جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه "بادرنجبویه" در نشریات گروه "پزشکی"

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major health challenge in the world today. The present study aimed to determine the effect of aerobic exercise and Melissa officinalis extract on the expression of p53, p21, and caspase-3 genes in male rats with AD.

In this experimental study, 48 rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control, AD, control + aerobic exercise, AD + aerobic exercise, AD + aerobic exercise + extract, and AD + extract. The AD model was induced by injecting amyloid beta 42-1 into the hippocampus. Aerobic exercise was performed for 8 weeks. Melissa officinalis extract was dissolved in 2 ml of distilled water at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight and gavaged to rats for 8 weeks. Real-Time PCR was used to determine the expression levels of p53, p21, and caspase-3 genes.

After 8 weeks of aerobic exercise combined with Melissa officinalis extract, the expression of the p21 gene in the intervention groups significantly increased compared to the AD group (P<0.05). Moreover, p53 and caspase-3 were significantly decreased in the AD + aerobic exercise and AD + aerobic exercise + extract groups compared to the AD group (P<0.05).

It seems that aerobic exercise combined with Melissa officinalis extract can inhibit AD by suppressing apoptosis, however, further studies in this field are needed.

The role of free radicals in causing many diseases has been well proven. These particles can destroy biomolecules. Antioxidants can prevent these harmful effects. Considering that plants are a source of natural antioxidants, research in this field is increasing. Hypoxia means the reduction of oxygen in the body tissues, which can lead to dysfunction of the body. Hypoxia causes a significant increase in reactive oxygen species, thus, antioxidants are considered anti-hypoxia. Melissa officinalis L. is a well-known medicinal plant of Lamiaceae. Leaves of this plant have been widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular and respiratory problems and as a memory enhancer. This investigation was carried out to examine the impact of extraction on total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of M. officinalis aerial parts. In addition, the Antihypoxic activities of all extracts were evaluated in three models in mice.

In this experimental study, dried aerial parts were extracted by three different methods, i.e. maceration method, ultrasonic-assisted, and soxhlet-assisted extraction. Antioxidative capacity was assessed by utilizing DPPH free radicals scavenging and reducing power. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined. The protective effects of extract in the initial dose of 62.5-250 mg/kg were evaluated against hypoxia-induced lethality in mice by three experimental models of hypoxia, i.e. asphyctic, haemic, and circulatory. The latencies for death for mice in minutes were recorded. The Institutional Animal Ethical Committee of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences approved the experimental protocol. In the asphyctic hypoxic model, phenytoin (50 mg/kg, i.p.) and in the next two tests, propranolol (20 and 30 mg/kg, i.p.) were used as the positive control. In all tests, Normal saline (0.5 ml, i.p.) was used as the negative control. Analysis of variance was performed followed by Newman-Keuls multiple comparisons (by GraphPad Prism 8) were used to determine the differences in means.

Meceration method and ultrasonic(P<0.0001) assisted extraction were the best methods for extraction of polyphenols. In DPPH radical scavenging activity, soxhlet-assisted extraction and extraction by the meceration method were more efficient than ultrasonic-assisted extraction(P>0.05). In the hemic model, none of the extracts showed any activity. Even the soxhlet-assisted extract at the dose of 250 mg/kg, even though it increased the death time by about one minute, could not cause a significant effect(P>0.05). In the circulatory model, none of the extracts showed any effect at the lowest tested dose i.e. 62.5 mg/kg but all the extracts showed a very potent activity at higher doses. All the extracts at a dose of 250 mg/kg showed a much stronger effect than propranolol 30 mg/kg. In the asphyctic model, all the extracts showed very good effects so we had to reduce the dosage many times. The extract obtained from the maceration method at a dose of 1.95 mg/kg and ultrasonic-assisted and soxhlet assisted extracts at the dose of 7.81 mg/kg showed the same activity as phenytoin(P>0.05).

The findings of the current study indicated that extraction methods significantly affect antioxidant capacities and total phenolic contents. The ultrasonic-assisted extraction and maceration method were the most suitable methods for extracting phenolic and flavonoid compounds from this plant. All extracts showed high antioxidant activities. All extracts showed very strong effects in the asphyctic model.

