Determination of Some Minerals and Trace Elements in Medicinal Plants - Acalypha indica (L.), Datura metel (L.) and Tylophora indica Used in the Treatment of Ashtma

ABSTRACT

In the current era, medicinal plants are the major resources of indigenous medicines in the traditional medicine system and are playing an important role. Over 80% of the world population mainly depend only on traditional/folk medicinal plants for plant-based medicines to control many of the diseases and their extracts for health care. In the present study, the medicinal plants commonly used by the local people and traditional practitioners of Kappathgudda area, Gadag District, North Karnataka region for treatment of Asthma viz. Acalypha indica L., Datura metel L. and Tylophora indica belongs to Euphorbiaceous, Solanaceae and Asclepiadaceae families were selected for elemental analysis due to its wider application in the traditional medicinal system. Analytical Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer technique was adopted for the determination of various elements and indicated that Fe, Ca, K, Mg, Ti, Mn, V, Zn, Cu and Cd were present in all samples. The obtained results also revealed that the mineral and trace elemental contents were well within the permissible range and hence the medicinal plants are safe to be utilized in the drug formulations.