title: Elemental characterisation of the medical plant Alchemilla velebitica.
abstract: Alchemilla, commonly called "lady's mantle", is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants belonging to the family Rosaceae. The species Alchemilla velebitica is found only in Southern Europe, like in the Croatian National Park Northern Velebit. Its benefits, such as a astringent and emmenagogue activity as well as wound healing are correlated to the organic compounds found in the plant, but also certain trace elements are known to reduce skin lesions, such as zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, silicon and lithium. Thus the objective of the present study was the elemental characterization of leaves, blossoms and roots of A. velebitica. After acidic microwave assisted digestion the concentrations of selected essential and trace elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma--atomic emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma--mass spectrometry. Other minor elements, such as Al, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Sr and Zn are also found in leaves, blossoms and roots with contents in μg/kg range. The preparation of decoctions and the extraction yields of the elements of interest are calculated.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Iva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Juranović Cindrić
authors.affiliation: Division of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: michaela.zeiner@boku.ac.at.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeiner
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Požgaj
authors.affiliation: Velebit Botanic Garden, Northern Velebit National Park Public Institution, Krasno 96, 53274 Krasno, Croatia.
authors.forename: Tea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Šilić
authors.affiliation: Division of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stingeder
mesh_terms: D031982:Alchemilla / Q000737:chemistry*; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D017523:Croatia; D008345:Manganese / Q000032:analysis; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D008872:Microwaves; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis; D000069460:Teas, Medicinal / Q000032:analysis*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D014131:Trace Elements; D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper; D012643:Selenium; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Alchemilla velebitica; ICP-AES; ICP-MS; Minor and major elements