Heavy metal and mould contamination of herbal medicinal products – an overview

Authors

  • Iwona Ałtyn Department of Physiology and Toxicology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Kazimierz Wielki University, Chodkiewicza 30 St., 85-064 Bydgoszcz, Poland
  • Magdalena Twarużek Department of Physiology and Toxicology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Kazimierz Wielki University, Chodkiewicza 30 St., 85-064 Bydgoszcz, Poland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24917/25438832.3.9

Keywords:

contamination, heavy metals, medicinal plants, mould

Abstract

Rośliny zielarskie są powszechnie wykorzystywane jako surowce w przemyśle farmaceutycznym. Od czasów starożytnych ziół używa się w leczeniu i zapobieganiu chorób. Jednakże w dzisiejszych czasach mogą one nie spełniać wymagań dotyczących jakości, bezpieczeństwa i skuteczności. Większość produktów ziołowych nie jest testowana, a ich efekty działania są słabo monitorowane. Konsekwencją tego jest niewystarczająca wiedza na temat przebiegu ich działania, skutków ubocznych, przeciwwskazań oraz interakcji z występującymi na rynku produktami farmaceutycznymi oraz żywnością. Przyczyną negatywnego wpływu surowców ziołowych na organizm może być ich zanieczyszczenie przez różne grzyby pleśniowe, powstające podczas zbioru, przetwarzania, przechowywania, a także dystrybucji. Zanieczyszczenie surowców zielarskich może być również spowodowane przez różnorodne metale ciężkie, które występują w wielu aspektach współczesnego życia. Celem niniejszej pracy jest przegląd informacji na temat stanu mykologicznego i chemicznego roślin leczniczych, a także wskazanie kilku ważnych wyzwań związanych z efektywnym monitorowaniem ich bezpieczeństwa.

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Published

2018-12-31

How to Cite

Ałtyn, I., & Twarużek , M. (2018). Heavy metal and mould contamination of herbal medicinal products – an overview. Annales Universitatis Paedagogicae Cracoviensis Studia Naturae, 3(1), 125–134. https://doi.org/10.24917/25438832.3.9

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