Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans
Community consumption of herbal plants in developing countries is a common practice, however, scarcity of information on their physiochemical composition is a major public health concern. In Uganda, Vernonia amygdalina is of interest in rural communities due to its therapeutical action on both bac...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Journal of Environmental and Public Health
2023
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12493/923 |
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| Summary: | Community consumption of herbal plants in developing countries is a common practice, however, scarcity of
information on their physiochemical composition is a major public health concern. In Uganda, Vernonia amygdalina is of interest
in rural communities due to its therapeutical action on both bacterial and protozoal parasites, however no studies have been
conducted to assess the heavy metal concentrations in traditional plants used in alternative medicine. +e aim of the study was to
establish concentrations of heavy metals in Vernonia amygdalina, model the estimated daily intake (EDI), and assess both the non-
cancer-related health risk using the target hazard quotient (THQ), and the risk related to cancer through the incremental lifetime
cancer risk (ILCR) for the Ugandan population. Methods. Leaves of Vernonia amygdalina were collected from 20 georeferenced
villages and processed into powder in the laboratory using standard methods. +ese were then analyzed in the laboratory using an
atomic absorption spectrometer for lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), cadmium (Cd), and
nickel (Ni). Concentrations were compared against the World Health Organization (WHO) limits. +e EDI, THQ, and ILCR were
modelled and significance was measured at 95% confidence. Results. +e study showed that mean ± SEM concentrations of heavy
metals were highest in the order of Cr, 121.8 ± 4.291 ppm > Ni, 84.09 ± 2.725 ppm > Zn, 53.87 ± 2.277 ppm > Pb,
Hindawi
Journal of Environmental and Public Health
Volume 2020, Article ID 8516105, 10 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8516105
40.61 ± 3.891 ppm > Cu, 28.75 ± 2.202 ppm > Fe, 14.15 ± 0.7271 ppm > Co, 7.923 ± 0.7674 ppm > Cd, 0.1163 ± 0.005714 ppm.
Concentrations of Pb, Cr, Zn, Co, and Ni were significantly higher than the WHO limits. +e EDI was significantly higher in
children than in adults, demonstrating an increased risk of toxicity in children. +e THQ and ILCR were over 1000 times higher in
all Ugandans, demonstrating the undesirable health risks following oral consumption of Vernonia amygdalina due to very high Cr
and Ni toxicities, respectively. Conclusion. Consumption of raw Vernonia amygdalina was associated with a high carcinogenic
risk, demonstrating a need to enact policies to promote physiochemical screening of herbal medicines used in developing
countries against toxic compounds |
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