Medicinal Plants Classification Biosynthesis and ... - Index of

Metal Concentrations in Taiwanese Health Food, Angelica Keiskei...
Each planting covers nearly 50 acres, and the plant is harvested twice each year, in the
winter and spring during the past twenty-five years (Chen, 2004; Chen, 2003; Chen, 2002;
Chen et al., 2002; Liu, et al., 1992). Data on this tropic are currently lacking in Taiwan.
This plant was recognized as natural aromatic and an important medicinal plant of
traditional Chinese herbs (Okuyama et al., 1991). Presently, this herb is treated as a diuretic,
analeptic, lactagogue and has been recommended, cultivated, and propagated by the Taiwan
Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) (Chen, 1995; Fujita et al., 1992; Liu et al., 1992;
Inamori et. al., 1991; Okuyama et al., 1991). Numbers of consumers are continuously expanding
(Chen, 2004; Chen, 2003; Chen, 2002; Chen et al., 2002; Liu et al., 1991). The elements of
AK are considered to be beneficial to human health and have been extensively investigated in
recent years. It is very interesting to know the elemental concentrations presented in this
health food. Reliable multi-element analytical methods must be applied to identify elements
herein. ENAA and INAA are effective techniques of obtaining most of the trace elements of
interest and reliable multi-element analytical methods without any pretreatment before
irradiation (Chen, 2009; Chen, 2004; Chen, 2003; Chen, 2002; Chen et al., 2002; Chen and
ChangLai, 2001; Chen and Pan, 2001; Wei et al., 1997; Wang et al., 1996; Ibrahim, 1995;
Ibrahim, 1994; Wang et al., 1993). It is interesting to compare AK with three Chinese herbs
(AS, LC and PG) all grown in humid climates and the AK root generally resemble those in
the root/rhizomes of AS and LC which have been used as Chinese medicine for more than
four millennia. Finally, since it helps to reveal the roles of these elements, the maximum daily
intake (MDI) is also investigated for reasons of safety.
3. Experimental
3.1. Preparation of Activated Samples
For the ENAA and INAA of AK, the dried samples were packed and sealed in
polyethylene (PE) bags. Raw AK, approximately 5 kg of fresh leaves and stems, and 1 kg of
other products such as tea bags and capsules, were taken simultaneously from the five planted
areas during the winter and spring harvests to ensure diversity, as endorsed by TARI in
Taiwan. The samples had to first be washed with distilled water, then cut into chips using a
stainless steel knife, and finally homogenized and freeze-dried at -40°C, under 13 mm-Hg for
2 days.
Freeze-dried AK tissues were powdered in an all Teflon cylindrical mill and sieved
through a 0.9×0.8 mm sieve (Wei et al., 1997). Tea bags and capsules were dried materials,
and used in their original forms after they were purchased from the five planted areas. In
addition, each sample was then double sealed into another PE bag and preserved in a
desiccator before further irradiation. AK was weighted 350±10 mg for ENAA and 150±10
mg for INAA. A weighed sample was packed into 3×3 cm 2 PE bag then doubly sealed into
another PE bag for irradiating in the vertical tube (VT) irradiation positions for long
irradiation and pneumatic tube (PT) irradiation positions for short irradiation in the Open
pool Reactor of Tsing Hua University (THOR). Each bag was subsequently enveloped in a
host PE to prevent pre-irradiation contamination. The reference material used herein, lichen
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