Authors: Konieczynski, Pawel; Wesolowski, Marek

Source: Chemical Speciation and Bioavailability, Volume 20, Number 4, November 2008 , pp. 261-266(6)

Publisher: Science Reviews 2000 Ltd

Abstract:

The aim of the investigation was to study the water-extractable iron species at different pH values from selected medicinal plant materials, therefore total and water-extractable iron species were determined in 30 samples of the medicinal plants Folium Menthae, Folium Urticae and Folium Salviae. The extractions were infusions popularly used by patients. Microwave digestion of the plant samples, and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) was used for the determination of iron. Total iron ranged from 132.93 to 149.26 mg kg⁻¹ of dry plant weight (d.w.) in Folium Menthae, from 47.62 to 58.09 mg kg⁻¹ (d.w.) in Folium Urticae, and from 189.81 to 233.58 mg kg⁻¹ (d.w.) in Folium Salviae. The ranges of concentrations of water-extractable iron species were found to be lower than those of the total iron concentrations, viz. 9.45, 5.38 and 9.04 mg kg⁻¹ of d.w. in Folium Menthae, Folium Urticae and Folium Salviae, respectively. Taking into consideration the potential bioavailability of iron species in solutions of different pH values representing the acidity of particular segments of the digestive system of humans, these fractions of iron are very low in comparison with the total iron contents, especially the species detected at pH = 1.2. Based on the comparison with the values of Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) for women and men, the water-extractable fractions of iron found in the studied plant materials, cannot be significant sources of that microelement for patients.

Keywords: MEDICINAL PLANTS; AQUEOUS EXTRACTS; WATER-EXTRACTABLE SPECIES OF IRON; PH; RDA

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3184/095422908X384123

Publication date: 2008-11-01

More about this publication?

• Chemical Speciation & Bioavailability covers a rapidly expanding area in environmental science.

  Research on the interactions between the chemical forms and behaviour of toxic compounds and their subsequent biological uptake, metabolism and ecological fate involves many scientific fields. These studies are often published in discipline-specific journals, leading to inadequate review and information scatter. This situation hinders both the development of an international community of experienced colleagues and the open flow of information and discussion. Additionally, the importance of speciation and bioavailability research to the development of pollution law and control technologies is being increasingly appreciated by environmental regulatory agencies throughout the world.

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