Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Elemental Analysis of Galium incanum SM subsp Centrale Ehrend by X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Hüsniye Kayalar¹ , Cenk Durmuskahya², Zehra Sinem Hortooğlu³

¹Ege University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy, Bornova, İzmir; ²Celal Bayar University, Faculty of Education, School of Applied Science, Demirci, Manisa; ³İzmir Institute of Technology, Center for Materials Research, Urla, İzmir, Turkey.

For correspondence:- Hüsniye Kayalar Email: husniyekayalar@gmail.com Tel:+905543986021

Received: 4 December 2012 Accepted: 14 October 2013 Published: 24 December 2013

Citation: Kayalar H, Durmuskahya C, Hortooğlu ZS. Elemental Analysis of Galium incanum SM subsp Centrale Ehrend by X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy. Trop J Pharm Res 2013; 12(6):1039-1043 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v12i6.26

© 2013 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the content of trace elements in Galium incanum SM. subsp. centrale Ehrend.

Methods: The air-dried aerial parts of the plant material were used and its water extract (2 % w/v infusion) was analysed for trace elements using x-ray fluorescence (XRF ) spectrometry.

Results: The aqueous extract depicted significant concentrations of macro- and micro-nutrients with heavy metal and metal oxide content of 4.07 - 6.02 and 3.19 - 4.01 % for powdered plant material and water extract, respectively. The contents of Ca (22840 ppm) and K (8204 ppm) were the highest among all the elements while Zn (45.9 ppm) and Fe (328 ppm) were also detected in significant amounts. Zn, Mn and Cu showed the highest content while those of Mg, Al, K, Ca, Fe and P lowest in the water extract.

Conclusion: The presence of significant levels of Ca, K, Na, Fe, Zn, Mg, Mn and Cu in G. incanum subsp. centrale showed that this plant has notable nutrient elements. The traditional use of Gallium species as a diuretic may be attributed to its rich content of potassium.

Keywords: Rubiaceae, Galium incanum, Trace elements, Macronutrients, Micronutrients, X-ray fluorescence