Trace Metals Contamination of Herbal Remedies

Trace elements are ubiquitous chemical agents. They are basically classified into two categories: vital and non-vital. The vital group has a beneficial role in biological systems at certain concentrations, while the non-vital group has no known direct biological function; hence, even a low concentration of it shows toxicity. Trace elements such as copper, zinc, magnesium, cobalt, lead, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, nickel, mercury, and iron have been detected in herbal medicine in different parts of the world. The trace metals enter the herbal medicine through the plant materials that are used in the formulation of the medicine; this could be due to the fact that plants have the tendency to bioaccumulate them in the soil. Furthermore, it could be from other materials, such as water used (for liquid herbal medicine), ingredients used in packaging them, etc. The concentration of these trace metals sometimes exceeds the tolerable level. Thereby posing a potential risk for the dysfunction of vital organs and tissues such as the skin, liver, kidney, and the various systems such as the cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, respiratory, and nervous systems in the human body. If the disorder is not properly managed, it could lead to a chronic condition and even death. The trace contamination of herbal medicines can be avoided through quality assurance measures such as good manufacturing practices and good agricultural and collection practices for herbal medicines. Furthermore, there is a need for standardization and quality analysis at every stage of the value chain of herbal medicine, starting from the cultivation or collection of the herbs to the utilization of the formulated herbal medicine in the treatment of disease conditions.