Monitoring of Essential and Toxic Elements in Leaves, Branches, and Stem of Prosopis cineraria (as Anti-Inflammatory) Growing in Iran

Abstract

Prosopis cineraria is locally grown which scientific literature present evidence for its anti-inflammatory effect. Monitoring the content of toxic elements is one of the most important aspects to consider medicinal plants' safety before evaluating the pharmaceutical use. The aim of present study was to investigate the level of essential and toxic elements in the leaves, branches, and stem of Prosopis cineraria to assess its health risk. Samples were collected around Bandar Abbas, washed several times, and dried in air for 2 weeks. The dried samples were chopped with stainless steel knife to small pieces and powdered by electrical mortar. Some physical and chemical properties of samples were investigated by chemical methods. Samples were ashed by a programmable electric furnace at 650 °C for 6 h. Then samples were dissolved in 30% HNO₃, and the content elements of each sample were determined by inductive coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The tests quality control and the measurement uncertainty were checked through the analysis of certified reference materials of SRM 1515 from NIST and solution standards. Correlation analysis of the obtained results showed a significant difference between leaves, branches, and stem of Prosopis cineraria so that the stem had the high essential and low toxic elements ones in comparison to other parts. The results revealed that the Prosopis cineraria stem is meeting health standards regarding the studied toxic metals.

Keywords: Essential elements; Prosopis cineraria; Stem; Toxic elements.