Medicinal Plants Classification Biosynthesis and ... - Index of

Metal Concentrations in Taiwanese Health Food, Angelica Keiskei...
al., 1998). The concentrations of Cr, Fe, Mn and Zn are significantly less than the US
recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for essential elements, and also less than the
WHO/FAO provisional tolerable intakes (Food and Nutrition Board, 1989; WHO, 1989).
Accordingly, the above indicates that the average Taiwanese probably exceeds the
recommended daily intake of A1, Fe and Sc (Liu and Chung, 1991). On the other hand, the
consumption of AK can provide numerous essential elements for consumers, such as Br, K,
Mn, Na, Se and Zn.
Table 5. Maximum daily intakes (units μg/g or as otherwise stated)
of elements from Taiwanese AK by adult and 15 kg body weight children
Element root Fresh stems
and leaves
tea bag capsule RDI a PTI b Liu et
al., c
Al 2760 1980 4440 5640 - - 9200
As 6 .12 5 .88 ND ND - 30 -
Br 248 205 84 .2 227 - - 4200
Cl(%) 3 .12 2 .28 1 .90 4 .00 - - 350
Cr 2 .88 2 .28 ND 1 .70 50 - 92
Fe 9700 4560 4850 4200 15000 - 8000
I ND 9 .84 8 .16 6 .24 - - -
K(%) 16 .8 26 .9 11 .3 17 .0 - - 170
La 23 .5 2 .40 4 .92 5 .88 - - -
Mg 2760 3000 3480 6480 - - -
Mn 696 996 259 1140 2000 - 2800
Na(%) 1 .54 2 .02 1 .40 2 .33 - - 280
Rb 25 .2 50 .4 ND 67 .8 - - 1700
Sb 1 .14 0 .55 ND 0 .50 - - -
Sc 3 .19 0 .46 0 .77 1 .30 - - 0.2
Se 3 .00 3 .60 ND ND - - -
Sm 2 .75 0 .36 0. 94 1 .00 - - -
V 18 .1 8 .76 3 .36 46 .4 - - -
Zn 804 721 936 570 15000 - 7300
b Provisional tolerable intakes (WHO/FAO) for 15 kg body weight children.
c Analyzing daily dietary intake for citizen in Taiwan, see Liu et al., 1991.
d Non detected in this work.
The average (12 g/day for adult, 6g/day for children) ingestions, would account for a
MDI of iron ranging from 4.2 to 9.7 mg/g, as listed in table 4. Dallman et al. proved that
periods where iron intake is a particular concern include late infancy (6 months to 1 years, 10
mg/day), during which time the infant is increasingly dependent on dietary iron while their
own iron stores have dwindled, adolescence, particularly during the growth spurt, and
pregnancy, especially the latter half (Dallman and Simes, 1984). During the latter half of their
pregnancy, the recommended iron intake for pregnant woman is 45 mg/day. Consumption of
AK can provide large amounts of iron to infants and pregnant women (DOH, 1993).
Specifically, Mn was identified as a constituent of mitochondrial glutamine systhetase, a
213