Health Risk Assessment of Toxic Metals Consumed Through Plant-Based Anti-Diabetic Therapeutics Collected in the Northern Divisional City of Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Abstract

The present study investigates human health risks upon consumption of herbal medicines in terms of ten toxic metals in twenty plant-based anti-diabetic therapeutics. The analysis of metals was determined by an atomic absorption spectrometer after microwave-assisted digestion. The computation of hazard quotients (HQ) and hazard indexes (HI) of metals leads to the assessment of non-carcinogenic health risks. Carcinogenic risk was assessed based on cancer slope factor (CSF) and chronic daily intake (CDI) values. Comparison with WHO regulatory cut-off points for each metal: seven samples for Mn, twelve samples for Hg, three samples for Cu, eight samples for Ni, four samples for Cd, two samples for Pb, one sample for Cr, and eight samples for Zn are unsafe to consume. Non-carcinogenic human health risk is predicted for Mn in seven samples, Fe in one sample, Hg in ten samples, Cu in three samples, Ni in one sample, and Pb in two samples. HI values greater than 1 predict non-carcinogenic health risk in thirteen samples. Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) remains for Pb in one sample, Cr in one sample, Cd in three samples, and Ni in nine samples. To guarantee consumer safety, the implementation of strict monitoring is suggested.