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Assessment of Metals Linked to Diabetes in Some Medicinal Plant Seeds from Nigeria with Antihyperglycemic Activity

Adewale AR*, Ibironke AA and Jamshed I

Abstract

Mineral and heavy elements are parts of food component that cannot be synthesized within the human body, but are essential for optimal body health condition. The imbalance of essential elements and accumulation of heavy metals in diabetic patients have been linked to pathogenesis of diabetes with adverse numerous effects. Thus, the determination of mineral and heavy metals composition and concentration of plant seeds with anti-hyperglycaemic activity.

This study was designed to determine the levels of both mineral and heavy metals in the 10 medicinal plant seeds. Mineral elements; Na, Mg, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and heavy metals; Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr, Co, Mo, Al and Hg levels were determined in both the seed powders and methanol extractsof Picralima nitida, Croton penduliflorous, Monodora myristica, Cyperus esculentus, Parkia biglobosa, Erythrococca anomala, Butyrospermum paradoxum, Momrodica charantia, and Monodora tenuifolia using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) technique. The analysis revealed varied concentration of the mineral and heavy elements contents in the seed powders and extracts. The order of mineral elements concentration were; K>Ca>Fe>Mg>Na>Zn. Heavy metals levels in the seed powders was in the range of 16.09 ± 0.27 ppm - 4.94 ± 1.17 ppm for Al, the most abundant in the seed powders while Pb (0.41 ± 0.24 ppm - 0.15 ± 0.01 ppm) as the least abundant in the seed powders. Amount of the heavy elements in the seed extracts were found to be below the recommended tolerable weekly intake; Cr (492.8 ppm), Pb (291.2 ppm) and Cd (19.0 ppm). The heavy metals mean concentrations in the seed powders and their extracts were found to be within the permissible levels recommend by WHO. The continuous use of these plant seeds as therapeutic agent or food products may not pose any adverse health risk with daily recommended doses compliance