Vartika Rai

Heavy Metal Accumulation in Some Herbal Drugs

Accumulation of heavy metals, namely Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn, was estimated in some of the important herbal drugs of India, viz., Alpinia galanga, Artemisia parviflora, Butea monosperma, Coleus forskohlii, Curcuma amada, Euphorbia prostrata, Leucas aspera, Malaxis acuminata and Pueraria tuberosa. A total of 34 samples, genuine as well as market samples of aforesaid plant species, were procured for estimation of heavy metals. The concentration of Pb and Cd was found beyond the WHO permissible limits in most of the samples studied. It is also notable that difference in heavy metal concentration in a particular plant species collected from different regions is related to the site from where the samples were collected. For example, Junagadh sample of Artemisia parviflora leaves accumulated more Pb and Zn as compared to the Tarikhet sample. This may be due to higher industrial activity at Junagadh district of Gujrat State. Similarly, Lucknow samples of Alpinia galanga and Curcuma amada showed maximum concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn, as compared to the other regional samples of the same species, and the air pollution due to automobiles is quite high in this city.

Effect of Chromium on Antioxidant Potential of Catharanthus roseus Varieties and Production of Their Anticancer Alkaloids: Vincristine and Vinblastine

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don, a medicinal plant, has a very important place in the traditional as well as modern pharmaceutical industry. Two common varieties of this plant rosea and alba are named so because of pink and white coloured flowers, respectively. This plant comprises of about 130 terpenoid indole alkaloids and two of them, vincristine and vinblastine, are common anticancer drugs. The effect of chromium (Cr) on enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant components and on secondary metabolites vincristine and vinblastine was studied under pot culture conditions of both varieties of C. roseus. Antioxidant responses of these varieties were analyzed under 0, 10, 50, and 100 μM chromium (Cr) level in order to investigate the plants protective mechanisms against Cr induced oxidative stress. The results indicated that Cr affects all the studied parameters and decreases growth performance. However, vincristine and vinblastine contents were increased under Cr stress. Results are quite encouraging, as this plant shows good antioxidant potential and increased the level of active constituents under Cr stress.

Disruption of Elements Uptake due to Excess Chromium in Indian Medicinal Plants

Chromium and its compounds may cause disturbance in the nutrient level of the plants. Iron, manganese, copper, and zinc are essential nutrient elements and required for balanced growth and development of plants, but chromium uptake sometimes disturbed their concentration in plants. Therefore, in the present paper, an effort has been made to observe the effect of different levels of Cr on nutrient uptake of Phyllanthus amarus and Solanum nigrum, the medicinally important plants of indigenous systems of medicine having hepatoprotective and diuretic properties. The study revealed that Cr causes significant changes in nutrient uptake as compared to control plants. Besides, Cr-treated plants showed growth depression and decrease in fresh and dry weight too. With the increase in Cr supply, accumulation of Cr in roots was increased significantly. Concentration of manganese and zinc was also increased. However, copper concentration in both the plants seemed less affected by Cr.

Effect of Cadmium on Growth, Bacoside A, and Bacopaside I of Bacopa monnieri (L.), a Memory Enhancing Herb

Bacopa monnieri (L.) is an important medicinal plant mainly known as a memory enhancing herb. It is important to see the effect of metal pollution on its active constituents. In this context, efforts have been made to observe the effect of Cd on the triterpenoid saponins bacoside A and bacopaside I in this plant. The influence of the metal on growth parameters like protein, chlorophyll content, and biomass has also been observed. It is interesting to note that the bacoside A and bacopaside I gradually increased by the Cd treatment up to 10 μM and then decreased at higher concentrations, that is, 50 and 100 μM, but the concentration of these components was more in all the treated plants as compared to control. On the contrary, protein, chlorophyll content, and biomass decreased with the increase in metal concentration and exposure duration due to metal toxicity.