TOXIC METAL DETECTION IN NATURAL/HERBAL PRODUCTS IN THE MARKET OF QUETTA, PAKISTAN

The plants which are using as to cure the illness long before the use of herbs. Herbal medicines are mostly used for the remedy of different diseases including postoperative diseases. Toxic heavy metals such as Arsenic, Mercury, Cadmium, Lead, Copper, Iron, Aluminum, Cobalt and Manganese are present during all processes of the natural drugs. All of these are being considered as toxic dangerous heavy metals. The toxic heavy metals in medicinal plants or its derivatives during formulations it may be a consequence of accidental addition of pollution or it may be intentionally combined for the purpose of therapeutic characteristics. Totally four products were selected to check their constituents. All the samples were kept in normal temperature (room temperature) to evade any humidity and deterioration. 1g of each sample were taken in flask with 10 ml of nitric acid 67%. After this process percholic acid (4ml) were incorporated with the sample and were kept in fume hood at room temperature for 24 hours. A hot plate was used for heat to make the sample concentrated up to 1 ml, when these samples were concentrated deionized water (50 ml) was incorporated in this sample and it was filtered by Whatman's filter paper. After filtration process added sufficient amount of deionized water made 100ml. Each of this solution was labeled as a stock solution. All of these stock solutions were examined according to the specified procedure by the help of atomic absorption spectrometer for the detection of different heavy toxic metals if present in the natural formulations. The findings of this research work were showed that Ninety percent of these herbal products have heavy toxic elements. Key words: Elements, Iron, copper, lead, Zinc