Assessment of Total Mineral Content in Raw Materials of Ten Medicinal Plants from Roadside Biotopes (Voronezh Region)

Abstract

Abstract—The total mineral content in medicinal plants from the roadside and railside coenoses of the Voronezh region was studied. The pharmacopoeial plant raw materials of 10 species were evaluated: roots of Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg and Arctium lappa L.; herb of Polygonum aviculare L., Artemisia absinthium L., Leonurus quinquelobatus Gilib., and Achillea millefolium L.; leaves of Urtica dioica L. and Plantago major L.; flowers of Tanacetum vulgare L. and Tilia cordata Mill. For collecting medicinal plant raw materials, the minimum allowable distances from different types of roads and railways were determined based on the total ash content indicator. For different natural zones, the minimum allowable distance from the heavy traffic motorways is: forest zone – 210 m, forest–steppe zone – 240 m, and steppe zone (devoid of tree and shrub vegetation) – 380 m. For secondary low-speed roads and railways, the minimum recommended distance is 80 m.