FUW TRENDS IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(A Peer Review Journal)
e–ISSN: 2408–5162; p–ISSN: 2048–5170
keywords: Heavy metals, herbal drugs, Kara market, physico-chemical parameters
The use of Herbal drugs for various medicaments has been on the increase in Nigeria as it is in other developing and even developed countries. This study was aimed at determining the physico-chemical parameters and the levels of heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Mn, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn and Ni) concentration in selected crude drugs sold in Kara market, Sokoto-Nigeria. The physico-chemical parameters were determined using standard analytical methods and the heavy metals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) after wet digestion. The moisture was found to be 3.56 – 5.0 %, total ash, 11.7 – 19.0 % and acid insoluble ash contents 0.5 – 9.3 %. The results also revealed maximum concentrations (mg/Kg) of the heavy metals in the samples as: 0.156±0.001, 0.103±0.005, 44.900±0.002, 0.275±0.003, 18.496±0.001, 1.133±0.001, 3.649±0.001 and 0.340±0.003 for Cr, Cd, Mn, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn and Ni, respectively. The moisture indicated an excellent preservative state of the crude drugs but insoluble ash values indicated the likely presence of silica as contaminant in the drugs. The levels of Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn and Ni were all found to be within the World Health Organization (WHO) limits for heavy metals in plant samples. While, Cr in Cassia singueana and Anogeissus leiocarpus leaves; as well as Mn in Guiera senegalensis, Combretum micranthum and Deuterium microcarpum D. senegalense exceeded the WHO limits. Prolong intake of these plants could build toxic concentration of even the metals that were below WHO limit. It is therefore suggested that the quality, safety and efficacy of these crude drugs be improved through pharmacovigilance.
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