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Availability of essential trace elements in medicinal herbs used for diabetes mellitus and their possible correlations

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Abstract

Four plant parts (leaves, roots, fruits and seeds) of twenty samples of sixteen antidiabetic herbs including three commercially marketed capsules have been analyzed for 6 minor (Na, K, Ca, Cl, Mg, and P) and 21 trace (As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Eu, Fe, Hg, La, Mn, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Th, V and Zn) elements by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Further, Ni, Cd and Pb contents were determined by AAS. Elemental data were validated by simultaneously analyzing reference material (RM), MPH-2 Mixed Polish Herbs. Several elements such as Cr and V (1–2 μg/g), Rb (10–40 μg/g), Cs (80–300 ng/g), Se (∼100 ng/g) and Zn (25–60 μg/g) play an important role in diabetes mellitus. Interelemental linear correlations have been observed for Cu vs. Zn (r = 0.89) and Rb vs. Cs (r = 0.87). K/P ratio varies in a narrow range with a mean value of 6.2 ± 1.4. Toxic elements As and Hg were found in <1 μg/g whereas Cd and Pb were in ∼5 μg/g and <10 μg/g, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, 247667, India

    R. P. Choudhury & A. N. Garg

  2. Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085, India

    R. Acharya, A. G. C. Nair & A. V. R. Reddy

Authors
  1. R. P. Choudhury
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  2. R. Acharya
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  3. A. G. C. Nair
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  4. A. V. R. Reddy
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  5. A. N. Garg
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Correspondence to A. N. Garg.

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Choudhury, R.P., Acharya, R., Nair, A.G.C. et al. Availability of essential trace elements in medicinal herbs used for diabetes mellitus and their possible correlations. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 276, 85–93 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-007-0414-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-007-0414-8

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