Heavy metal contamination in medicinal plants: assessing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks
Abstract Medicinal plants have played an undeniable role in treating diseases in mankind. However, these plants may be contaminated by toxic substances like heavy metals. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the contamination and health risks (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic) of heavy metals i...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2024-02-01
|
| Series: | Discover Environment |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-024-00035-3 |
| _version_ | 1827328020765999104 |
|---|---|
| author | Mohammad Bashir Sulaiman Auwal M. Adamu Sulaiman Babayo Ali Uzoamaka Virginia Ezenobi Abdullahi Muhammad Gimba Oluyinka Omoyeni Akinlotan Auwal Abubakar |
| author_facet | Mohammad Bashir Sulaiman Auwal M. Adamu Sulaiman Babayo Ali Uzoamaka Virginia Ezenobi Abdullahi Muhammad Gimba Oluyinka Omoyeni Akinlotan Auwal Abubakar |
| author_sort | Mohammad Bashir Sulaiman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Medicinal plants have played an undeniable role in treating diseases in mankind. However, these plants may be contaminated by toxic substances like heavy metals. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the contamination and health risks (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic) of heavy metals in economically important medicinal plants mostly in Northern Nigeria. A total of 72 samples from 12 medical plants were purchased and analyzed for heavy metal (Pb, Cr, As, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni and Fe) contamination using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) after wet digestion. The concentrations of the heavy metals (mg·kg−1) were in the range of 1.71–9.01 for Pb, 0.23–2.08 for Cr, 0.00–0.05 for As, 0.00–0.51 for Cd, 5.08–23.67 for Zn, 1.28–13.45 for Cu, 0.96–1.95 for Ni and 20.58–108.50 for Fe. The results revealed that the plant under study contained unsafe levels of Cr and Cd being higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits. The hazard index (HI) was < 1, suggesting a probable non-carcinogenic effect. Similarly, the cancer risk (CR) for children and adults was below the (1.0 × 10–4) acceptable limit, indicating non-probable cancer development for consumers. Based on the studied results, the samples may not pose a carcinogenic health risk. However, there is a need for the regulatory agency to continuously monitor medicine plants available in the markets for the safety of consumers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:10:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-43c8e10f41fb461fa2e420c3eb0dabc0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2731-9431 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:10:56Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Environment |
| spelling | doaj.art-43c8e10f41fb461fa2e420c3eb0dabc02024-03-05T18:37:17ZengSpringerDiscover Environment2731-94312024-02-012111010.1007/s44274-024-00035-3Heavy metal contamination in medicinal plants: assessing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risksMohammad Bashir Sulaiman0Auwal M. Adamu1Sulaiman Babayo Ali2Uzoamaka Virginia Ezenobi3Abdullahi Muhammad Gimba4Oluyinka Omoyeni Akinlotan5Auwal Abubakar6Department of Chemistry, Northwest University SokotoDepartment of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Gombe State UniversityDepartment of Chemistry, Nigerian Army University BiuDepartment of Chemistry, Michael Okpara University of AgricultureDepartment of Science Laboratory Technology, Gombe State PolytechnicDepartment of Chemistry, Kogi State College of Education (Technical) KabbaDepartment of General Studies, College of Health Sciences and Technology KaltunguAbstract Medicinal plants have played an undeniable role in treating diseases in mankind. However, these plants may be contaminated by toxic substances like heavy metals. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the contamination and health risks (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic) of heavy metals in economically important medicinal plants mostly in Northern Nigeria. A total of 72 samples from 12 medical plants were purchased and analyzed for heavy metal (Pb, Cr, As, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni and Fe) contamination using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) after wet digestion. The concentrations of the heavy metals (mg·kg−1) were in the range of 1.71–9.01 for Pb, 0.23–2.08 for Cr, 0.00–0.05 for As, 0.00–0.51 for Cd, 5.08–23.67 for Zn, 1.28–13.45 for Cu, 0.96–1.95 for Ni and 20.58–108.50 for Fe. The results revealed that the plant under study contained unsafe levels of Cr and Cd being higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits. The hazard index (HI) was < 1, suggesting a probable non-carcinogenic effect. Similarly, the cancer risk (CR) for children and adults was below the (1.0 × 10–4) acceptable limit, indicating non-probable cancer development for consumers. Based on the studied results, the samples may not pose a carcinogenic health risk. However, there is a need for the regulatory agency to continuously monitor medicine plants available in the markets for the safety of consumers.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-024-00035-3CarcinogenicHeavy metalsHealth riskMedicinal plants |
| spellingShingle | Mohammad Bashir Sulaiman Auwal M. Adamu Sulaiman Babayo Ali Uzoamaka Virginia Ezenobi Abdullahi Muhammad Gimba Oluyinka Omoyeni Akinlotan Auwal Abubakar Heavy metal contamination in medicinal plants: assessing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks Discover Environment Carcinogenic Heavy metals Health risk Medicinal plants |
| title | Heavy metal contamination in medicinal plants: assessing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks |
| title_full | Heavy metal contamination in medicinal plants: assessing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks |
| title_fullStr | Heavy metal contamination in medicinal plants: assessing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Heavy metal contamination in medicinal plants: assessing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks |
| title_short | Heavy metal contamination in medicinal plants: assessing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks |
| title_sort | heavy metal contamination in medicinal plants assessing carcinogenic and non carcinogenic health risks |
| topic | Carcinogenic Heavy metals Health risk Medicinal plants |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-024-00035-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mohammadbashirsulaiman heavymetalcontaminationinmedicinalplantsassessingcarcinogenicandnoncarcinogenichealthrisks AT auwalmadamu heavymetalcontaminationinmedicinalplantsassessingcarcinogenicandnoncarcinogenichealthrisks AT sulaimanbabayoali heavymetalcontaminationinmedicinalplantsassessingcarcinogenicandnoncarcinogenichealthrisks AT uzoamakavirginiaezenobi heavymetalcontaminationinmedicinalplantsassessingcarcinogenicandnoncarcinogenichealthrisks AT abdullahimuhammadgimba heavymetalcontaminationinmedicinalplantsassessingcarcinogenicandnoncarcinogenichealthrisks AT oluyinkaomoyeniakinlotan heavymetalcontaminationinmedicinalplantsassessingcarcinogenicandnoncarcinogenichealthrisks AT auwalabubakar heavymetalcontaminationinmedicinalplantsassessingcarcinogenicandnoncarcinogenichealthrisks |