Heavy metal contamination of medicinal plants and potential implications on human health

Abstract

This survey focuses on the problem of medicinal plants contamination due to environmental pollution produced by many different industrial activities and atmospheric deposition of some toxic compounds. This analysis is important since plants can easily absorb organic and inorganic compounds from all environmental compartments (water, soil, air), which can enter and be transferred in the trophic chain, up to humans. Medicinal plants are relevant for study in relation with their interactions with different contaminants, in particular those inorganic persistent as heavy metals, because they are used in entire world for their beneficial properties, and represent a significant part of traditional medicine. According to World Health Organization (WHO), 65-80% of world's population depends on herbal products as the primary form of health care. Frequent use of medicinal plants to improve health, in the context of current pollution, requires special attention, since they can contain heavy metals in their structures, which can generate hazards and risks on human health throughout the subsequent consumption of contaminated medicinal plants as teas, other drinks, cosmetics.