TOXIC METALS CONTENT AND SAFE USE OF Seseli pallasii HERB

Abstract

Heavy metals, whether from natural or anthropogenic sources have the ability to migrate between differ ent parts of environment and accumulate in flora and fauna, finally reaching humans through food chain. The possibility that plants might be contaminated by heavy metals should be taken into account, when they are intended for use in pharmaceutical and food industry, because increased concentration of some metals may have an adverse effect on human and animal health. Wild medicinal herb Seseli pallasii have been used in traditional medicine as well as a spice in nutrition, hence an assessment of the presence of toxic metals in it is essential in order to ensure its safe application. Vegetative parts of plant S. pallasii (root, leaf, flower and fruit) from Southeast Serbia were analyzed to assess the content of toxic metals (Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb, using inductively coupled plasma with optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The results have shown that the average concentration of Cd in the aboveground part was almost twice as high 0.21 ppm than in the root 0.11 ppm, concentration of Cr in aerial part was of 0.43ppm, in the root 0.29 ppm, concentration of Ni in the aboveground was of 0.98ppm, while in the root it was of 0.68ppm. The average concentration of Pb in the aboveground part and the root was almost the same (2.31 and 2.15 ppm, respectively). These facts evidenced that the contents of toxic elements in the studied medicinal plant species are below the recommended limits, confirming that S. pallasii from the examined area can be safely used in traditional medicine and nutrition. Key words: Seseli pallasii, toxic metals, ICP, safety .