Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Flop Side of Using Heavy Metal(oids)s in the Traditional Medicine: Toxic Insults and Injury to Human Health

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Biomedical Applications of Metals

Abstract

Traditional medicine is the earliest healthcare system of humanity, which relies on the revered traditional legacy of healing powers hidden in the natural objects like medicinal plants, animals, etc. It encompasses the Indian Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, Arabic Unani medicine, and other forms of indigenous medicine. The Ayurveda is the most commonly practised system of traditional medicine in the Indian subcontinent and has been carving niche in the Western countries. It is based on the Vedic hypothesis that there are some common cardinal premises underlying the harmony and homeostasis maintained in the microcosm (individual body) and macrocosm (nature/universe). Both man and the universe are composed of the same basic elements, and disease manifests when the balance is destabilized. Some heavy metal(oid)s are added intentionally in Ayurvedic products as it is thought that the equilibrium of lead, copper, gold, iron, mercury, silver, tin, zinc thallium, and arsenic is essential for normal functioning of the human body. Similarly, traditional Chinese medicine believes that the human body has an organic unity based on the opposing and complementary relationships of yin and yang. Such medicine also contains heavy metals which come from contaminated soil source or are deliberately added as ingredients for specific curative cause. Traditional medicine focuses on causes, not the symptoms, heal the “whole”, not the “part” by only correcting the symptoms, like the modern medicine. These low-cost medicines are thought of treating diseases and disorders without posing any risk of side effects. But it is wrong in reality, raising human health concerns and side effects due to their pharmaceutically non-validated nature and indiscriminate and irrational use. The quality, safety, and toxicity of herbal medicines have become a major concern for public health, health authorities, and pharmaceutical industries. Herbal medicines and products may contain highly active pharmacological components or contaminants including several toxic metals and metaloids. The metal(oid) contaminants or additives may be introduced during different phases such as cultivation, harvesting, collecting, cleaning, and drying of the medicinal plants in contaminated environment and/or during the processing and formulation of the herbal products. The objective of the present chapter is to show how through traditional medicine humans may be exposed to a cocktail of heavy metal(oid)s—the nonbiodegradable toxic group of environmental chemicals. Citing selected priority heavy metal(oid)s like lead, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, and mercury, it presents the spectra of vast array of toxic insults and injuries inflicted by them, ranging from cell to system levels, as well as the unique biochemical/molecular fingerprints the toxicants leave on human body.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ababneh FA (2017) The hazard content of cadmium, lead, and other trace elements in some medicinal herbs and their water infusions. Intern J Anal Chem 2017. Article ID 6971916. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/6971916

  • Adepoju-Bello AA, Isa OA, Oguntibeju OO, Ayoola GA, Adejumo OO (2012) Analysis of some selected toxic metals in registered herbal products manufactured in Nigeria. Afr J Biotech 11(26):6918–6922

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Agarwal P, Fatima A, Singhm PP (2012) Herbal medicine scenario in India and European Countries. J Pharmacognosy Phytochem 1:4105–4117

    Google Scholar 

  • Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2007) Toxicological profile for lead (update), Public Health Service. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA, USA, US

    Google Scholar 

  • Ang HH, Lee EL, Matsumoto K (2003) Analysis of lead content in herbal preparations in Malaysia. Hum Exp Toxicol 22:445–451

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Asmuss M, Mullenders LH, Hartwig A (2000) Interference by toxic metal compounds with isolated zinc finger DNA repair proteins. Toxicol Lett 112–113:227–231

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bahall M (2017) Use of complementary and alternative medicine by patients with end-stage renal disease on haemodialysis in Trinidad: a descriptive study. BMC Complement Altern Med 17:250. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-017-1755-7

  • Bellanger M, Pichery C, Aerts D, Berglund M, Castaño A, Čejchanová M et al (2013) Economic benefits of methylmercury exposure control in Europe: monetary value of neurotoxicity prevention. Environ Health 12:3. https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-069X-12-3

  • Bernard A (2008) Cadmium & its adverse effects on human health. Indian J Med Res 128(4):557–564

