agricultural chemicals (e.g. phosphate fertilizers containing cadmium) may also contribute to the contamination of cultivated plants. The main threats to human health from toxic metals are associated with exposure to lead, cadmium, mercury (organic forms, especially methylmercury) and arsenic (mineral form only), which have no known vital or beneficial effect on living organisms. As their toxicity often takes years to manifest and may go unsuspected, their toxicological risk is defined on the basis of the so-called Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) values. Beside anthropogenic causes, the main factors that may lead to high levels of toxic metals in medicinal plants are their availability in the soil with soil pH as the most important parameter for uptake by the plant. Indeed, genetic features of certain plant species show a tendency to accumulate certain trace elements, especially cadmium (“cadmium collector”). A very recent revision draft of the monograph “Herbal drugs” (Ph. Eur., 1433) includes acceptance criteria for lead, cadmium and mercury. This proposal is discussed in detail, based on literature data dealing with terrestrial plants and seaweed. Additionally, the need for inclusion of tests for inorganic impurities in quality control specification is examined, based on a risk assessment. As the daily intake of food supplements is very similar to the one of herbal remedies, it would be advisable to take into account the same acceptance criteria. The specific situation has also been considered of exotic herbal remedies, particularly those of Asian origin, which have been repeatedly reported to contain toxic levels of heavy metals and/or arsenic resulting in heavy metal poisoning.

Content and daily intake of copper, zinc, lead, cadmium, and mercury from dietary supplements in Mexico

This study investigates the presence of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Hg in 24 dietary supplements purchased in different health stores across the city of Hermosillo, located in the northwest of Mexico. Analysis of metals was done by microwave digestion and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The most abundant elements in dietary supplements were Cu (<0.19-137.85 microg/g) and Zn (<2.83-4785.71 microg/g), followed by Pb (<0.003-66.32 microg/g), Cd (<0.001-2.90 microg/g), and Hg (<0.24-0.85 microg/g). The estimated daily intakes of metals were below those recommended by WHO and the Institute of Medicine, showing that little risk from heavy metals is associated with the consumption of the dietary supplements analyzed. However, some products presented more than 10% of the tolerable daily intake of Pb, indicating that production processes should be improved.

Quality and safety assessment of ginseng extracts by determination of the contents of pesticides and metals

Ginseng extracts are available as ingredients for improving energy and vitality and can be used in functional foods and as flavouring ingredients. A survey was been performed to determine the content of pesticides and toxic metals in ginseng extracts. Forty-seven samples from 20 suppliers, including both Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (Asian ginseng) and P. quinquefolius (American ginseng) species, were analysed for arsenic content and for the following metals: aluminium, molybdenum, chromium, copper, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, mercury and lead, while pesticide residues were analysed in 30 samples from 17 suppliers. The results showed that 24 samples (80%) contained pesticides above the detection limit and 13 samples (43%) did not comply with the maximum residue limits (MRL) for total quintozene, hexachlorobenzene, total hexachlorocyclohexane, lindane, total heptachlor, e-chlorpyrifos and folpet, imposed for botanical extracts. Total quintozene, hexachlorobenzene, total hexachlorocyclohexane and lindane were present in all contaminated samples and exceeded the MRL in eleven samples, with levels up to 55 and 30 times their respective MRL. Cadmium (<0.05-259 microg kg(-1)), mercury (<0.3-72 microg kg(-1)), lead (3-2710 microg kg(-1)) and arsenic (<0.3-918 microg kg(-1)) were present in most samples at concentrations lower than the MRL imposed for flavouring substances. Among the other elements, aluminium (0.3-1068 mg kg(-1)) was the most abundant.

Metal content of ephedra-containing dietary supplements and select botanicals

PURPOSE

The metal content of dietary supplements, including 13 ephedra-containing supplements, was studied.

