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: Fred, Ssempijja, Keneth Iceland, Kasozi, Ejike, Daniel Eze, Andrew, Tamale, Sylvia Anurika, Ewuzie, Kevin, Matama, Justine, Ekou, Paul, Bogere, Regan, Mujinya, Grace Henry, Musoke, Jovile Kasande, Atusiimirwe, Gerald, Zirintunda, Muhamudu, Kalange, Joel, Lyada, Ritah, Kiconco, Theophilus, Pius, Christopher, Nandala, Roland Mugisha, Kamugisha, Yunusu, Hamira, Edgar Mario, Fernandez, Simon Peter, Musinguzi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Journal of Environmental and Public Health 2023
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Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12493/923
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author Fred, Ssempijja
Keneth Iceland, Kasozi
Ejike, Daniel Eze
Andrew, Tamale
Sylvia Anurika, Ewuzie
Kevin, Matama
Justine, Ekou
Paul, Bogere
Regan, Mujinya
Grace Henry, Musoke
Jovile Kasande, Atusiimirwe
Gerald, Zirintunda
Muhamudu, Kalange
Joel, Lyada
Ritah, Kiconco
Theophilus, Pius
Christopher, Nandala
Roland Mugisha, Kamugisha
Yunusu, Hamira
Edgar Mario, Fernandez
Simon Peter, Musinguzi
author_facet Fred, Ssempijja
Keneth Iceland, Kasozi
Ejike, Daniel Eze
Andrew, Tamale
Sylvia Anurika, Ewuzie
Kevin, Matama
Justine, Ekou
Paul, Bogere
Regan, Mujinya
Grace Henry, Musoke
Jovile Kasande, Atusiimirwe
Gerald, Zirintunda
Muhamudu, Kalange
Joel, Lyada
Ritah, Kiconco
Theophilus, Pius
Christopher, Nandala
Roland Mugisha, Kamugisha
Yunusu, Hamira
Edgar Mario, Fernandez
Simon Peter, Musinguzi
author_sort Fred, Ssempijja
collection KAB-DR
description 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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spelling oai:idr.kab.ac.ug:20.500.12493-9232024-01-17T04:48:41Z Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans Fred, Ssempijja Keneth Iceland, Kasozi Ejike, Daniel Eze Andrew, Tamale Sylvia Anurika, Ewuzie Kevin, Matama Justine, Ekou Paul, Bogere Regan, Mujinya Grace Henry, Musoke Jovile Kasande, Atusiimirwe Gerald, Zirintunda Muhamudu, Kalange Joel, Lyada Ritah, Kiconco Theophilus, Pius Christopher, Nandala Roland Mugisha, Kamugisha Yunusu, Hamira Edgar Mario, Fernandez Simon Peter, Musinguzi Consumption Raw Herbal Medicines Public Health Risks 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 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 Kabale University 2023-02-02T04:21:59Z 2023-02-02T04:21:59Z 2020-06-03 Article https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8516105 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12493/923 en Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ application/pdf Journal of Environmental and Public Health
spellingShingle Consumption
Raw Herbal Medicines
Public Health Risks
Ugandans
Fred, Ssempijja
Keneth Iceland, Kasozi
Ejike, Daniel Eze
Andrew, Tamale
Sylvia Anurika, Ewuzie
Kevin, Matama
Justine, Ekou
Paul, Bogere
Regan, Mujinya
Grace Henry, Musoke
Jovile Kasande, Atusiimirwe
Gerald, Zirintunda
Muhamudu, Kalange
Joel, Lyada
Ritah, Kiconco
Theophilus, Pius
Christopher, Nandala
Roland Mugisha, Kamugisha
Yunusu, Hamira
Edgar Mario, Fernandez
Simon Peter, Musinguzi
Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans
title Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans
title_full Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans
title_fullStr Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans
title_full_unstemmed Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans
title_short Consumption of Raw Herbal Medicines Is Associated with Major Public Health Risks amongst Ugandans
title_sort consumption of raw herbal medicines is associated with major public health risks amongst ugandans
topic Consumption
Raw Herbal Medicines
Public Health Risks
Ugandans
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12493/923
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