Health Risk Study of Heavy Metals from Consumption of Drugs (Solid and Liquid) Samples Derived from Medicinal Plants in Iraq

• Published in: Biological trace element research 2023-07, Vol.201 (7), p.3528-3540
• Main Authors: Lawi, Dhuha Jalil, Abdulwhaab, Waleed Salah, Abojassim, Ali Abid
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic absorption spectrophotometry; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Cancer; Carcinogens; Drugs; Environmental Monitoring; Health hazards; Health risks; Heavy metals; Herbal medicine; Humans; Iraq; Iron; Lead; Lead content; Life Sciences; Medicinal plants; Metal concentrations; Metals; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Nutrition; Oncology; Plants, Medicinal; Risk Assessment; Spectral analysis; Spectrophotometers; Zinc
• ISSN: 0163-4984; 1559-0720
• DOI: 10.1007/s12011-022-03408-y

Heavy metals are one of the carcinogenic factors harmful to the safety of human health. In plant-based medications, heavy metals can be found. In February 2022, 28 specimens of medicinal drugs (solid and liquid) were collected from Texas drugstores to investigate heavy metals like zinc, iron, and lead utilizing a Shimadzu AA-7000 atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The current study used a US EPA model to calculate non-cancer and cancer risk parameters for heavy metals in all medicinal drug specimens. Zinc, iron, and lead levels (mg/kg) in solid samples were 1.95–51.43, 29.09–2055.92, and ND–26.68, respectively, while they were 0.043–4.267, 0.100–5.25, and ND–1.434, respectively, in liquid specimens. The average value of total non-cancer risk (TNCR or HII) and total cancer risk (TCCR) of heavy metals intake in solid specimens was 4.54E − 03 ± 1.1E − 03 and 2.11E − 06 ± 6.0E − 07, while in liquid specimens were 1.98E − 04 ± 4.1E − 05 and 9.44E − 09 ± 2.3E − 09, respectively. Compared to liquid specimens, solid specimens have higher concentrations of heavy metals. The zinc, iron, and lead concentrations in the liquid specimens were lower than the WHO-acceptable standards of 50, 20, and 10 mg/kg, respectively. On the other hand, few solid specimen results are more than acceptable. However, all the specimens’ TNCR and TCCR results were within the US EPA’s globally recommended limits. Finally, the results of the heavy metals show no health hazards associated with using the researched medications.