• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.117-128
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• 2002

Metal problems in herbal medicine are not regulate properly by law and public management around world country until this time. General people belief as safety about herbal since natural material. And almost all persons can also purchase by their-self and use by self-prescription in reality. As this result herbal medicines can always occur acute and chronic toxicity by not proper use problems, side-effect and overdose. Heavy metal toxic diseases in historical view point was big accidents that didnot forget including minamata and itai-itai in Japan. These accident's teach to us must not use toxic metal level and not include or at least Pb Hg As Cd in all kind material use and intake by people, especially herbal. Herbal contamination research is beginner state that had not many papers until nowadays. Even if this pan had some papers, it had negative result and bigger and larger than problems level because of one way research trend of not many sample case-report and screening test of dried herbal form in chiefly. Many persons have afraid and risk thinking about herbal, animal and minerals since these cause. Further research related this subject will be needed at fact of epidemiology including case-control and cohort study for more precision research affecting in short and long term intake of oriental medicines

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2001

Legal permissible limit of herbal drugs metal level in Korea is define 'less 30.0ppm in total(except mineral drugs)' including Pb Hg Cd As Cr Ni etc. This limit has a lot of problems in several factors, that is, not divide hazard and essential elements, not consider high and low toxic effect in each metal, not calculate dose-response relationship and average health behavior in Korean etc. As a that result, It has strong limits and weakness in the basic toxicology and Oriental medicine. To improve and correct these factors, We need to several new approach as like below. It must be radical study following problems in short and middle-long period in the future, toxic metal and essential element must be divide to basic toxicology and also be diverse toxic effect. But mineral drugs that included a amount of severe toxic metals is being used as active prescription drug until now. If toxic, safety and side-effect of metals will be considered, mineral drugs must prohibit instantly or use at least after examined toxic effect. But one of the most important things about herbal drugs contamination, all people and department (government, farmer and trader, oriental medicine doctors and association) will be participate cooperative and collection for preventive or the least contamination in herbal drugs.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.1123-1129
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• 2004

The concentration of heavy metal were studied for the estimation of quality in herbal medicines which is Bupleuri Radix, Paeoniae Radix, Dioscoreae Rhizoma and Astragali Radix in products of north Gyeongbuk area. And we collected soils from several area in Gyeongbuk, and determined heavy metal concentration of soils by ICP. We compared with herbal medicines in products of Gyeongbuk and their soils. For the heavy metals contents of Gyeongbuk area, in Gong Jung Ri, represented the higher level, it may be due to a near the road. The Cd contents in soil was not a wide difference. For the As and Pb contents in soil, Song Sa Ri (Bupleuri Radix) represented the higher level (0.68mg/kg, 1523rng/kg). Heavy metal contents in cultured herbal medicines and their soils did not give reproducible results. But the degree of correlation between a few heavy metal contents of Dioscoreae Rhizoma and their soil showed the good transfer from the soil.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 2005

The concentration of heavy metal were studied for the estimation of quality in herbal medicines which is Bupleuri Radix, Paeoniae Radix, Dioscoreae Rhizoma and Astragali Radix in products of north Gyeongbuk area Also, we collected soils from several area in Gyeongbuk, and determined heavy metal concentration of soils by ICP. We compared with herbal medicines in products of Gyeongbuk and their soils. The average levels of heavy metal of herbal medicines in Gyeongbuk area are as follows: Mercury is 0.037mg/kg, Chromium is 0.093 mg/kg, Nickel is 0.108mg/kg, Copper is 0.475mg/kg, Zinc is 3.14mg/kg, Manganese is 1.52mg/kg, Iron is 7,83mg/kg, and Cadmium, Lead and Arsenic is not detected. It was very lower in concentrations than those of average Korea area. For the heavy metals contents of Gyeongbuk area, in Gong Jung Ri, represented the higher level, it may be due to a near the road. The Cd contents in soil was not a wide difference. For the As and Pb contents in soil, Song Sa Ri (Bupleuri Radix) represented the higher level(0.68mg/kg, 1523mg/kg). Correlation coefficients of heavy metal contents in cultured herbal medicines and their soils did not give reproducible results. But the degree of correlation between a few heavy metal contents of Dioscoreae Rhizoma and their soil showed the good transfer from the soil.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1419-1426
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• 2003

The concentration of heavy metal were studied for the estimation of quality in herbal medicines which is Bupleuri Radix, Paeoniae Radix, Dioscoreae Rhizoma and Astragali Radix in products of north Kyungbuk area. And we compared with heavy metal concentration of herbal medicines in products of Kyungbuk and the other area of Korea. Also, we collected soils from several area in Kyungbuk, and determined heavy metal concentration of soils by ICP. We compared with herbal medicines in products of Kyungbuk and their soils. The results were as follow : Kyungbuk area appear to be more proper to cultivated land than other area. For the heavy metals contents of Kyungbuk area, in Gong Jung Ri, represented the higher level, it may be due to a near the road. Correlation coefficients of heavy metal contents in cultured herbal medicines and their soils did not give reproducible results.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.103-113
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• 2015

