AVALIAÇÃO DO POTENCIAL RISCO À SAÚDE HUMANA DE ELEMENTOS TÓXICOS E ESSENCIAIS PRESENTES NO CHÁ, FOLHAS E SUCO DA PLANTA MEDICINAL KALANCHOE LAETIVIRENS

Abstract

The leaves, tea, and juice of the medicinal plant Kalanchoe laetivirens are used in folk medicine to treat various ailments. However, there are no studies on the mineral composition of this plant in relation to human health. The presence of heavy metals and metalloids in medicinal plants may pose a risk to the population. Thus, this study aims to quantify aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), sodium (Na), nickel (Ni), phosphorus (P), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and vanadium (V) in the tea, juice, and leaves of the medicinal plant K. laetivirens using ICP-OES. Samples of K. laetivirens were acquired in the city of Campo Grande/MS, and then part of the leaves were dried in an oven and crushed, and part of the leaves were crushed in a blender along with ultrapure water to obtain a juice. Through infusion of the leaves, tea was obtained from the plant's leaves. An acid digestion procedure was used to open the sample and subsequently quantify chemical elements in the tea, juice, and leaves of the plant using ICP-OES. For the elements quantified in the leaf tea, we have the following decreasing order: K > P > Mg > Na > Ba > Zn > Mn > Al > V > Se > As > Pb > Fe > Mo > Cu > Ni > Co. The decreasing order of the elements quantified in the leaves is: K > P > Mg > Na > Ba > Al > Zn > Fe > Mn > V > Cu > Se > As > Pb > Mo > Ni > Co. For the elements quantified in the juice of the plant's leaves, we have the order: K > P > Mg > Zn > Ba > Al > Fe > Mn > Cu > V > Se > As > Pb > Mo > Ni > Co. The concentrations of Al, As, K, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, and V obtained through the infusion and juice of Kalanchoe are higher than the results published in the literature for other species of medicinal plants. The values of Al, As, K, Ba, Mg, Mn, Mo, Cu, Fe, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, Se, V, and Zn obtained in Kalanchoe tea and juice are higher than those stipulated by regulatory bodies. The concentrations of Al, Ba, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, and Na in Kalanchoe leaves were lower than the results obtained by other research with medicinal plants. However, the concentrations of As, Co, Mo, P, Pb, and Zn are higher than those obtained in other species of Brazilian medicinal plants. According to risk assessment, the daily intake (DIE) of Al, As, Ba, P, Se, V, and Zn in Kalanchoe tea, juice, and leaves is higher than the minimum levels for acute risk. The DIE of Co in the plant's tea is higher than the minimum level for intermediate risk. On the other hand, the daily intake of Cu from the plant's tea and juice is higher than the minimum level for intermediate risk. The EDI for Cu in the leaf, as well as Iron, Mg, and Mn in Kalanchoe tea, juice, and leaves, are lower than the tolerable upper limit of intake (UL). In the tea made from the plant's leaves, the hazard quotient (THQ) was greater than 1 for the elements arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), sodium (Na), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and vanadium (V), indicating a potential risk of non-carcinogenic adverse effects. In contrast, the elements aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and nickel (Ni) showed THQ values lower than 1, suggesting a lower probability of toxic effects. In the juice, the THQ values were greater than 1 for the elements arsenic (As), phosphorus (P), and lead (Pb). Regarding dried leaves, considering the hypothesis of ingesting capsules containing 350 mg of plant extract, it was found that the elements iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P) also presented THQ values greater than 1. Considering the oral route through the digestive system, it was observed that, although most elements presented risk quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) values less than 1, the element phosphorus (P), both in the tea and in the juice, presented HQ > 1, resulting in HI > 1. In general, the risk assessment demonstrated that elements such as arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), sodium (Na), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), vanadium (V), and phosphorus (P) presented THQ and HQ values greater than 1, indicating a potential risk of non-carcinogenic adverse effects on human health, especially when considering the consumption of tea and juice from the plant. These findings suggest that continuous consumption of Kalanchoe laetivirens, especially in the form of infusions and juice, may pose a toxicological risk, reinforcing the need for caution and proper guidance regarding its therapeutic use.

Key words: Heavy metals, Medicinal plants, ICP OES, risk calculation, Kalanchoe laetivirens