Melissa officinalis (M. officinalis) is a well-known medicinal plant with various therapeutic properties such as, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Pharmacological effects of this plant is attributed with its main phenolic compounds, rosmarinic acid. This research aimed to study the relaxant effect of the aqueous-alcoholic extract of Melissa officinalis on the isolated tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) of rat.

The relaxant potential of cumulative concentrations of the aqueous-alcoholic extract of Melissa officinalis (50, 100, 200 µg/ml) was compared with normal saline (1 milliliter of normal saline) as a negative control and three cumulative concentrations of theophylline (0.8, 0.4, 0.2 mM) as a positive control on the TSM of isolated rat. The relaxant effect of M. officinalis extract was examined on non-incubated and incubated TSM with propranolol (1 μM), atropine (1 μM), and chlorpheniramine (1 μM) as different antagonists of beta-2 adrenergic (β2-Adrenergic), muscarinic and H1 histamine receptors respectively.

The relaxant effect of M. officinalis extract with all theophylline concentrations on the isolated tracheal smooth muscle exhibited a significant increase compared to saline (P<0.001 in all instances) in non-incubated tissues.  The relaxant effect of medium and high dose of M. officinalis extracts (100 and 200 µg/ml) were similar to theophylline and were not significant difference. Conversely, the relaxant effect of M. officinalis exhibited a significant reduction in incubated tissues with chlorpheniramine and atropine compared to the non-incubated tissue.

The relaxant effect of aqueous-alcoholic extract of Melissa officinalis on isolated tracheal tissue is possibly be mediated through the inhibition of muscarinic and H1 histamine receptors while having no significant impact on beta-2 adrenergic receptors.

One of the most important problems of coronary angiography candidatesis anxiety. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Melissa officinalis L. on the level of anxiety and physiological parameters of these patients.

A randomized clinical trial with a control group was conducted on 72 patients referred to Kordkuy Heart Hospital in 2021. Samples were selected as available and were allocated to two groups by simple random method (n=36 in each group). Data were gathered three times, before intervention, and minutes 3 and 20 from the beginning of intervention. Hemodynamic parameters were measured and Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaire was used to determine anxiety level. Data were analyzed with SPSS 18 with independent t-test, U-Man-Whitney, Chi-Square, and Fisher's exact test at a significance level of 0.05.

The results showed that 20 minutes after initiation of the intervention, the mean changes in heart rate was significantly lower in the intervention group (p=0.001). moreover, mean respiration rate in the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group 20 minutes from the beginning of the intervention (p=0.002). Mean changes in anxiety was lower in the intervention group compared with the control group. This difference was not significant, but close to significant level (p=0.063).

Aromatherapy can reduce anxiety before angiography and is suggested as an alternative and safe care intervention.

Anxiety is one of the most important symptoms after orthopedic surgery which can have various side effects and negatively affect the process of recovery after surgery. The present study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effect of Melissa Officinalis tea and Matricaria Chamomilla tea on anxiety of patients after lower limb orthopedic surgery.

This was a randomized controlled trial which was conducted on 96 patients after lower-limb orthopedic surgery in Ayatollah Kashani hospital in Shahrekord, Iran. Patients were selected with convenience sampling method and allocated to either Melissa Officinalis, Chamomile or control group. For Melissa Officinalis group, 1g of Melissa tea, for Chamomile group 1g chamomile tea and for control group black tea was prescribed 3 times a day. Anxiety of participants was evaluated before start of interventions and after each step of interventions using Spielberger’s state anxiety inventory. The mean score of anxiety before interventions and the mean changes of anxiety score after each step of interventions compared between groups. Data were analyzed with descriptive and analytical statistics using SPSS software.

the results of Tukey’s post-hoc test showed that after the second step of interventions till the last step, the mean change of anxiety score in Melissa Officinalis and Chamomile group was significantly greater than in the control group (P<0.05).   

The results of this study show that prescription of Melissa Officinalis and Chamomile tea is effective in reducing anxiety of patients after lower limb orthopedic surgery.

Lemon balm is a widely used medicinal plant, but in addition to the main variety (Melissa officinalis L.), several other plant species are sold in the pharmaceutical markets with the name of lemon balm, it’s properties, type and concentration of medicinal compounds are not completely similar to the original variety, therefore. It is important to investigate these species more closely and determine their botanical indicators, therapeutic properties and possible side effects.

