• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.59-65
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• 2003

This study was conducted to analyze metal concentration changes following processing steps for crude, remnant after boiling, and decoction of Korea herbal drugs. We measured meta.! concentration from 20 random patients who visited Oriental medical clinics for treatment of several diseases through normal action. The results obtained were as below: First, in the study to acknowledge quality control between Korean Lab and Harvard Lab in the US, 20 equal herbal samples resulted in the same values, so we confirmed the precision of measurement results from both labs. Second, hazardous metal mean concentration in crude, remnant after boiling, and decoction of herbal drugs were $32.5{\mu\textrm{g}}/22.1{\mu\textrm{g}}/8.8{\mu\textrm{g}}$ for As, $0.0{\mu\textrm{g}}/0.0{\mu\textrm{g}}/0.0{\mu\textrm{g}}$ for Cd, $1.0{\mu\textrm{g}}/0.0{\mu\textrm{g}}/0.0{\mu\textrm{g}}$ for Hg and $5416.3{\mu\textrm{g}}/3639.6{\mu\textrm{g}}/1002.6{\mu\textrm{g}}$ for Pb, respectively. These metal concentrations decreased 72.9-100.0% compared to crude status. The same trend was also visible in the other essential elements. From reviewing these results, we could carefully conclude that decoction had the least amount of metal concentration and is the optimal way to intake herbal drugs.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.132-140
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• 2010

1. Objective: To compare the contents and transfer rate of hazardous substances in crude, washing solution, crude after washing, decoction and remnant after boiling. 2. Methods: The heavy metal contents of each step were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and mercury analyzer (MA-2). In order to analyze pesticides in each sample we used simultaneous multi-residue analysis of pesticides by GC/ECD, which was followed by GC/MSD analysis to confirm the identity of the detected pesticide in each sample. In addition, the contents of sulfur dioxide (SO2) were performed by Monier-Williams distillation method. 3. Results: 1) Contents (mg/kg) of heavy metals in decoction of all herbal medicine prescriptions were not detected. 2) Transfer rates (%) of heavy metals from crude to remnant were As (83.3%), Cd (100.0%), Pb (182.6%) and Hg (100.0%). 3) Contents (mg/kg) of residual pesticides were not detected. 4) Transfer rate (%) of sulfur dioxide (SO2) from crude to remnant was 44.2%. 4. Conclusion: Our results showed that boiled herbal medicine prescriptions which we take is safe from the hazardous substances.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.832-840
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• 2018

In this study, both of the concentration of benzo(a)pyrene in 5 species (total 50 samples) of medicinal herbs and their transfer ratios in the preparation steps of water extract(decoction) and soft extract, were measured by HPLC/FLD. The calibration curve of benzo(a)pyrene shows excellent correlation over the concentration range of 3~40 ng/mL with the correlation coefficient ($R^2$) of 1.000. The detected benzo(a)pyrene concentrations from the medicinal herbs ranged from non-detection to $37.54{\mu}g/kg$, and their average was $6.73{\mu}g/kg$. Among the total samples, 15 samples (i.e., 30%) exceeded the limit of herbal medicine benzo(a)pyrene criteria (i.e., $5{\mu}g/kg$) according to the notification No. 2009-302 from Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. In particular, the concentration of benzo(a)pyrene in Coptidis Rhizome was turned out to be the highest of $37.54{\mu}g/kg$. The detected benzo(a)pyrene concentrations from water extract(decoction), soft extract and remnant after boiling, ranged from non-detection to $2.31{\mu}g/kg$, non-detection to $2.28{\mu}g/kg$, and 2.18 to $21.91{\mu}g/kg$, respectively. In preparation of water extract(decoction) and soft extract, transferred benzo(a)pyrene was not detected or, if transferred, the maximal transfer ratios of benzo(a)pyrene were shown to be 8.9% and 9.8%, respectively. Therefore, the content of benzo(a)pyrene in the samples of herbal medicine used in this study, were reduced by more than 90% in preparation steps of water extract (decoction) and soft extract.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.9-19
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• 2010

Objective: To compare the contents and transfer rate of hazardous substances in crude, washing solution, crude after washing, decoction and remnant after boiling. Methods: The heavy metal contents of each step were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and mercury analyzer (SP-3DS). In order to analyze pesticides in each sample we used simultaneous multi-residue analysis of pesticides by GC/ECD, which was followed by GC/MSD analysis to confirm the identity of the detected pesticide in each sample. In addition, the contents of sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$) were performed by Monier-Williams distillation method. Results: 1. Contents (mg/kg) of heavy metals were not detected in decoctions of any tested herbal medicine prescriptions. 2. Transfer rates (%) of heavy metals from crude to remnant were as follows: Yijin-tang (As: 46.9, Cd: 50.0 and Pb: 100.0), Oryung-san (As: 80.0, Cd: 100.0 and Pb: 73.8), Hwangryunhaedok-tang (As: 88.9, Cd: 71.4 and Pb: 92.7), Bangpungtongseong-san (As: 100.0, Cd: 17.3 and Pb: 56.1), Oyaksungi-san (As: 47.4, Cd: 175.0 and Pb: 142.4). 3. Contents (mg/kg) of residual pesticides were not detected in any samples. 4. Transfer rate (%) of sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$) from crude to remnant in all samples were as follows: Yijin-tang (25.0), Oryung-san (166.7), Hwangryunhaedok-tang (50.0), Bangpungtongseong-san (181.8), Oyaksungi-san (50.0). Conclusion: Our results showed that the boiled herbal medicine prescriptions which we take are safe from the hazardous substances.