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Casalino E, Calzaretti G, Sblano C, Landriscina C (2002) Molecular inhibitory mechanisms of antioxidant enzymes in rat liver and kidney by cadmium. Toxicology 179:37–50

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Castagnetto JM, Hennessy SW, Roberts VA, Getzoff ED, Tainer JA, Pique ME (2002) MDB: the metalloprotein database and browser at the Scripps Research Institute. Nucleic Acids Res 30(1):379–382

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Chakraborty S, Dutta AR, Sural S, Gupta D, Sen S (2013) Ailing bones and failing kidneys: a case of chronic cadmium toxicity. Ann Clin Biochem 50(5):492–495

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chan K (2003) Some aspects of toxic contaminants in herbal medicines. Chemosphere 52(9):1361–1371

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Li S, Liu J, Diwan BA, Barrett JC, Waalkes MP (2004) Chronic inorganic arsenic exposure induces hepatic global and individual gene hypomethylation: implications for arsenic hepatocarcinogenesis. Carcinogenesis 25:1779–1786

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng JT (2000) Review: drug therapy in Chinese traditional medicine. J Clin Pharmacol 40:445–450

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chopra A, Doiphode VV (2002) Ayurvedic medicine. Core concept therapeutic principles and current relevance. Med Clin North Am 86:75–89

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper K, Noller B, Connell D, Yu J, Sadler R, Olszowy H et al (2007) Public health risks from heavy metals and metalloids present in traditional Chinese medicines. J Toxicol Environ Health A70:1694–1699

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dally H, Hartwig A (1997) Induction and repair inhibition of oxidative DNA damage by nickel(II) and cadmium(II) in mammalian cells. Carcinogenesis 18:1021–1026

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dghaim RS, AlKhatib HR, Khan MA (2015) Determination of heavy metals concentration in traditional herbs commonly consumed in the United Arab Emirates. J Environ Public Health 2015. Article ID 973878. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/973878

  • Ernst E (2002a) Toxic heavy metals and undeclared drugs in Asian herbal medicines. Trends Pharmacol Sci 23(3):136–139

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ernst E (2002b) Heavy metals in traditional Indian remedies. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 57:891–896

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fabricant DS, Farnsworth NR (2001) The value of plants used in traditional medicine for drug discovery. Environ Health Perspect 109(1):69–75

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fakankun OA, Babayemi JO, Utiaruk JJ (2014) Variations in the mineral composition and heavy metals content of Moringa oleifera. African J Environ Sci Technol 7(6):372–379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flora S, Saxena G, Gautam P, Kaur P, Gill KD (2007) Response of lead-induced oxidative stress and alterations in biogenic amines in different rat brain regions to combined administration of DMSA and MiADMSA. Chem Biol Interact 170:209–220

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Franco R, Schoneveld O, Georgakilas AG, Panayiotidis MI (2008) Oxidative stress DNA methylation and carcinogenesis. Cancer Lett 266:6–11

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gesler WM (1992) Therapeutic landscapes: medical issues in light of the new cultural geography. Soc Sci Med 34(7):735–746

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Giaginis C, Gatzidou E, Theocharis S (2006) DNA repair systems as targets of cadmium toxicity. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 213:282–290

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gibert TF (1998) Reflections on traditional Chinese medicine and its pharmacopoeia. Annales Pharmaceutiques Françaises 56:282–285

    Google Scholar 

  • Gogtay NJ, Bhatt HA, Dalvi SS, Kshirsagar NA (2002) The use and safety of nonallopathic Indian medicines. Drug Saf 25:1005–1019

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Han XL, Zhang XB, Guo LP, Huang LQ, Li MJ, Sun YZ et al (2008) Statistical analysis of residues of heavy metals in Chinese crude drugs. China J Chin Mater Med 33:2041–2048

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart BA, Lee CH, Shukla GS, Shukla A, Osier M, Eneman JD, Chiu JF (1999) Characterization of cadmium-induced apoptosis in rat lung epithelial cells: evidence for the participation of oxidant stress. Toxicology 133:43–58

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Henson MC, Chedrese PJ (2004) Endocrine disruption by cadmium a common environmental toxicant with paradoxical effects on reproduction. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 229(5):383–392

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hong FF (2004) History of medicine in China. McGill J Med 8:7984