Objective : Five most generally adopting basic oriental prescriptions (yookmijihwangtang, ojeoksan, sipjeondaebotang, samultang, bojoongikgitang) samples were collected from 10 oriental hospitals nationwide and the transferring ratio to aqueous phase (TRAP) were calculated. Method : The samples are grounded evenly and the decocted at $120^{\circ}C$ for 12 min on hot plate and then filtered. The concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr and Pb in before and after decoction were measure by ICP/MS and the TRAPs were calculated. Results : The concentrations of As, Cr and Pb in the ground samples before decoction were all below criteria level, and TRAP values were also very low (<10%). For Cd, although some ground samples before decoction showed relatively high concentration level compare to the criteria level, because of their low TRAP (~3%), the actual concentrations in the decoction were quite low compare the criteria level. The Co's concentrations in the ground samples before decoction were all relatively low level. However, the TRAP of Co was astonishingly high value of around 40% average. Conclusion : The toxic heavy metal concentrations in the decoction were very low compare to the criteria level. The TRAPs are less than <10% except Co. The toxic heavy metals in the prescriptions are mainly remained in the residue and the only very small fraction may transferred to the decoctions. Therefore the toxicity of the oriental herbal medicine about the toxic heavy metal may be overstressed. The Co's TRAP turned out to be quite high value (40% average). Since the criteria level wes not established yet, the safety of decoctions according to Co was not fully confirmed.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.162-170
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• 2007

Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz. (Lythraceae), commonly known as Dhayero, is used in the treatment of various ailments in Nepal. In this study, the antioxidant capacity of crude extract and different polarity fractions of Woodfordia fruticosa flowers were assayed for their scavenging abilities against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide radicals, competitive ${\beta}$-carotene bleaching, reducing power, metal chelating ability and total phenolic content. Crude extract and polar fractions showed stronger antioxidant capacity and contained very high level of total phenolics. They exhibited strong DPPH radical scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging and reducing power, medium ${\beta}$-carotene bleaching and poor metal chelating capacity. Positive correlation obtained between total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity assays, indicated the contribution of phenolics toards antioxidant capacity.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.66-85
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• 2002

Traditional herbal medicine is used extensively among the Korean populations, and other Asian countries employ similar therapies as well In recent years, extensive focus was laid on adulteration of the herbal medicine with heavy metals. This may be mainly due to a soil contamination by an environmental pollution. The objective of this study is to identify the contents of various heavy metals in the blood from OhJeokSan-Decoction (OD) treated-rats. For this study, 13 kinds of metals including essential and heavy metals, i.e. Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn were analyzed by a slight modification of EPA methods and the following results are obtained. ; 1. There is no significant difference between the OD-treated groups and control group in liver, kidney, bone, brain, weight, food intake. 2. The amount of each metal analyzed in the liver are as follows; Al ; $0.235{\sim}4.215mg／kg$, As ; $0.103{\sim}0.461mg／kg$, Cd ; $0.005{\sim}0.010mg／kg$, Co ; $0.017{\sim}0.046mg／kg$, Cr ; $0.137{\sim}0.403mg／kg$, Cu ; $1.736{\sim}4.827mg／kg$, Fe ; $54.472{\sim}381.447mg／kg$, Hg ; not detected, Mn ; $1.159{\sim}2.803mg／kg$, Ni ; $0.007{\sim}0.095mg／kg$, Pb ; not detected, Se ; $0.682{\sim}1.887mg／kg$, Zn ; $10.213{\sim}26.119mg／kg$, by groups, respectively. In control and other experimental group, several metal (Co, Cu, Mn, Zn, As, Cr) has a significant difference, but in experimental I and other experimental II, III, IV, V groups, there are no significant difference. 3. The amount of each metal analyzed in the kidney are as follows; Al ; $1.712{\sim}31.230mg／kg$, As ; $0.062{\sim}0.439mg／kg$, Cd ; $0.010{\sim}0.062mg／kg$, Co ; $0.000{\sim}0.101mg／kg$, Cr ; $0.125{\sim}0.636mg／kg$, Cu ; $3.385{\sim}12.502mg／kg$, Fe ; $41.148{\sim}99.709mg／kg$, Hg ; $0.000{\sim}0.270mg／kg$, Mn ; $0.433{\sim}2.301mg／kg$, Ni ; $0.000{\sim}0.221mg／kg$, Pb ; $0.000{\sim}0.584mg／kg$, Se ; $0.540{\sim}1.600mg／kg$, Zn ; $8.775{\sim}17.060mg／kg$, by groups, respectively. The concentration of Cu, Se, Cr, and Hg are variated significantly in control and other experimental group, and Cu, Se, Cd, Cr are variated significantly in experimental I and other experimental II, III, IV, V groups. 4. The amount of each metal analyzed in the bone(tibia and fibula) are as follows; Al ; $9.557{\sim}119.464mg／kg$, As ; $0.139{\sim}12.250mg／kg$, Cd ; $0.000{\sim}0.295mg／kg$, Co ; $0.022{\sim}0.243mg／kg$, Cr ; $0.239{\sim}1.999mg／kg$, Cu ; $0.000{\sim}2.291mg／kg$, Fe ; $240.249{\sim}841.956mg／kg$, Hg ; $0.000{\sim}0.983mg／kg$, Mn ; $0.214{\sim}7.353mg／kg$, Ni ; $5.473{\sim}11.453mg／kg$, Pb ; $0.000{\sim}8.502mg／kg$, Se ; $0.000{\sim}3.005mg／kg$, Zn ; $61.158{\sim}195.038mg／kg$, by groups, respectively. The concentration of Se, Cd are variated significantly in control and other experimental groups, and Se is variated significantly in experimental I and other experimental II, III, IV, V groups. 5. Exceptionally several metal concentration is increased or decreased. but there is no significant harmful difference of metal concentration in the liver, kidney and bone, from the OD-treated-rats compared to those of the control group even if higher dosage($1{\sim}8$ times dosage of person) of OD was administered. Thus, it is expected that the herbal decoction in the traditional herbal medicine would not lay any burden on the body and the heavy metal toxins would not affect our physiological system. However, other kinds of herbal treatment, such as i.v. and i.p. should be considered in terms of metal toxicity in the body since the level of certain metal.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.67-82
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• 2002

