title: [Investigation of metal element content of some European and Far Eastern herbs].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Metal elements and their excess intake have significant influence on general health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  There is only little information how Far Eastern herbs resemble European's regarding their purity and essential metal element content. The aim of the authors was to determine metal elements in different Chinese and European herbs and extracts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The studied European herbs included Calendula officinalis petals, Achillea millefolium, Epilobium parviflorum herba, Urtica dioica leaves, Crataegus monogyna flowers while Far Eastern herbs were Cordyceps sinensis, Ganoderma lucidum, Ginkgo biloba leaves, Panax ginseng and Curcuma longa roots. The analysis was performed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no considerable difference in essential metal elements and the Ca:Mg concentration ratio between European and Far Eastern drugs and extracts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The extracts are preferential metal element sources and their magnesium content are also advantageous, because of a shift of the Ca:Mg concentration ratio towards magnesium.
authors.affiliation: Farmakognóziai Intézet, Semmelweis Egyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar Budapest.
authors.forename: Krisztina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Süle
authors.forename: Dóra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kurucz
authors.forename: Ágnes
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Kajári
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: May
mesh_terms: D031162:Achillea / Q000737:chemistry; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D020838:Calendula / Q000737:chemistry; D032661:Cordyceps / Q000737:chemistry; D027825:Crataegus / Q000737:chemistry; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry; D031666:Epilobium / Q000737:chemistry; D005060:Europe; D005202:Asia, Eastern; D065829:Flower Essences / Q000737:chemistry; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000737:chemistry; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D020940:Reishi / Q000737:chemistry; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D026982:Urtica dioica / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D065829:Flower Essences; D008670:Metals; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014131:Trace Elements; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Chinese herb; European herb; calcium; európai gyógynövény; kalcium; kínai gyógynövény; magnesium; magnézium