    Google Scholar 

  • Jarup L (2003) Hazards of heavy metal contamination. Br Med Bull 68(1):167–182

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang LF, Yao TM, Zhu ZL, Wang C, Ji LN (2007) Impacts of Cd (II) on the conformation and self-aggregation of Alzheimer’s tau fragment corresponding to the third repeat of microtubule-binding domain. Biochem Biophys Acta 1774:1414–1421

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kayama F, Yoshida T, Elwell MR, Luster MI (1995) Role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in cadmium-induced hepatotoxicity. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 131:224–234

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kitchin KT, Conolly R (2009) Arsenic-induced carcinogenesis-oxidative stress as a possible mode of action and future research needs for more biologically based risk assessment. Chem Res Toxicol 23:327–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klaassen CD, Liu J, Choudhuri S (1999) Metallothionein: an intracellular protein to protect against cadmium toxicity. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 39:267–294

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koh HL, Woo SO (2000) Chinese proprietary medicine in Singapore regulatory control of toxic heavy metals and undeclared drugs. Drug Saf 23:351–362

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Korfali SI, Mroueh M, Al-Zein M, Salem R (2013) Metal concentration in commonly used medicinal herbs and infusion by Lebanese population: health impact. J Food Res 2(2):70–80

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lad V (1985) The human constitution. Ayurveda: the science of self-healing. Lotus Press, Wilmot, pp 26–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Lai HY, Chen ZS (2005) The EDTA effect on phytoextraction of single and combined metals contaminated soils using rainbow pink (Dianthus chinensis). Chemosphere 60:1062–1071

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lanphear BP, Hornung R, Khoury J, Yolton K, Baghurst P, Bellinger DC et al (2005) Low-level environmental lead exposure and children’s intellectual function: an international pooled analysis. Environ Health Perspect 113:894–899

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lin CG, Schaider LA, Brabander DJ, Woolf AD (2010) Pediatric lead exposure from imported Indian spices and cultural powders. Pediatrics 125:E828–E835

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu F, Jan KY (2000) DNA damage in arsenite and cadmium-treated bovine aortic endothelial cells. Free Radic Biol Med 28:55–63

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Lu YF, Wu Q, Goyer R, Waalkes MP (2008a) Mineral arsenicals in traditional medicines: orpiment realgar and arsenolite. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 326:363–368

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Shi JZ, Yu LM, Goyer RA, Waalkes MP (2008b) Mercury in traditional medicines: is cinnabar toxicologically similar to common mercurials? Exp Biol Med 233:810–817

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu FL, Chen YH, Tseng MC, Lo CF, Lin JH (2009) Survey on heavy metals in raw material of traditional Chinese medicine (V). Annual report BFDA Taiwan ROC 27:51–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynch E, Braithwaite R (2005) A review of the clinical and toxicological aspects of “traditional” (herbal) medicines adulterated with heavy metals. Expert Opin Drug Saf 4:769–778

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martena MJ, Van Der Wielen JC, Rietjens IM, Klerx WN, De Groot HN, Konings EJ (2010) Monitoring of mercury arsenic and lead in traditional Asian herbal preparations on the Dutch market and estimation of associated risks. U.S. National Library Med Control Expo Risk 27:190–205

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin S and Griswold W (2009) Human health effects of heavy metals. Environ Sci Technol Briefs Cit 15:1–6. Center for Hazardous Substance Research Manhattan Kan, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathew BB, Tiwari A, Jatawa SK (2011) Free radicals and antioxidants: a review. J Pharm Res 4(12):4340–4343

    Google Scholar 

  • Molyneux MJ, Davies MJ (1995) Direct evidence for the hydroxyl radical-induced damage to nucleic acids by chromium(VI)-derived species: implications for chromium carcinogenesis. Carcinogenesis 16:875–882

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mosby CV, Glanze WD, Anderson KN (1996) Mosby medical encyclopedia the signet: revised edition. St. Louis

    Google Scholar 

  • Nair AR, DeGheselle O, Smeets K, Van Kerkhove E, Cuypers A (2013) Cadmium-induced pathologies: where is the oxidative balance lost (or not)? Int J Mol Sci 14(3):6116–6143

