title: Metal content monitoring in Hypericum perforatum pharmaceutical derivatives by atomic absorption and emission spectrometry.
abstract: Metals have been investigated in different plant materials in order to establish their normal concentration range and consider their role in plants as part of human medicinal treatment. Metal monitoring as a pattern recognition method is a promising tool in the characterization and/or standardization of phytomedicines. In the present work measurable amounts of Ca, Cu, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, and Zn were detected in phytopharmaceutical derivatives of Hypericum perforatum by atomic techniques. Atomic methodologies like flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) allow reliable determination of mineral content in pharmaceutical quality control of medicinal plants. Additionally, capillary electrophoresis (CE) patterns of characteristic components (fingerprints) have been performed for the search of adulterants in phytopharmaceutical products.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Chacabuco y Pedernera, San Luis 5700, Argentina.
authors.forename: María R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: Cerutti
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soledad
authors.forename: Roberto A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Olsina
authors.forename: María F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Luis D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Martínez
mesh_terms: D035264:Flowers; D020902:Hypericum; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000032:analysis*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis; D018515:Plant Leaves; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D010936:Plant Extracts