Identification of macroelements and microelements in the leaves of the Synadenium grantii Hook used as medicinal plant in the Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: The Synadenium grantii Hook species is a medicinal plant of the Euphorbiaceae family and is popularly known in the Midwest regions of Brazil as leitosinha or janaúba. All the parts of Synadenium grantii Hook as stem, latex, leaves and flowers are used for the treatments of various disease, but no elemental composition has been done.
 Objective: The aim of present work was to measure the macroelements (K, Mg, Mo and P) and microelements (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn, Si, Ni, Co, Cd and Al) in the leaves of medicinal plant Synadenium grantii Hook used in the treatment of diseases by rural and urban communities of the Campo Grande, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
 Method: The chemical digestions of samples were prepared utilizing HNO3 and H2O2 and microwave digestion system Speedwave Berghof, Germany. After digestion, the concentrations of the elements in leaves were determined by technique of Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES) with a Dual Plasma (Thermo Scientific – iCAP 6000 Series)
 Results: Results demonstrated that the Synadenium grantii leaves are source of K but aren't the best source of Na and P. Its leaves are rich in elements such as Mg, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo and Zn. The leaves of Synadenium grantii showed a high content of Mg values tolerable upper intake level. However, Fe, Na, P, Mn, Mo and Zn are below the values tolerable upper intake level. The leaves of this plants have elements as Ni, Cu, Cr, Cd above the permissible limit set by WHO and FAO.
 Conclusions: The gaps in knowledge about the level of contents in the Synadenium grantii was completed in this work and would serve as a tool for deciding the dosage of prepared from this plant with medicinal and nutritional purposes. Brazil should create legal standards for the use of medicinal plants based on internationally practiced requirements.
 Keywords: Medicinal plants, Synadenium grantii, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.