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nunn FJ (2002) Ancient Egyptian medicine. University of Oklahoma Press, p 151

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien TJ, Ceryak S, Patierno SR (2003) Complexities of chromium carcinogenesis: role of cellular response repair and recovery mechanisms. Mutat Res 533:3–36

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Orlowski C, Piotrowski JK (2003) Biological levels of cadmium and zinc in the small intestine of non-occupationally exposed human subjects. Hum Exp Toxicol 22:57–63

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Papanikolaou NC, Hatzidaki EG, Belivanis S, Tzanakakis GN, Tsatsakis AM (2005) Lead toxicity update. A brief review. Med Sci Monit 11(10):RA329

    Google Scholar 

  • Patrick L (2002) Mercury toxicity and antioxidants: part 1: role of glutathione and alpha-lipoic acid in the treatment of mercury toxicity. Altern Med Rev 7(6):456–471

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Patwardhan B, Warude D, Pushpangadan P, Bhatt N (2005) Ayurveda and traditional chinese medicine: a comparative overview. eCAM 2(4):465–473

    Google Scholar 

  • Piatek K, Schwerdtle T, Hartwig A, Bal W (2008) Monomethylarsenous acid destroys a tetrathiolate zinc finger much more efficiently than inorganic arsenite: mechanistic considerations and consequences for DNA repair inhibition. Chem Res Toxicol 21:600–606

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pizzino G, Bitto A, Interdonato M, Galfo F, Irrera N, Mecchio A, Squadrito F (2014) Oxidative stress and DNA repair and detoxification gene expression in adoles-cents exposed to heavy metals living in the milazzo-valle del Mela area (Sicily Italy). Redox Biol J 2:686–693

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Proctor DM, Suh M, Mittal L, Hirsch S, Valdes Salgado R, Bartlett C, van Landingham C, Rohr A, Crump K (2016) Inhalation cancer risk assessment of hexavalent chromium based on updated mortality for painesville chromate production workers. J Eposure Sci Environ Epidemiol 26:224–231

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Robert BS, Russel SP, Awusha S, Nadia K, Roger BD, Janet P, Venkatesh T, De Stefano T (2008) Lead mercury and arsenic in US and Indian-manufactured ayurvedic medicines sold via the internet. JAMA 300(8):915–923

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robson B, Baek OK (2009) The engines of hippocrates: from the dawn of medicine to medical and pharmaceutical informatics. Wiley, p 50

    Google Scholar 

  • Saad B, Azaizeh H, Abu-Hijleh G, Said O (2006) Safety of traditional Arab herbal medicine. Evid-Based Complem Altern Med 3(4):433–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saeed M, Muhammed N, Khan H, Khan SA (2010) Analysis of toxic heavy metals in branded Pakistani herbal products. J Chem Soc Pak 32(4):471–475

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saper RB, Kales SN, Paquin J, Burns MJ, Eisenberg DM, Davis RB et al (2004) Heavy metal content of ayurvedic herbal medicine products. JAMA 292:2868–2873

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saper RB, Phillips RS, Sehgal A, Khouri N, Davis RB, Paquin J et al (2008) Lead mercury andarsenic in US- and Indian-manufactured ayurvedic medicines sold via the internet. JAMA 300:915–923

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma N, Kala CP (2017) Harvesting and management of medicinal and aromatic plants in the Himalaya. J Appl Res Med Aromat Plants. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jarmap.2017.09.003

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi X, Leonard SS, Liu KJ, Zang L, Gannett PM, Rojanasakul Y, Castranova V, Vallyathan V (1998) Cr(III)-mediated hydroxyl radical generation via Haber-Weiss cycle. J Inorg Biochem 69:263–268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith AH, Lingas EO, Rahman M (2000) Contamination of drinking-water by arsenic in Bangladesh: a public health emergency. Bulletin World Health Organization 78(9):1093–1103

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tavakkoli L, Nasab ZZ, Khanjani N (2017) Environmental and occupational exposure to chromium in Iran: a systematic review. J Epidemiol Res 3:31–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tchounwou PB, Yedjou CG, Patlolla AK, Sutton DJ (2012) Heavy metal toxicity & the environment. EXS 101:133–164

