Evaluation of in vitro reducing effect of several vegetable extracts on the digestive bioavailability of heavy metals

Abstract

The study aimed at assessing the in vitro digestive bioavailability of heavy metals in the presence of plant extracts under simulated digestive system conditions. The complexing ability of aqueous herbal extracts of Crataegus sp., Tilia spp., Rosa canina, Vaccinium myrtillus, Geranium robertianum, Mentha piperita, Cynara cardunculus subsp. Scolymus, Plantago sp., and Coriandrum sativum was researched on Cu+2, Cd+2, Ni+2, Pb+2 and Hg+2 cations. The quantitative determination of the fraction of free metal left, available for absorption, was achieved by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) or potentiometry using an ion-selective electrode (ISE).