Heavy metals and trace elements detected in the leaves of medicinal plants collected in the southeast part of Turkey

Evaluation of Trace Element and Heavy Metal Levels of Some Ethnobotanically Important Medicinal Plants Used as Remedies in Southern Turkey in Terms of Human Health Risk

“…Additionally, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives [ 112 ] has allocated the maximum daily intake of toxic elements for a 70-kg adult person (TDI: tolerable daily intake). TDI values are considered to be within permissible limits for toxic heavy metals such as As, Br, Cd, Pb, and Sb, which have hazardous effects for human body and metabolism [ 10 ]. Our results suggested that the Cd and Pb values of all the medicinal plants investigated when compared with the TDI values were beyond the TDI limits (for Cd 0.014 and Pb 0.021 mg/day/70 kg adult person).…”

“…In addition, it is used to make baby powder and as side dish in food [ 28 , 85 – 87 ] Dörtyol 27 Silene aegyptiaca subsp . aegyptiaca (L.) L.f Caryophyllaceae IN/Th/A Campion/Yapışkan otu Wound, eczema, sore throat, fever, and urinary tract [ 10 , 59 , 80 ] Payas 28 Solanum nigrum L. Solanaceae CO/G/A Black nightshade/İt üzümü Rheumatism, cough, dysentery, chronic bronchitis, tumors, cancer, odontalgia, mouth ulcers, stomach, intestinal distress, bloating, hemorrhoid, pains, constipation, anemia, liver diseases, inflammation, skin diseases, poisonous, also used as diuretic, analgesic, antispasmodics, vasodilator, sedative, narcotic, CNS depressant, analgesic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, antipyretic, antitumoral, laxative, and aphrodisiac [ 29 , 67 , 80 , 88 – 92 ] Karaçay 29 Thalictrum orientale Boiss. Ranunculaceae M/H/P Meadow-rue/Çayırsedefi To snake bite, jaundice, rheumatism, as tonic, aperient, diuretic, stomachic, bitter, and antiseptic [ 93 ] Karaçay 30 Tribulus terrestris L. Zygophyllaceae IN/Th/A Puncturevine, Small caltrops/Deve çökerten, çoban çökerten For treatment asthma, urinary tract disorders, cardiovascular system diseases, chronic malaria, diabet, for tumors and ulcers, especially for festering ulcers of the gums, kidney, gall and bladder stones, gonorrhea, headaches, skin diseases such as eczema, athlete's foot, wart treatment, eye inflammations, strong side pains, infertility.…”

“…In order to reveal the Dietary Reference Intake potentials of E. cicutarium , M. campanuloides , and P. vulgaris used as daily food among the plants examined in this study, Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) values were calculated for Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and Zn elements [ 10 , 17 ]. …”

“…However, numerous anthropogenic activities such as industry, fossil fuel burning, mining, smelting, forest fires, traffic, municipal wastes, sewage disposal, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides have caused dramatically increased pollution in the period since the Industrial Revolution [ 2 , 9 , 10 ]. Consequently, many natural aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems have been contaminated by heavy metals like aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), silver (Ag), and zinc (Zn) elements [ 11 , 12 ].…”

Monitoring of heavy metals and essential trace elements in aquatic plant Ranunculus sphaerospermus Boiss. & Blanche (Ranunculaceae), sediments, and water of volcanic Haydarlar Lake, Türkiye

“…The term heavy metal is generally used for metals such as arsenic, iron, cadmium, nickel, copper, mercury, chromium, manganese, and lead with a density higher than 4-5 g cm -3 (Caparrós et al, 2022). However, aluminum (Al) with a density of 2.70 g cm -3 was presented in the heavy metal category due to its contribution to pollution and toxicity according to the results of many research studies (Ghori et al, 2019;Ozyigit et al, 2022;Riyazuddin et al, 2022). In the meantime, although it is not considered as an essential nutrient, low concentrations can sometimes affect plant growth or induce some other necessary metabolic activities.…”