Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Journal of Natural Medicines
Published in: Journal of Natural Medicines 3-4/2011

01-07-2011 | Natural Resource Letter

Toxic metal contamination in Artemisia annua L. herbal preparations from different commercial sources in China

Authors: Jianwei Wu, Yinfeng Tan, Yuqi Wang, Rong Xu

Published in: Journal of Natural Medicines | Issue 3-4/2011

Login to get access

Abstract

Toxic metal contamination was investigated in Artemisia annua L. herbal preparations from different commercial sources in China. Measurable amounts of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni) and aluminium (Al) were detected in commercial dried Artemisia annua L., Massa Medicata Fermentata (Shenqu), Semen Sojae Praeparatum, medicated leaven (Jianqu) and an oral dose of Zhongganling-pian by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). A total of 69 samples were collected from different sources in the Chinese market. Toxic metals contents in the investigated samples were found at different levels. Results showed that 94.20, 100, 97.10, 91.30 and 94.20% of the products fully complied with the quality requirement for traditional medicines in China pertaining to Cu, Pb, As, Hg and Cd, respectively. Although toxic metal concentrations measured in this study do not pose a serious health risk, they do affect the quality of herbal preparations. Moreover, on the basis of the results obtained in the present work, it is concluded that the present techniques are suitable for the routine determination of toxic metals concentration in various pharmaceutical dosage forms.
Literature
1.
MacLennan AH, Wilson DH, Taylor AW (1996) Prevalence and cost of alternative medicine in Australia. Lancet 347:569–573PubMedCrossRef
2.
Ernst E, White AR (2000) The BBC survey of complementary medicine use in the UK. Complement Ther Med 8:32–36PubMed
3.
Ernst E (2000) Risks associated with complementary therapies. Meyler’s side effects of drugs. Elsevier, Amsterdam
4.
Khan IA, Allgood J, Walker LA, Abourashed EA, Schelenk D, Benson WH (2001) Determination of heavy metals and pesticides in ginseng products. J AOAC Int 84:936–939PubMed
5.
WHO (2002) Drug information. Herbal medicines, vol 16. World Health Organization, Geneva
6.
Perharic L, Shaw D, Murray V (1993) Toxic effects of herbal medicines and food supplements. Lancet 342:180–181PubMedCrossRef
7.
Van Wyk BE, Wink M (2004) Medicinal plants of the world. Times Editions, Singapore
8.
Chinese Pharmacopoeia Committee (2010) Chinese Pharmacopoeia. China Medical Science and Technology, Beijing
9.
Abou-Arab AAK, Soliman KM, El Tantawy ME, Ismail BR, Naguid K (1999) Quantity estimation of some contaminants in commonly used medicinal plants in Egyptian market. Food Chem 67:357–363CrossRef
10.
HO W (1999) Monographs on selected medicinal plants, vol 1. World Health Organization, Geneva
11.
WHO (1997) Quality assurance of pharmaceuticals: a compendium of guidelines and related materials, vol 1. World Health Organization, Geneva
12.
Athar M, Vohora SB (1995) Heavy metals and environment. Wiley Eastern, New Delhi
13.
Chuang IC, Huang YL, Lin TH (1999) Determination of lead and cadmium in Chinese crude drugs by graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Anal Sci 15:1133CrossRef
14.
Farias GM, Wuilloud RG, Moyano S, Gasquez JA, Olsina RA, Martinez LD (2002) Determination of cobalt in urine by FI-ICPAES with online preconcentration. J Anal Toxicol 26:360PubMed
15.
Matsuura H, Hokura A, Katsuki F, Itoh A, Haraguchi H (2001) Multielement determination and speciation of major-to-trace elements in black tea leaves by ICP-AES and ICP-MS with the aid of size exclusion chromatography. Anal Sci 17:391PubMedCrossRef
16.
De Ridder S, Van Der Kooy F, Verpoorte R (2008) Artemisia annua as a self-reliant treatment for malaria in developing countries. J Ethnopharmacol 120:302–314PubMedCrossRef
17.
WHO (1987) Evaluation of certain food additives and contaminants. In: 30th report of the joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives
18.
Selig U, Leipe T, Dörfler W (2007) Paleolimnological records of nutrient and metal profiles in prehistoric, historic and modern sediments of three lakes in north-eastern Germany. Water Air Soil Pollut 184:183–194CrossRef
19.
Mamani MCV, Aleixo LM, De Abreu MF, Rath S (2005) Simultaneous determination of cadmium and lead in medicinal plants by anodic stripping voltammetry. J Pharm Biomed 37:709–713CrossRef
20.
Yuan XD, Ling KH, Keung CW (2009) The analysis of heavy metals in Chinese herbal medicine by flow injection-mercury hydride system and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Phytochem Anal 20:293–297PubMedCrossRef
21.
Dunbabin DW, Fallis GA, Popplewell PY, Lee RA (1992) Lead poisoning from Indian herbal medicine (Ayurveda). Med J Aust 157:835–836PubMed
22.
Markowitz SB, Nenez CM, Klitzman S (1994) Lead poisoning due to hai ge fen: the porphyry content of individual erythrocytes. J Am Med Assoc 271:932–934CrossRef
23.
Kakosy T, Hudak A, Naray M (1996) Lead intoxication epidemic caused by ingestion of contaminated ground paprika. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 34:507–511PubMedCrossRef
24.
Yee SK, Chu SS, Xu YM, Choo PL (2005) Regulatory control of Chinese proprietary medicines in Singapore. Health Policy 71:133–149PubMedCrossRef
25.
Wu JL, Zou YH, Zhan XP, Chen SF, Lu GZ, Lai FG (2008) Survey of heavy metal pollution in four Chinese crude drugs and their cultivated soils. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 81:571–573PubMedCrossRef
26.
JECFA (1999) Joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives, summary and conclusions. In: 53rd meeting, Rome
27.
Bath RV, Moy GG (1997) Monitoring and assessment of dietary exposure to chemical contaminations. World Health Stat Q 50:132–148
Metadata
Title
Toxic metal contamination in Artemisia annua L. herbal preparations from different commercial sources in China
Authors
Jianwei Wu
Yinfeng Tan
Yuqi Wang
Rong Xu
Publication date
01-07-2011
Publisher
Springer Japan
Published in
Journal of Natural Medicines / Issue 3-4/2011
Print ISSN: 1340-3443
Electronic ISSN: 1861-0293
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-011-0511-4

Other articles of this Issue 3-4/2011

Journal of Natural Medicines 3-4/2011 Go to the issue

Natural Resource Letter

Inhibition of proliferation by agricultural plant extracts in seven human adult T-cell leukaemia (ATL)-related cell lines

Original Paper

In vitro determination of the effect of Andrographis paniculata extracts and andrographolide on human hepatic cytochrome P450 activities

Original Paper

Hypotensive effect of the water extract of the leaves of Pseuderanthemum palatiferum

Original Paper

Protective effect of Justicia gendarussa Burm.f. on carrageenan-induced inflammation

Note

Bioactive metabolites of Diaporthe sp. P133, an endophytic fungus isolated from Pandanus amaryllifolius

Original Paper

Pharmacological effect of carvacrol on d-galactosamine-induced mitochondrial enzymes and DNA damage by single-cell gel electrophoresis