Issue

Vol. 10 No. 6 (2021)

Contamination of Aflatoxins and Selected Heavy Metals in Commercially Available Traditional Herbal Medicines in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

https://doi.org/10.56279/jhss.v10i6.121
Frank P. Fovo
Tanzania Commission of Science and Technology
mvungi
Department of Botany University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Corresponding Author(s) : Frank P. Fovo

ffovo@hotmail.com

Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS), Vol. 10 No. 6 (2021)

Abstract

This study assesses the contamination of mycoflora, aflatoxins and selected heavy metals
(Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn) and Lead) (Pb) in traditional herbal medicines
commercially available in Dar es Salaam. Samples were collected from registered
traditional healers in three districts: Ilala, Kinondoni and Temeke. Fungal load were
assessed using the pour plate technique, whereas aflatoxins and heavy metals were
analysed using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Inductively Coupled
Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively. The toxin levels obtained were high
compared to the permissible levels reported in the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The
fungal load in the sampled herbal materials did not vary significantly with districts (p >
0.05). The total aflatoxin contamination was 32.5%, 27.5% and 45.0% of the samples
collected from Kinondoni, Ilala and Temeke districts, respectively. With the exception of
Kinondoni district, aflatoxin B1 -- which is the most potent compared to other types --
were recorded in 37.5% and 10% of the samples collected from Ilala and Temeke districts,
respectively. The concentration levels were above the permissible limits of 0.015 ppm. On
the other hand, samples collected from all districts had variable levels of heavy metal
contaminations. Of all metals studied, iron was the most common, and one with the
highest concentration in all districts: the highest mean concentration of 1080.4 ± 268.3
mg/kg being reported in Ilala; and the lowest mean of 492.4 ± 175.5 mg/kg being
recorded in Kinondoni. The second most abundant heavy metal was zinc, and the least
was lead with the highest mean of 3.58 ± 0.41 mg/kg recorded in Ilala. The study findings
indicate that the quality of herbal medicines available in Dar es Salaam markets is relatively
poor, therefore quality control mechanisms are recommended before the products are
allowed in the market to safeguard consumers.

