title: [Mineral content of some herbs and plant extracts with anti-inflammatory effect used in gastrointestinal diseases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In gastrointestinal diseases folk medicine usually recommends herbs and teas with antiinflammatory activities, especially mucilage and bitter agent containing plants. The use of stomatics as adjuvant therapy in medical practice is frequent.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The authors explored the mineral element content of some herbs, because mineral elements may have significant role in the development and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, and a close connection between the presence or absence of mineral elements and inflammatory mediators was noted.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mineral content in Trigonellae foenugraeci semen, Farfarae folium et flos, Taraxaci radix and Cichorii radix and teas prepared from these herbs was determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The results were evaluated from nutritional and biomedical points of view.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Farfarae folium et flos tea was found to be a rich source of calcium, chromium, manganese and molybdenum. Trigonellae foenugraeci semen, Taraxaci radix and Cichorii radix displayed favourable calcium to magnesium ratio (1-1.5) and they contained other elements (manganese, iron, copper, zinc) which may have significant role in the immune defence system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The beneficial therapeutic effect of the studied herbs may be related to their mineral element content.
authors.affiliation: MTA Természettudományi Kutatóközpont Anyag- és Környezetkémiai Intézet Budapest. szentmihalyi.klara@ttk.mta.hu
authors.forename: Klára
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szentmihályi
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: Krisztina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Süle
authors.forename: Mária
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Then
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001628:Beverages; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D018651:Cichorium intybus; D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D008345:Manganese / Q000032:analysis; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods; D031205:Taraxacum; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D029910:Trigonella; D031207:Tussilago; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014131:Trace Elements; D002857:Chromium; D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper; D008982:Molybdenum; D007501:Iron; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D002118:Calcium