Herbal teas are a popular beverage and are used as therapeutic vehicles in many forms of traditional medicine. As tea is a popular drink and its preparation is remarkably simple (pour hot water on various dry herbs), it is very important to monitor and develop a screening methodology for detecting metals content in herbal tea. The number of articles exploring the efficacy and clinical safety of teas and herbal teas is small, even though herbal materials are the basis of the discovery of medicines and teas are some of the most popular drinks. This research was aimed to estimate the distribution of some bioelements in different types of herbal teas used in diet therapy. We used atomic absorption spectrometry in order to determine the concentration of Ca, Mg (macroelements), Mn, Fe, Zn and Cu (trance elements) in various indigenous herbal teas. In our work we collected herbal teas from county Gorj. These herbals are chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), peppermint (Mentha piperita), marigold (Calendula officinalis), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), and Plantain (Plantago lanceolata). Preliminary results of this study reveal an uneven distribution of the concentrations of these bioelements. Bioelements distribution in analysed herbal teas presents generally, the following trend: Ca > Mg > Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu. The study aimed at the determination of the mineral composition of medicinal herbs for evaluation of the coverage of the recommended daily intake of mineral elements by tea. The concentration of these bio-elements in herbal teas shows significant variations determined by the nature and type of herbal tea and bio-elements investigated.

biominerals, atomic absorption spectrometry, herbs, herbal tea

biology

Presentation: None