This research has been carried out in two dimensions: studying valid research documents and conducting field research, in the first dimension, in addition to the study of flora related to the search in Pubmed, Webmed, Scopus, Magiran and... Databases with the key Persian words such as Badranjbuiyeh (Lemon Balm), therapeutic properties, side effects, local name and their English equivalents were also found in related published articles. In the second dimension, the samples that were offered under the name Badranjbouyeh in different parts of the country were purchased and identified after being transferred to the herbarium.

Based on the identified samples, it was found that in addition to Melissa officinalis L. species; at least 15 other plant species are sold in the country under the name of lemon balm. Dracocephalum polychaetum, Dracocephalum ,moldavica Dracocephalum Surmandinum, Dracocephalum subcapitatum, Dracocephalum kotschy Dracocephalum Lindbergii, Dracocephalum aucheri, Hymenocrater elegans, Hymenocrater Bituminosus (Dracocephalum thymiflorum Stachys inflata, Nepeta persica Nepeta mahanensis, Marrubium vulgare ( of Lamiaceae and Asperugo procombens of Boraginaceae.

The lack of expertise in botanical science of many suppliers of medicinal plants leads to the occurrence of inadvertent frauds in the market of medicinal plants, these frauds, in addition to reducing the effectiveness of treatment, can lead to severe side effects or damage, therefore, it is very important to accurately identify the types of drugs available in the country's drug market.

Secondary metabolites of plants such as phenols and flavonoids can neutralize free radicals and antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of plants are related to their polyphenolic compounds. Antibiotic resistance has become a major problem in the treatment of infectious diseases and led to the usage of medicinal plants. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the total phenolic and flavonoid compounds of Lavandula angustifolia and Melissa officialis, and evaluate their antibacterial effects on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Two extraction method of lyophilization and the water bath method were used in the extraction of Lavandula angustifolia and Melissa officialis.  Folin-ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods were used for the determination of total phenolic and flavonoid compounds and microdilution broth and disc diffusion methods were used for the evaluation of the antibacterial effect. The results showed that the total phenolic compounds of Lavandula angustifolia with the amount of 24 ± 0.04 mg /g DW using the lyophilization method and methanol solvent and the total flavonoid compounds of Lavandula angustifolia with the amount of 17.85 ± 0.011 mg /g DW using leophilization and ethanol solvent were the highest amounts among others. Methanol extract of Lavandula angustifolia was the most effective extract with a 9.5 and 7.5 mm zone of inhibition and on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus respectively. It can be concluded that Lavandula angustifolia and Melissa officialis contain phenolic and flavonoid compounds that can be used as medicinal plants in the treatment of infectious diseases caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia.

Plant extracts and their phenolic and flavonoid compounds have known anti-microbial and anti-cancer properties, but extraction methods and solvents can affect their properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate and comparison of the biological properties of Impatiens walleriana and Melissa officinalis. Plants were prepared from Tehran local flower market in 2018, isolated, dried in shade (less than 1% moisture) and milled. After preparation of various extracts including ethanol / methanol, aqueous and acetone by maceration and ultrasonic methods, the compounds were examined. The biochemical compounds were compared. Compounds include total phenolic content determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method, total flavonoid content by aluminum chloride method, anthocyanin and total carotenoids by colorimeter methods. The results showed that the maceration extract method was superior to the ultrasonic extraction in studied plants and ethanol / methanol with purity (1: 1 ratio) of 70% was selected as the most suitable solvent. Melissa officinalis had higher flavonoid content of  8.75±1.01 mg / g DW and Impatiens walleriana leaf had more phenolic content of 12.66 ± 0.2 mg / g DW than the other two compounds. Impatiens walleriana flowers had more anthocyanins due to their color composition (2.09 ± 0.02 µmol / g DW) than the other two compounds and Melissa officinalis contained the most carotenoid (5.07 ± 0.06 mg / g DW). Extracts of the studied plants contain significant (P<0.05)  amount of antioxidant compounds. Therefore, further research is recommended to fully identify these compounds and their antioxidant potency.

Melissa officinalis (MO) is a medicinal plant and is a rich source of antioxidant and phenolic compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of Melissa officinalis against ethanol induced sub-chronic testicular toxicity in male Wistar rats.

Ethanol extract of MO was prepared and total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined. The Animals were divided into seven groups: control (treated with normal saline), ethanol (10 mg/kg,ip), ethanol and MO extract (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg), MO extract alone (400 mg/kg), and ethanol+ Vit C (positive control). After 56 days, the rats were sacrificed and testis and epididymis were harvested. Oxidative stress markers including: level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC), and glutathione (GSH), and also nitric oxide (NO) as an inflammatory factor were assayed in testis tissue. Moreover, sperm parameters analysis and histopathological evaluation of testis tissue were performed.

Ethanol increased reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, carbonyl protein, and nitric oxide and decreased glutathione in testicular tissue. Pathological lesions, decrease in motility, count and normal morphology of sperm were also observed in ethanol-treated groups. Melissa officinalis inhibited ethanol-induced oxidative stress in testicular tissue and improved sperm abnormalities and pathological lesions.

Melissa officinalis showed protective effect against ethanol-induced testicular toxicity which may be attributed to its antioxidant activity. So, it can be considered as an effective supplement against oxidative stress induced by chronic ethanol exposure in testis tissue.

Emergence of resistance to antimicrobial medications has led to the use of medicinal herbs for the treatment of infections. In this regard, this study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial effects of three extracts (i.e., ethanol/methanol, water, and acetone) of Melissa officinalis and Impatiens walleriana on four species of bacteria.

The selected bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Enterococcus were first activated in the culture medium of broth neutrinos. Subsequently, a suspension equivalent to half McFarland was prepared from the activated bacteria. Antimicrobial activities of the extracts were evaluated by microdilution broth and disc diffusion methods to determine the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration values.

Based on the results, the Impatiens walleriana acetone extract had the most antimicrobial effects on all four species of bacteria. Moreover, acetone and ethanol/methanol extracts of Impatiens walleriana had more antimicrobial effects on E. coli than ethanol/methanol and water extracts of Melissa officinalis. In case of S. aureus, the water and ethanol/methanol extracts of both plants had almost the same minimum bactericidal and inhibitory concentration values. Finally, it can be said that all three Melissa officinalis extracts had better antimicrobial effects on Enterococcus and B. subtilis than the three Impatiens walleriana extracts.

Among all extracts, acetone extract of Impatiens walleriana showed the highest antibacterial property. Given the results and the increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics, it is suggested to use antibacterial compounds of plants for the treatment of infectious diseases; nevertheless, further studies should be carried out in this regard.

Depression is a common psychological disorder and recent data confirm the increasing prevalence of this disease in the world. So far, antidepressant effects of many plants have been evaluated and some are accepted in the treatment of depression. The aim of the present study was to determine the antidepressant effect of Melissa Officinalis L. compared to fluoxetine.

In the present study, the antidepressant effect of Melissa officinalis L. was studied and compared with fluoxetine in experimental groups of mice using FST (Forced Swimming Test), TST (Tail Suspension Test). Melissa officinalis L. extract with different doses of 600,800, and 1000 mg/kg was prescribed by gavage for 7 days. One way ANOVA was used to analyze data by SPSS software.

Among the different doses, 600 mg/kg Melissa officinalis L. extract and fluoxetine had the same effect in the reduction of depression.

The antidepressant effect of Melissa officinalis L. extract is probably induced by the variation of monoamines release in central nervous system.

The current study was conducted aimed at investigating the effectiveness Melissa officinalis and Lavandula angustifolia in anxiety of Oil Company employees in Sabzevar. 45 subjects (6 females and 39 males in the age group of 30 to 45 years) with a high level of anxiety were selected through purposive sampling method and were randomly assigned into 3 groups of 15 people, including two experimental groups (Melissa officinalis and Lavandula angustifolia) and one control group. Members of the experimental groups consumed 5 drops from the concentrated extract of these two herbs (manufactured by Zardband Pharmaceutical Company) twice a day for 5 days, which were orally prescribed. 15 subjects in the control group did not take any medication. The three groups were evaluated in two stages of pretest-posttest to determine the level of anxiety using Beck Anxiety Test.Results of the present research indicated that both herbs (Melissa officinalis and Lavandula angustifolia) reduce the employees’ anxiety (P

Melissa officinalis (Lamiaceae) has been used in Iranian Traditional Medicine for the treatment of neurological disorders, including dementia, epilepsy, paralysis, strokes, migraine, and vertigo. Several pharmacological studies showed neuroprotective effectsofM. officinalis and its active constituent, namely rosmarinic acid.  Regarding the high prevalence of Alzheimer's and other central nervous system diseases as well as the utilization of M. officinalis for the treatment of these diseases in traditional medicine, this review aimed to identify the neuroprotective effectsof this plant and its major components for the treatment of neurological diseases. This study is a review article. Major textbooks in traditional medicine and pharmacy as well as the scientific databases were searched to find the effect of this plant on neurological disorders and other central nervous system diseases in traditional medicine. M. officinalis acts through different mechanisms, including the reduction of oxidative stress, inhibition of acetylcholinestrase, stimulation of acetylcholine and GABAA receptors, and inhibition of metalloproteinase-2 and monoamine oxidase.  Oral administration of M. officinalis  for 8 weeks leads to the treatment of above-mentioned diseases without any side effects. The utilization of M. officinalis as a complimentary treatment may be beneficial for the treatment of neurological disorders, especially Alzheimer's disease.

Melissa officinalis is widely used to reduce anxiety. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Melissa officinalis on anxiety using existing evidences.

Persian and English clinical trials were searched in international and Persian databases in December 2018. Extraction of data was done independently by two reviewers. The quality of the studies was observed using the Jadad scale.

A review of clinical trials performed on 395 participants showed that oral medicinal herbs in different patients have positive anti-anxiety effects.

There is enough supporting evidence for using Melissa officinalis to reduce anxiety.

Migraine is a neurovascular disorder that decreases the quality of life. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of aerobic training and a combination of herbal supplements including Valeriana wallichii and Melissa officinalis on serotonin, nitric oxide and headache indices.
The present study was a semi-experimental and applied research. Eighteen female patients with migraine who were eligible to participate in the study were randomly divided into two groups: aerobic training (n=9) and herbal supplements (n=9). Patients in the aerobic exercise group performed the exercise for eight weeks, three sessions per week and each session was 75 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (15 minute warm-up, 45 workouts, 15 minute cool-down). The combination of herbal supplement group received herbal capsules for eight weeks and each capsule was included 200 mg of valerian and 80 mg of Melissa officinalis. They used it twice daily in the first four weeks and three times a day in the next four weeks. Blood samples were taken in the fasting state to determine the serotonin and nitric oxide levels of the subjects before and after the intervention. Headache indexes were also assessed by a headache questionnaire. Data were analyzed by Kolmogrov-Smirnov, independent and paired T-tests and Covariance analysis at a significance level of p Results showed that in the complementary combination group, taking eight weeks of capsule significantly increased blood serotonin levels and headache frequency and intensity significantly decreased. In addition, nitric oxide levels and duration of headache did not significantly differ as compared to before the study. In the aerobic training group, eight weeks of activity significantly increased serotonin and nitric oxide levels and significantly decreased headache frequency and headache intensity, but did not change the duration of the headache. Also, by comparing the variables between the two groups, other than serum nitric oxide and aerobic power, the changes of the other variables were similar at the end of the study, and no significant difference was observed between them.
Aerobic training and a combination of herbal supplements including valerian and Melissa officinalis can be a good complement therapy for women with migraine.

Streptococcus sanguinis and mutans are dental infections agents. Due to the adverse effects of chemical mouthwashes, the aim of the present study was to determine the antibacterial effects of cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash and alcoholic extracts of Melissa officinalis plant on the growth of these bacteria.
In this laboratory study, M. officinalis leaves were collected and extracted using percolation method. Well diffusion method and determination of minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations were used for the antibacterial effects determination of alcoholic extracts of the plant and mouthwash in the concentrations of 250, 125, 62.5, 31.25, 15.62, 7.81, 3.9, 1.95, 0.97 and 0.48 mg/ml. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient.
The most antibacterial effect of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of M. officinalis and mouthwash on S. mutans and sanguinis was in the concentration of 250 mg/ml and the least inhibitory concentrations against S. mutans were 3.9, 31.25 and 15.26 and against S. sanguinis were 31.25, 15.62and 31.25 mg/ml, respectively. The minimum bactericidal concentrations of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of M. officinalis and mouthwash against S. mutans were 125, 62.5 and 31.25 and against S. sanguinis were 62.5, 31.5 and 62.5 mg/ml, respectively. There was a positive significant correlation between increasing concentration of extracts and inhibition of bacterial growth (p It seems that M. officinalis extract like mouthwash can be used as an oral and teeth antiseptic. However, in-vivo tests and proves that there is no harmful effects on the human body are essential for the production of this type of herbal mouthwash.