METHODS

Samples of botanicals (black cohosh, echinacea, goldenseal, kava kava, milk thistle, saw palmetto, Synephrine, and valerian root), ephedra-containing dietary supplements (Amp II, EPH 833, Ephedra, Ephedra 1000, Hydroxycut, Metabolife 356, Metabolift, Ripped Fuel, Ripped Fuel Extreme, Ripped Fuel [ma huang-free], Stacker 2 [two lots], Super Stinger, Virgin Earth, Xenadrine RFA-1 [two lots], Yellow Jacket), and nonprescription reference agents (NoDoz and Primatene) were digested in acid, reacidified, and then spiked with internal standards. Metals were quantified using Environmental Protection Agency quality assurance and quality-control standards 6020 and 200.8. Forty-seven metals were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, with subpart-per-trillion detection limits.

RESULTS

All metals detected were in concentrations below toxic levels or physiological limit levels for the daily doses specified by the products' labeling. Metals found in highest concentrations among all the supplements sampled were sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, aluminum, iron, titanium, mercury, strontium, lead, barium, and silver. Of the 27 supplements analyzed, those with the lowest metal concentrations were mostly single-ingredient botanical supplements, while multiple-component, ephedra-containing dietary supplements generally had higher metal concentrations. Significant lot-to-lot variations were found for two ephedra-containing dietary supplements.

CONCLUSION

None of 47 metals was found in highly toxic amounts in 23 brands of dietary supplements and two nonprescription reference preparations.

The influence of lead and arsenite on the inhibition of human breast cancer MCF-7 cell proliferation by American ginseng root (Panax quinquefolius L.)

American ginseng root (Panax quinquefolius) has a number of purported therapeutic effects, including inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. The ability of environmentally relevant heavy metals to alter ginseng effects on cancer cell growth was the subject of this study. A water extract of American ginseng root was applied alone or in combination with physiologically relevant doses of either lead (Pb) or arsenite to MCF-7 breast cancer cells in vitro and effects on cell proliferation were determined. Ginseng alone produced a significant dose-dependent inhibition of MCF-7 cell proliferation starting at 0.5 mg ml(-1). Treatment of MCF-7 cells with 2.5 microM arsenite significantly decreased MCF-7 cell proliferation (p < 0.01). When cells were treated with arsenite (1.25 or 2.5 microM) in combination with ginseng extract (0.5 mg ml(-1)), there was an apparent synergistic inhibition of cell proliferation. Treatment of MCF-7 breast cancer cells with 50 microM Pb significantly decreased cell proliferation relative to control (p < 0.01), and concomitant ginseng and Pb treatment did not lead to a further decrease. These results suggest that contaminant heavy metals, some of which have been detected in ginseng root extracts or commercial ginseng preparations, may alter the biological activity of ginseng.

Cadmium, mercury and lead in medicinal herbs in Brazil

Samples of herbal medicine used in Brazil were analyzed, after nitric digestion, for the content of cadmium, mercury and lead, by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Fifteen samples of ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo biloba), 13 of celastraceae (Maytenus ilicifolia), 14 of cascara buckthorn (Rhamnus purshiana), 13 of eggplant (Solanum melongena), 15 of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), 13 of Brazilian ginseng (Pffafia glomerata), 17 of centella asiatic (Hydrocotyle asiatica), 13 of guarana (Paullinia cupana), 12 of artichoke (Cynara scolymus) and five samples of chlorella (Chlorella pyrenoidosa) were analyzed. Cadmium, mercury and lead were not detected (limit of quantifications of 0.20, 0.01 and 2.0 mg/kg, respectively) in any sample of artichoke, eggplant and guarana. Cadmium was found in samples of the other medicinal herbs at levels up to 0.74 microg/g and mercury up to 0.087 microg/g. Three samples of horse chestnut contained 153, 156 and 1480 microg Pb/g, while the highest concentration found in the other samples analyzed was 22 microg Pb/g. The estimated lead intake through the consumption of horse chestnut reached 440% of Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI), and might be of concern to consumers if the medicine was taken on a long-term basis. Cadmium and mercury exposure through the herbal medicines does not appear to be of health concern.