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Thatte UM, Rege NN, Phatak SD, Dahanukar SA (1993) The flip side of ayurveda. J Postgrad Med 39:179–182

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson KH, Orvig C (2003) Boon and bane of metal ions in medicine. Science 300(5621):936–939

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Turan M, Bringu A (2007) Phytoremediation based on canola (Brassica napus L.) and Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) planted on spiked soil by aliquot amount of Cd Cu Pb and Zn. Plant Soil Environ 53:7–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Waalkes MP (2003) Cadmium carcinogenesis. Mutat Res 533:107–120

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Waalkes MP, Liu J, Ward JM, Diwan BA (2004) Animal models for arsenic carcinogenesis: inorganic arsenic is a transplacental carcinogen in mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 198:377–384

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wadhwa N, Mathew BB, Jatawa S, Tiwari A (2012) Lipid peroxidation: mechanism models and significance. Intern J Current Sci 3:29–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Waisberg M, Joseph P, Hale B, Beyersmann D (2003) Molecular and cellular mechanisms of cadmium carcinogenesis. Toxicology 192:95–117

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Fang J, Leonard SS, Rao KM (2004) Cadmium inhibits the electron transfer chain and induces reactive oxygen species. Free Radic Biol Med 36:1434–1443

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wei S, Zhou Q, Mathews S (2008) A newly found cadmium accumulator Taraxacum mongolicum. J Hazard Mater 159:544–547

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wetterhahn KE, Hamilton JW, Aiyar J, Borges KM, Floyd R (1989) Mechanism of chromium(VI) carcinogenesis. Reactive intermediates and effect on gene expression. Biol Trace Elem Res 21:405–411

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organisation (WHO) (2004) Guidelines for drinking-water quality. Sixty-first meeting Rome 10–19 June 2003. Joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives. Available from www.ftp.fao.org/es/esn/jecfa/jecfa61sc.pdf

  • World Health Organisation (WHO) (2007) Guidelines for assessing quality of herbal medicines with reference to contaminants and residues. Geneva Switzerland

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organisation (WHO) (2013) WHO traditional medicine strategy: 2014–2023. WHO Press, Geneva Switzerland, p 78

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu J, Zou Y, Zhan X, Chen S, Lu G, Lai F (2008) Survey of heavy metal pollution in four Chinese crude drugs and their cultivated soils. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 81:571–573

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yee SK, Chu SS, Xu YM, Choo PL (2005) Regulatory control of Chinese proprietary medicines in Singapore. Health Policy 71:133–149

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zalups RK, Ahmad S (2003) Molecular handling of cadmium in transporting epithelia. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 186:163–188

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhitkovich A (2005) Importance of chromium-DNA adducts in mutagenicity and toxicity of chromium(VI). Chem Res Toxicol 18:3–11

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu YP (1998) Chinese materia medica: chemistry pharmacology and applications. Harwood Academic Publishers

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pollution, Ecotoxicology and Ecotechnology Research Unit, Department of Ecological Studies, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, 741235, West Bengal, India

    Jayanta Kumar Biswas & Monojit Mondal

  2. International Centre for Ecological Engineering, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, 741235, West Bengal, India

    Jayanta Kumar Biswas

  3. Nanobiotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, SGB Amravati University, Amravati, 444602, Maharashtra, India

    Mahendra Rai & Avinash P. Ingle

Authors
  1. Jayanta Kumar Biswas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mahendra Rai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Monojit Mondal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Avinash P. Ingle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jayanta Kumar Biswas .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Nanobiotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati, Maharashtra, India

    Mahendra Rai

  2. Nanobiotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati, Maharashtra, India

    Avinash P. Ingle

  3. Departmento Di Chimica Farmacia, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

    Serenella Medici

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Biswas, J.K., Rai, M., Mondal, M., Ingle, A.P. (2018). The Flop Side of Using Heavy Metal(oids)s in the Traditional Medicine: Toxic Insults and Injury to Human Health. In: Rai, M., Ingle, A., Medici, S. (eds) Biomedical Applications of Metals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74814-6_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation