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Data Brief. 2016 Sep; 8: 21–25.
Published online 2016 May 12. doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2016.05.005
PMCID: PMC4885015
PMID: 27274526

Data on heavy metals and selected anions in the Persian popular herbal distillates

Mozhgan Keshtkar,a Sina Dobaradaran,a,b,c,⁎ Farshid Soleimani,a Vahid Noroozi Karbasdehi,a Mohammad Javad Mohammadi,d Roghayeh Mirahmadi,a and Fatemeh Faraji Ghasemia
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Associated Data

Supplementary Materials

Abstract

In this data article, we determined the concentration levels of heavy metals including Pb, Co, Cd, Mn, Mg, Fe and Cu as well as selected anions including , , and in the most used and popular herbal distillates in Iran. It is well known that heavy metals may pose a serious health hazard due to their bioaccumulation throughout the trophic chain (“Heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb) content in two fish species of Persian Gulf in Bushehr Port, Iran” (Dobaradaran et al., 2013) [1]; “Comparative investigation of heavy metal, trace, and macro element contents in commercially valuable fish species harvested off from the Persian Gulf” (Abadi et al., 2015) [2]) as well as some other environmental pollutions, “Assessment of sediment quality based on acid-volatile sulfide and simultaneously extracted metals in heavily industrialized area of Asaluyeh, Persian Gulf: concentrations, spatial distributions, and sediment bioavailability/toxicity” (Arfaeinia et al., 2016) [3]. The concentration levels of heavy metals and anions in herbal distillates samples were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS, Varian AA240, Australia) and a spectrophotometer (M501 Single Beam Scanning UV/VIS, UK) respectively.

Keywords: Daily intake, Herbal distillates, Heavy metals, Selected anions

Specifications Table

Subject areaChemistry
More specific subject areaPlant Medicine
Type of dataTable
How data was acquiredFlame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS, Varian AA240, Australia) and a spectrophotometer (M501 Single Beam Scanning UV/VIS, UK)
Data formatRaw, analyzed
Experimental factorsAll herbal distillates bottles were stored in a dark place at room temperature in their original sealed plastic containers until the analysis.
Experimental featuresDetermine the concentration levels of heavy metals including Pb, Co, Cd, Mn, Mg, Fe and Cu as well as selected anions including , , and
Data source locationBushehr, Iran
Data accessibilityData is with this article.

Value of the data

  • •
    Data can be used as a base-line data for concentration levels of some metals in herbal distillates.
  • •
    Data shown here may motivate further studies on medical benefits of herbal distillates due to their low concentration levels of metals.
  • •
    Data shown here may serve as benchmarks for other groups working in the field of pharmacology and toxicology.

1. Data

In the data, characteristics of plants used for extracting herbal distillates are presented in Table 1. The data in Table 2 show that Pb, Cd, Mn, and Cu were not detected (ND) in all examined herbal distillate samples, but the mean concentration levels of Co, Mg, and Fe were 6.5, 1163.7, and 91 with a range of ND-30, 90-8970, and ND-500 μg/l respectively, and the mean concentration levels of , , and were 527.5, 17.5, 43, and 24 μg/l respectively. The data in Table 3 show that the maximum daily intakes of Co, Mg and Fe reached 3, 897 and 50 µg/day respectively based on 100 ml daily use by local consumer. It should be noted as other metals including Pb, Cd, Mn and Cu were not detected in all analyzed samples, daily intakes for these metals were not calculated.

Table 1

Characteristics of plants used for extracting herbal distillates [4], [5], [6], [7].

