Abstract
Traditional Indian medicinal herbs, used for strengthening the body immune system, are rich source of many essential nutrient elements in bioavailable form. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) employing short (5 minutes) and long (14 hours and 3 days) reactor irradiation followed by high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry has been used for the determination of Al, Au, Ba, Br, Ca, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, Eu, Fe, K, La, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Th, V and Zn in 15 medicinal herbs commonly used in Indian household for treatment of various ailments. viz. C. rhombifolia (Amaltas), W. somnifera (Ashwagandha), P. corylifolia (Bakuchi), T. cordifolia (Guduchi), M. fragrans (Jaiphal), N. jatamansi (Jatamansi), A. paniculata (Kalmegh), H. anticlysentrica (Kutaj), T. chebula (Laghu Haritaki), S. racemosa (Lodhra), A. indica (Neem), V. negundo (Nirgundi), H. indicus (Sariva), A. calamus (Vach) and E. ribes (Vidang). Several of herbs are enriched in Ca, Co, Cu, Mg, P, Fe, Mn and Zn, which play a vital role in biochemical and enzymatic processes. Jatamansi, often used as antibacterial, antipyretic and heart tonic is specially enriched in Co, Cr, Cu, Na, Mn, Fe, Rb and Zn. Also Guduchi and Laghu Haritaki are enriched in Ca and Mg, respectively. An attempt has been made to correlate elemental contents with the therapeutic importance of various herbs. Also our results for the participation in an Intercomparison Study of renewal of Pine Needles (SRM-1575a) from NIST, USA are presented.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
P. V. Sharma, Dravyaguna Vigyan, Vols 1 and 2, Chaukhamba Bharti Academy, Varanasi, 1971.
R. P. Rastogi, B. N. Mehrotra, Compendium of Indian Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–6, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow and National Institute of Science Communication, New Delhi, 1999.
V. V. Shivarajan, I. Balachandran, Ayurvedic Drugs and their Plant Sources, Oxford & IBH Publishing Co., Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 1994, p. 570.
P. Scartezzini, E. Speroni, J. Ethnopharmacology, 71 (2000) 23.
R. P. Steiner, Folk Medicine: The Art and the Science, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C. 1986, p. 223.
P. Parannjpe, Indian Medicinal Plants, Forgotten Healers, Chaukhamba Sanskrit Pratisthan, Delhi, 2001, p. 316.
K. Reif, W. Metzer, J. Chromatography, A662 (1995) 131.
A. S. Prasad, Essential and Toxic Elements in Human Health and Disease: An Update, Wiley-Liss, New York, 1993, p. 661.
B. L. O’Dell, R. A. Sunde (Eds), Handbook of Nutritionally Essential Mineral Elements, Marcell Dekker Inc., New York, 1997, p. 681.
C. Y. Chen, Y. Y. Wei, S. P. Chang Lai, L. K. Pan, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 257 (2003) 405.
N. G. Patel, in: Folk Medicine: The Art and the Science, R. P. Steiner (Ed.), American Chemical Society, Washington, 1986, p. 41.
J. Solecki, M. Reszka, S. Chibowski, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 257 (2003) 261.
G. V. Iyengar, Elemental Analysis of Biological Systems-Biomedical, Environmental, Compositional and Methodological Aspects of Trace Elements, Vol. 1, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl. 1989, p. 242.
S. Mukhammedov, Kh. Tillaeva, N. B. Badlov, At. Energy, 61 (1986) 446.
G. D. Kanias, E. Tsitsa, A. Loukis, V. Kilkolou, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 169 (1993) 483.
B. Figura, J. Barbara, L. Wendt, K. Lorenz, Farm. Pol., 41 (1985) 89.
K. S. Chen, C. L. Tseng, T. H. Lin, J. Radioanal, Nucl. Chem., 170 (1993) 265.
A. A. Majid, S. Sarmani, N. L. Yusoff, Y. K. Wei, F. Hamazah, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 195 (1995) 173.
S. M. Vaz, M. Saiki, M. B. A. Vasconcellos, J. A. A. Sertie, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 195 (1995) 185.
E. I. Obiajunwa, A. C. Adebajo, O. R. Omobuwajo, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 252 (2002) 473.
Y. Serfor-Armah, E. H. K. Akaho, B. J. B. Nyarko, A. W. K. Kyere, K. Oppon-Boachie, J. Radioonal. Nucl. Chem., 257 (2003) 125.
A. A. K. Abou-Arab, M. A. Abou Donia, J. Agric. Food Chem., 48 (2000) 2300.
H. Harada, Y. Hatanaka, Soil Sci. Plant Nutr., 46 (2000) 117.
R. Dybcznski, B. Danko, K. Kulisa, E. Maleszewska, H. Polkowska-Motrenko, Z. Samczynski, Z. Szopa, Preparation and Certification of the Polish Reference Material: Mixed Polish Herbs (INCT-MPH-2) for Inorganic Trace Analysis, Report Sr No. 4/2002, Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Warsaw, 2002.
N. S. Rajurkar, M. M. Damane, Appl. Radiation Isotopes, 49 (1998) 773.
G. R. K. Naidu, H. O. Denslag, E. Mauerhofer, N. Porite, T. Balaji, Appl. Radiation Isotopes, 50 (1999) 947.
T. Balaji, R. N. Acharya, A. G. C. Nair, A. V. R. Reddy, K. S. Rao, G. R. K. Naidu, S. B. Manohar, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 243 (2000) 783.
D. L. Samudralwar, A. N. Garg, Biol. Trace Element Res., 54 (1996) 113.
V. Singh, A. N. Garg, Appl. Radiation Isotopes, 48 (1997) 97.
A. N. Garg, A. Kumar, A. V. R. Reddy, A. G. C. Nair, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 263 (2005) 751.
D. A. Becker, E. A. Mackey, Final Report: Results of the ASTM Interlaboratory Comparison Exercise for the Determination of the Elemental Content of Pine Needles, NIST, USA, 2004.
R. G. Weginwar, D. L. Samudralwar, A. N. Garg, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 133 (1989) 317.
E. M. N. Hamilton, E. N. Whitney, F. S. Sizer, Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, 4th ed. West Publishing Co., St. Paul, MN, USA, 1988, p. 232.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Garg, A.N., Kumar, A., Nair, A.G.C. et al. Analysis of some Indian medicinal herbs by INAA. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 271, 611–619 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-007-0316-9
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-007-0316-9