engleski

Determination of heavy metal content in Vaccinium myrtillus Leaves (herbal antidiabetic remedies) by means of total reflection X-ray spectrometry

Bilberry (/Vaccinium myrtillus/, Ericaceae) fruit is one of the most appreciated berries, not only for its dietary importance but also for its medicinal value. Furthermore, due to the abundance of natural polyphenols bilberry leaf has important medicinal potential and it is traditionally used in southeastern Europe for the treatment of diabetes[1]. It has been postulated that this activity may be due to the presence of chromium, an important factor for enhancing insulin activity. Furthermore, the leaf is often collected in the wild and herbal material may be contaminated with heavy metals such as mercury, arsenium, cadmium and others [2], whose presence would negatively affect the consumers health. Since the presence of chromium and other heavy metals is strongly related to environment where the plant grows, the aim of this work was to assess the levels of these metals in plant material collected in several locations in Croatia and Montenegro, where the leaf is usually utilized.

heavy metals, Vaccinium myrtillus Leaves, TXRF

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