Common nameScientific nameClaimed therapeutic property
AlfalfaMedicago sativaFattening, slimming treatment, blood purification
Aloe veraAloe veraPower amplifier, blood purifier
CamelthornAlhagi maurorumBlood purifier, kidney detersive
ChicoryCichorium intybusTreatment of liver and gallbladder disorder, curing constipation
Dog-roseRosa caninaCarminative, skin care
FennelFoeniculum vulgareAntiseptic, palliative and anti-inflammatory effects
FenugreekTrigonella foenum-graecumDigestive problems and antidiabetic
FumitoryFumaria officinalisBile disorders, eye irritation
Herbal mixture–Sedative, used for upset stomach
LavenderLavandula stoechasAmplifier neurology soothing, anticonvulsants
LicoriceGlycyrrhiza glabraImpact on the digestive system, Treating swelling and ulcers
NettleUrticaTreatment of respiratory, anti-diarrhea, anti-inflammatory
OliveOlea europaeaDisposal of gallstones, appetizer
Orange blossomCitrus sinensisInvigorating for the skin, relaxing effect on mind and body
Pussy willowSalix aegyptiacaMild sedative, skin care
ReppermintMenthaImproved upset stomach and indigestion, skin irritation
RoseRosa damascenaMild sedative, skin treatments
SycamorePlatanus orientalisImproving blood circulation to brains and heart
WalnutJuglans regiaAnti-diarrhea, hypoglycemia
YarrowAchilleaAnticonvulsants, febrifuge

Table 2

Concentration levels of heavy metals, selected anions and regulatory limit values (μg/l) in the analyzed herbal distillates.

n=20
Pb
Co
Cd
Mn
Mg
Fe
Cu
Detection limit0.010.0050.0020.0020.0020.0060.003––––
Fenugreek⁎NDNDNDND30060ND510209020
WalnutNDNDNDND90NDND570205020
AlfalfaNDNDNDND9060ND380203030
YarrowNDNDNDND70060ND540104010
LavenderNDNDNDND38020ND610203030
FennelNDNDNDND580NDND480205020
SycamoreNDNDNDND37070ND550102030
Aloe veraNDNDNDND320100ND7102030ND
OliveNDNDNDND95NDND570203030
NettleNDNDNDND30050ND640203040
LicoriceND10NDND200NDND600202020
Orange blossomND20NDND1300NDND470102040
FumitoryNDNDNDND520500ND370104040
Dog-roseND10NDND1980NDND550207070
CamelthornND10NDND390NDND540103020
ReppermintND10NDND8970200ND570304030
Pussy willowND30NDND460500ND560104010
ChicoryND10NDND830200ND4602080ND
RoseND20NDND5110NDND3102020ND
Herbal mixtureND10NDND290NDND5602010020
Minimum value–ND––90ND–3101020ND
Maximum value–30––8970500–7103010070
Mean value–6.5––1163.791–527.517.54324
Std. deviation–8.75––2154153–92.525.3620.3216.24
JECFAa (μg /l-bwt)25–7–––50
ATSDRb (μg/l-day)–0.010.0001–––0.01

⁎None Detect.

aJoint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.
bUS Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease.

Table 3

The estimated daily intakes of heavy metals for the herbal distillate samples.

Herbal distillatesCoMgFe
Fenugreek–306
Walnut–9–
Alfalfa–96
Yarrow–706
Lavender–382
Fennel–58–
Sycamore–377
Aloe vera–3210
Olive–9.5–
Nettle–305
Licorice120–
Orange blossom2130–
Fumitory–5250
Dog-rose1198–
Camelthorn139–
Reppermint189720
Pussy willow34650
Chicory18320
Rose2511–
Herbal mixture129–
Minimum value192
Maximum value389750
Mean value0.65116.379.1
Std. deviation0.88215.1615.27

2. Experimental design, materials and methods

Twenty different herbal distillates of the most used and popular herbal distillates were purchased from herbal distillate distribution shops in Bushehr, Iran. All purchased herbal distillates were produced by traditional methods from Ordibehesht Company in Meymand city, which is the main city in Iran for herbal distillates production. All herbal distillates bottles were stored in a dark place at room temperature in their original sealed plastic containers until the analysis. Before taken for analysis, samples were collected in 100 ml sterile glass bottles that were previously washed and dried in oven at 180 °C. The concentration levels of heavy metals and anions in herbal distillates samples were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS, Varian AA240, Australia) and a spectrophotometer (M501 Single Beam Scanning UV/VIS, UK) respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) was calculated as 3Sb/b, where Sb is the standard deviation for twenty measurements of the calibration blank, and b is the slope of the calibration curve.

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Bushehr University of Medical Sciences for their financial support (Grant no 20/71/1872) and the laboratory staff of the Environmental Health Engineering Department for their cooperation.

Footnotes

Appendix ASupplementary data associated with this article can be found in the online version at doi:10.1016/j.dib.2016.05.005.

Appendix A. Supplementary material

Supplementary material

References

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