Measurement of trace elements in five popular medicinal plants using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis method (INAA) in Arak, Iran

TL;DR

This study quantifies twelve elements in five medicinal plants using INAA, revealing significant variations in element concentrations that could impact their medicinal properties and safety.

Contribution

It applies multi-elemental INAA to analyze trace elements in medicinal plants from Iran, providing detailed elemental profiles for the first time.

Findings

Caraway has the highest Fe, Cr, and Na concentrations.

Savory and Fenugreek contain the highest levels of Mn, Cl, Ca, K, and V.

Fenugreek shows the lowest concentrations of several elements.

Abstract

In this work, the specific mass of twelve elements were determined in five of the most commonly used medicinal plants as Caraway (Carum carvi), Savory (Satureia hortensis), Purslane (Portulaca oleracea), Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) and Milk thistle (Silibum marianum) prepared from herbal pharmacies. Multi elemental Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) method was applied to analyze the samples. Tehran research reactor was used as a neutron source and gamma ray spectra registered using high purity germanium (HPGe) detector. Among analyzed samples, highest concentrations of Fe (8789 ppm), Cr (8 ppm) and Na (517 ppm) were found in Caraway. Maximum levels of Mn (95 ppm), Cl (3702 ppm), Ca (18328 ppm) , K (21562 ppm) and V (2.7 ppm) were detected in Savory and Fenugreek contains the lowest concentrations of Fe (195 ppm), Zn (13 ppm), Ca (2243 ppm), Al (99ppm), Mn (26 pm) and Mg (177ppm).