DETERMINATION OF SELECTED CHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND ANTI-NUTRITIONAL FACTORS OF BRANDED HERBAL MEDICINES SOLD IN MINNA

Abstract

Many herbal medicines are available in Minna for human consumption with little or no adequate information provided on their qualities and safety. In this study, analysis was carried out on thirteen liquid and seven powdered branded samples of the herbal medicine sold in Metropolis, in order to determine their selected heavy metal concentrations, phytochemical, physicochemical and anti-nutrition factors using standard methods. The concentrations (µg/dm3) of the selected heavy metals; Cd, Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn in branded liquid samples ranged from 0.12±0.10 to 0.02±0.10, 1280.02±1.99 to 8730.04±1.98, 250.02±2.10 to 600.01±2.23, 160.14±2.01 to 2186.01±3.13, 1346.02±1.99 to 9810.11±1.86 respectively while lead was not detected in any of the samples analyzed. The concentrations (mg/kg) of these metals in the powdered samples ranged from: 0.08±0.02 to 0.14±0.05, 21.70±0.13 to 193.80±3.18, 8.00±0.02 to 38.10±0.01, 12.10±0.32 to 127.70±1.20, and 96.10±0.30 to 338.10±3.10 respectively. The concentrations of cadmium obtained for both liquid and powdered samples were below the permissible limit of 0.30 mg/kg for powdered and 0.30 mg/dm3 forliquid respectively as recommended by WHO while the concentrations of iron in the samples were above the respective permissible limits; 100µg/dm3 and 20 mg/kg. The concentrations of copper in the liquid samples were found to be below the permissible limit of 1000 µg/dm3 while for manganese, the values for the samples: HM2, HM3, HM7 and HM8 are below the permissible limit of 260 µg/dm3, other liquid samples had values above the permissible limit. For the concentrations of zinc in both liquid and powdered samples, values obtained were above the permissible limit 1500 µg/dm3(liquid) and 50 mg/kg (powdered). The respective phytochemical contents; flavonoids, alkaloids, and saponnins of the liquid samples ranged from 0.35±0.06 to 4.30±0.06, 3.69±0.04 to 10.10±0.03 and 0.28±0.32 to 2.27±0.11 % while those of the powdered samples ranged from 14.40±0.36 to 0.35±0.01, 16.67±0.02 to 10.36±0.04 and 14.24±0.23 to 3.43±0.07 % respectively. The physicochemical values of the liquid samples; pH, viscosity, and electrical conductivity which ranged from; 7.41±0.25to 4.21±0.15, 23.45±0.46 to 0.55±0.01mm2/s, 23.43±0.13 to 2.18±0.15ml/cm and the pH, bulk density, and electrical conductivity of powdered samples which ranged from 7.44±0.01 to 5.03±0.02, 0.67±0.00 to 0.43±0.01mm2/s, 39.08±0.32 to 9.31±0.33 ml/cm respectively. The pH values obtained for both liquid and powdered samples are within the permissible limit of 4.0 - 7.50. The mean percentages of the selected anti-nutritional contents; tannins, oxalate and phytate with the nitrate and nitrite of the liquid samples ranged from 1.94±0.10 to 5.40±0.06, 0.32±0.06 to 1.48±0.32 and 3.16±0.01 to 10.81±0.01 with 4.24±0.01 to 8.37±0.02 and 4.24±0.01 to 0.35±0.01% respectively while the values for the powdered samples ranged from 11.37±0.21 to 6.15±0.10, 1 7.46±0.14 to 6.15±0.10 and 24.63±0.03 to 1.87±0.03 with 4.25±0.01 to 40.73±0.37 and 1.25± 0.01 to 79±0.04 respectively. Since the phytate, tannins and saponin contents of the samples analyzed in this study are not above the minimum recommended values, could lead to the interferences of these phytochemicals with essential micronutrients of man. The physicochemical parameters show a level of the safety and quality of these samples.