Page 39 - PR 2014 2016 07 Nuclear Science and Technology

Nuclear Science and Technology | Progress Report 181

bodies for its commercialization in fairs, public the permissible limit values.
markets or natural product stores.
In the study of the influence of elemental soil
The analyzed phytotherapics were coded with composition on the production of secondary
letter F followed by a number. The phytother- metabolites in medicinal plants, the elemental
pics with their respective contend of medicinal concentration was determined by instrumen-
plants (in parenthesis) were the following: F1 tal neutron activation analysis (INAA), graphite
(Paullinia cupana Mart, Sapindaceae), F2 (Peu- furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS
mus boldus, Rhamnus purshiana and Rheum GF) and optical emission spectrometry with
palmatum, F3 Camellia sinesis), F4 (Passiflora source of inductively coupled plasma (ICP-
alata, Erythrina mulungu and Crataegus oxya- OES) in the leaves of Melissa officinalis and
cantha, F5 (Peumus boldus, Rhamnus purshiana in cultivated soils. Melissa officinalis volatile
and Rheum palmatum). Besides these phyto- oils were extracted by the hydrodestillation
therapics, the medicinal plants Babosa (Aloe technique using the Clevenger apparatus and
vera) and Amoreira (Morus spp.), both from the the main secondary metabolites, citronellal,
national list of medicinal plants of the Sistema neral, geranial, citronellol, nerol and gerani-
Único de Saúde (SUS) (http://www.plantas- ol were determined by gas chromatography
medicinaisefitoterapia.com/plantas-medici- coupled to the mass spectrometer (GC- MS).
nais-do-sus), were also analyzed. Spring and summer presented the best quality
oils because they had lower contents of citro-
Concentrations of the elements As, Br, Ca, Co, nellol, nerol and geraniol. Neral and geranial
Cr, Cs, Fe, K, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc and Zn were deter- formation was favored in the conventional
mined in these phytotherapics and medicinal management correlated with the presence of
plants by applying neutron activation analysis. Co, Cr, Mg and Ni elements, while citronellal
The high concentration of Ca found in these formation was favored in organic management
samples can be associated to the absence of correlated with Mn.
side effects of stomach lesions. The element
K was also found in high concentration and
the presence of this element has been related
to diuretic actions. Potassium is present in
natural diuretics, as well as, in drugs used for
eliminate phlegm and to invigorate the stom-
ach. In addition, K can regulate body fluids
and participate in cardiac muscle contraction.
Elements such as Ca, Co, K, Fe, and Zn found
in herbal medicines are essential to humans.
Zinc is an element present in drugs used in Fig 26. Medicinal clays.
the treatment and prevention of ulcers and to
heal wounds. High concentrations of Zn were Dietary supplements (Multivitamins
found in leaves of Aloe vera medicinal plant. and proteins for athletes)

The determinations of chemical elements in The consumption of dietary supplements has
phytotherpics and medicinal plants are used to become of increasing importance not only
verify if they are present at high levels, above to supply nutritional deficiencies, but also to