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Trace Element Studies on Tinospora cordifolia (Menispermaceae), Ocimum sanctum (Lamiaceae), Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae), and Phyllanthus niruri (Euphorbiaceae) Using PIXE

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Abstract

Traditionally, Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Hook. F. & Thomson (Menispermaceae), Ocimum sanctum L. (Lamiaceae), Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae), and Phyllanthus niruri L. (Euphorbiaceae) are some of the commonly used medicinal plants in India for curing ailments ranging from common cold, skin diseases, and dental infections to major disorders like diabetes, hypertension, jaundice, rheumatism, etc. To understand and correlate their medicinal use, trace element studies on the aqueous extract of these medicinal plants have been carried out using particle-induced X-ray emission technique. A 2-MeV proton beam was used to identify and characterize major and minor elements namely Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, and Sr in them. Results have revealed that these elements are present in varying concentrations in the selected plants. Notable results include very high concentrations of Cl, K, and Ca in all the leaf samples, appreciable levels of Mn in all plants, high Zn content in T. cordifolia, and the aqueous extract of Moringa leaves compared to others and relative higher concentrations of Cr in all the plants.

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Acknowledgement

The authors acknowledge the help rendered by the staff of the Particle Irradiation facility section, IGCAR for conducting the experiment and the University Grants commission (UGC), Government of India, for the financial support provided under the major research project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Sri Sathya Sai University, Prasanthinilayam, AP, 515134, India

    Ramadurai Gowrishankar, Manish Kumar, Vinay Menon & K. Venkataramaniah

  2. Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram, AP, 515134, India

    Sai Mangala Divi

  3. Particle Irradiation Facility Section, Material Science Division, IGCAR, Kalpakkam, 603102, India

    M. Saravanan, P. Magudapathy, B. K. Panigrahi & K. G. M. Nair

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  1. Ramadurai Gowrishankar
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  2. Manish Kumar
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  3. Vinay Menon
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  4. Sai Mangala Divi
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  5. M. Saravanan
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  6. P. Magudapathy
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  8. K. G. M. Nair
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  9. K. Venkataramaniah
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Correspondence to Ramadurai Gowrishankar.

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Gowrishankar, R., Kumar, M., Menon, V. et al. Trace Element Studies on Tinospora cordifolia (Menispermaceae), Ocimum sanctum (Lamiaceae), Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae), and Phyllanthus niruri (Euphorbiaceae) Using PIXE. Biol Trace Elem Res 133, 357–363 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-009-8439-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-009-8439-1

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