In elderly, most people experience memory and learning problems. Different approaches have been proposed to improve memory; one of them is the complementary medicine and the use of herbs. This study was designed to assess the effect of Frankincense extract and Lemon balm extract on the memory of elderlies.
This study is a double-blind controlled clinical on 70 elderly patients referred to Kashan clinics in 2015. Signing an informed testimonial, Intervention group received Frankincense and Lemon balm tablet and control group received placebo, for one month. Study data were collected by a demographic questionnaire, Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised. Data analyzed using Chi-squares, independent-samples t-tests, and paired t-test by SPSS v13.
There was no significant difference between the two groups in background information (age, gender, marital status, job and education level) (p>0.05). After the administration of Frankincense and Lemon balm supplements, we observed a significant different between two groups in total memory (227.58±40.22 vs 194.36±27.61,p=0.002) and two subscale memory included: auditory immediate (102.38±20.51vs 85.45±15.71, p= 0.0001) and immediate memory (48.25±12.88 vs 34±6.55, p= 0.002) at the end of study.
Frankincense and Lemon balm tablet supplementation in elderly had beneficial effects on the memory. Therefore, it is recommended to use this herbal combination to improve the memory of the ages.

Fungal infections, especially candida species, are the most common opportunistic fungal infections and the treatments with chemical drugs have many side effects. Melissa Officinalis has antimicrobial effects that has caused it to be considered in many microbial treatments. In this study, it has been tried to compare this herbal efficacy on Candida Albicans, Candida Glabrata and Candida Krusei.
Aqueous and ethanol extracts of Melissa Officinalis was obtained by drench method. The diameter of non- growing zone of Candida Albicans, Candida Glabrata and Candida Krusei was estimated by the micro dilution method.
The mean diameter of the non-growing zone related to the extracts on Candida Albicans was 17.83 mm (versing 5.75 mm of aqueous extracts) and the mean diameter of the non-growing zone related to aqueous extracts on Candida Glabrata and Candida Krusei were 15.5 and 13.66 mm respectively (versing 10 and 7mm of ethanolic extracts).
All extracts had an effect on non- growing fungal zone, however ethanolic extract of Candida Albicans and aqueous extract of Candida Krusei were more effective rather than the others. Also, there was no difference between the effect of Aqueous and ethanolic extracts in Candida Glabrata.

Background and Medicinal plants are importance in the both approach of treatment and prevention of diseases in human societies. In recent years, due to the adverse effects of chemical drugs and their side effects, tendency to use of medicinal plants have increased. But due to the possibility of some toxic elements in medicinal plants, this study was carried out for analysis and health risk assessment of As, Al, Zn and Cu in lemon balm and borage marketed in Hamedan City in 2015.
After preparation of four samples of each medicinal plant and acid digestion of the samples according to standard methods, the concentration of elements in samples was determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) in three replicates. Also, all statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS statistical package.
The results showed that the maximum mean concentrations of As, Al, Zn and Cu in plant samples were 0.175 ± 0.07, 13.93 ± 5.50, 0.34 ± 0.18 and 0.25±0.08 mg/kg, related to lemon balm respectively. However, the mean concentration of Al in lemon balm samples was upper than WHO maximum permissible limits (MPL), but health risk assessment showed that no potential risk for children and adult by consume the studied herbal plants.
Although controlled consumption of medicinal plants has not adverse effect on the consumers’ health, but concerning increased use of agricultural inputs, sewage sludge and wastewater by farmers, regular periodic monitoring of chemical pollutants content specially heavy metals in foodstuffs are recommended for food safety.