Objectives: In recent years, extensive focus has been laid on adulteration of herbal medicine with heavy metals. This may be mainly due to soil contamination by environmental pollution. The objective of this study is to identify the contents of various heavy metals in the blood from Ohjeok-san (Wuji-san) Decoction (OD) treated-rats. Methods: For this study, 13 kinds of metals including essential and heavy metals, i.e. A1, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn were analyzed by a slight modification of EP A methods and the following results are obtained. Results: 1. There was no significant difference between the OD-treated groups and control group in liver, kidney, bone, brain and weight, especially no significant difference at the 5th and 10th days in weight and the amount of food intake. 2. The amount of each metal analyzed in the blood were as follows; A1: 2.3~3.07 mg/l, As: 2.90~3.66 mg/l, Cd: 0~0.001 mg/l, Co: 0~0.01 mg/l, Cr: 0.40~043 mg/l, Cu: 0.93~1.88 mg/l, Fe: 414.35~464.46 mg/l, Hg: 0.01 mg/l, Mn: 0.10~0.17 mg/l, Ni: 0.01 mg/l, Pb: 0.03~012 mg/l, Se: 0.73 mg/l, Zn: 3.41~4.13 mg/l by groups, respectively. In control and experimental group, Experimental I and other experimental II, III, IV, and V groups, there were no significant differences. 3. The amount of non-toxic metals (A1, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, Zn) were $64.1{\pm}7.71{\;}mg/l$ in the control group and 60.70~67.58 mg/l in the experimental groups I, II, III, IV and V. The amount of Toxic metals (As, Cd, Cr, Ag, Pb) were $0.68{\pm}0.21{\;}mg/l$ in the control group and 0.57 ~ 0.66mg/l in the experimental groups. The total amount of metals were 32.35 mg/l in the control group and 30.48~34.12 mg/l in the test groups I, II, III, IV and V, respectively. Conclusions: There was no significant difference of metal concentration in the blood from the OD-treated-rats compared to those of the control group even if higher dosage (1~8 times the dosage for a person) of OD was administered. This may be mainly due to a decoction treatment which contains only supernatants filtered from the herb-mass after boiling. This indicates the legal limitation for metal concentration in herbal medicine must be applied according to different treatment methods of herbal medicine.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.45-64
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• 2003

This study was conducted to examine the recognition level of the people on oriental medical Services and the need for it's improvement. Data were collected from 1174 residents in Daegu metropolitan city and Gyungbuk province. According to the satisfaction level with each items of oriental medical services, the respondents had positive views on efficacy, kindness, and side-effects. They, however, had negative view on the cost of oriental medical services. In regarding to the priority of improvement of oriental medical system, 'expansion of insurance benefit package' ranked first. Followed by 'safety of herbal medicine(heavy metal/pesticides)', 'improvement of scientific methods and diagnostic technique' etc. For the further development of oriental medical services in the consumer - focused and evidenced-based health care environment, much attention to implement relevant health policy reflecting user's need positively should be made.