Keywords

Aflatoxins, Dar es Salaam, Fungal load, Herbal medicines, Heavy metals
Contamination of Aflatoxins and Selected Heavy Metals in Commercially Available Traditional Herbal Medicines in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (2022). Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS), 10(6). https://doi.org/10.56279/jhss.v10i6.121
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
References
  1. Alonso, V. A., C. M. Pereyra, L. A. M. Keller, A. M. Dalcero, C. A. R. Rosa, S. M. Chiacchiera & L. R.
  2. Cavaglieri. 2013. Fungi and Mycotoxins in Silage: An Overview. Journal of Applied Microbiology,
  3. (3): 637–643.
  4. Aquino, S., E. Goncalez, M. H. Rossi, J. H. De Campos Nogueira, T. A. Dos Reis & B. Corrêa. 2010.
  5. Evaluation of Fungal Burden and Aflatoxin Presence in Packed Medicinal Plants Treated by
  6. Gamma Radiation. Journal of Food Protection, 73(5): 932–937.
  7. Arranz, I., Sizoo, E., Van Egmond, H., Kroeger, K., Legarda, T. M., Burdaspal, P., Reif, K. & J. Stroka.
  8. Determination of Aflatoxin B1 in Medical Herbs: Interlaboratory Study. Journal of AOAC
  9. International, 89(3): 595– 605.
  10. Caldas, E. D. & L. L. Machado. 2004. Cadmium, Mercury and Lead in Medicinal Herbs in Brazil. Food
  11. and Chemical Toxicology, 42(4): 599-603.
  12. Chan, K. 2003. Some Aspects of Toxic Contaminants in Herbal Medicines. Chemosphere, 52(9): 1361 -1371.
  13. Gazio?lu, I. & U. Kolak. 2015. Method Validation for the Quantitative Analysis of Aflatoxins (B1, B2,
  14. G1 & G2) and Ochratoxin a in Processed Cereal-Based Foods by HPLC With Fluorescence
  15. Detection. Journal of AOAC International, 98(4): 939–945.
  16. Javed, A., I. Naeem, N. Benkerroum, M. Riaz, S. Akhtar, A. Ismail, M. Sajid, … & Z. Ismail. 2021.
  17. Occurrence and Health Risk Assessment of Aflatoxins Through Intake of Eastern Herbal
  18. Medicines Collected from Four Districts of Southern Punjab—Pakistan. International Journal of
  19. Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(18): 9531.
  20. Justin-Temu, M., E. F. Lyamuya & C. Makwaya. 2009. Sources of Microbial Contamination of Local
  21. Herbal Medicines Sold on the Open Market in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. East and Central African
  22. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 12: 19–22.
  23. Kaaya, N. A. & H. Warren. 2005. Review of Past and Present Research on Aflatoxin in Uganda. African
  24. Journal of Food Agriculture Nutrition and Development, 5(1): 1–18.
  25. Kalumbi, M. H., M. C. Likongwe, J. Mponda, B. L. Zimba, O. Phiri, L. Lipenga, T. Mguntha & J.
  26. Kumphanda. 2020. Bacterial and Heavy Metal Contamination in Selected Commonly Sold Herbal
  27. Medicine in Blantyre, Malawi. Malawi Medical Journal, 32(3): 153–159.
  28. Khairiah, J., M. K. Zalifah, Y. H. Yin & A. Aminah. 2004. The Uptake of Heavy Metals by Fruit Type
  29. Vegetables Grown in Selected Agricultural Areas. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 7(8):
  30. –1442.
  31. Khan, S., Q. Cao, Y. M. Zheng, Y. Z. Huang & Y. G. Zhu. 2008. Health Risks of Heavy Metals in
  32. Contaminated Soils and Food Crops Irrigated With Wastewater in Beijing, China. Environmental
  33. Pollution, 152(3): 686–692.
  34. Kirmani M. Z., S. Mohiuddin, F. Naz, I. I. Naqvi & E. Zahir. 2011. Determination of Some Toxic and
  35. Essential Trace Metals in Some Medicinal and Edible Plants of Karachi City. Journal of Basic &
  36. Applied Sciences, 7(2): 99–95.
  37. Kitula, R. A. 2007. Use of Medicinal Plants for Human Health in Udzungwa Mountains Forests: A
  38. Case Study of New Dabaga Ulongambi Forest Reserve, Tanzania. Journal of Ethnobiology and
  39. Ethnomedicine, 3:7.
  40. Kosalec, I., J. Cvek & S. Tomi?. 2009. Contaminants of Medicinal Herbs and Herbal Products. Arhiv
  41. Za Higijenu Rada I Toksikologiju, 60(4): 485–500.
  42. Kuhumba, G. D., A. H. Simonne & J. K. Mugula. 2018. Evaluation of Aflatoxins in Peanut-Enriched
  43. Complementary Flours from Selected Urban Markets in Tanzania. Food Control, 89: 196–202.
  44. Kumar, D., S. Bajaj & R. Mehrotra. 2006. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Complementary and
  45. Alternative Medicines for Diabetes. Public Health, 120(8): 705–711.
  46. Midrar-Ul-Haq, Khattak, R. A., Puno, H. K Saif, S. M., Memon, K. S & N. B. Sial. 2005. Heavy Metals
  47. Accumulation in Potentially Contaminated Soils of NWFP. Asian Journal of Plant Sciences, 4: 159–63.
  48. Mosihuzzaman, M. & M. I. Choudhary. 2008. Protocols on Safety, Efficacy, Standardization &
  49. Documentation of Herbal Medicine (IUPAC Technical Report). Pure and Applied Chemistry, 80(10):
  50. –2230.
  51. National Bureau of Statistics. 2017. Tanzania in Figures 2016, 95 pp.
  52. Orisakwe, O. E., N. J. Kanayochukwu, A. C. Nwadiuto, D. Daniel & O. Onyinyechi. 2012. Evaluation
  53. of Potential Dietary Toxicity of Heavy Metals of Vegetables. Journal of Environmental & Analytical
  54. Toxicology, 2(3): 136.
  55. Rushing, B. R. & M. I. Selim. 2019. Aflatoxin B1: A Review on Metabolism, Toxicity, Occurrence in
  56. Food, Occupational Exposure & Detoxification Methods. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 124:
  57. –100.
  58. Sahil, K., B. Sudeep & M. Akanksha. 2011. Standardization of Medicinal Plant Materials. International
  59. Journal of Research in Ayurveda & Pharmacy, 2(24): 1100-1109.
  60. Samali, A., A. Kirim & R. K. Mustapha. 2012. Qualitative and Quantitative Evaluation of Some Herbal
  61. Teas Commonly Consumed in Nigeria. African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 6(6): 384–388.
  62. Sewram, V., G. S. Shephard, L. Van Der Merwe & T. V. Jacobs. 2006. Mycotoxin Contamination of
  63. Dietary and Medicinal Wild Plants in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Journal of
  64. Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 54(15): 5688–5693.
  65. Srivastava, S. K., V. Rai, M. Srivastava, A. K. S. Rawat & S. Mehrotra. 2006. Estimation of Heavy
  66. Metals in Different Berberis Species and Its Market Samples. Environmental Monitoring and
  67. Assessment, 116: 1–3.
  68. Tassaneeyakul, W., E. Razzazi-Fazeli, S. Porasuphatana & J. Bohm. 2004. Contamination of
  69. Aflatoxins in Herbal Medicinal Products in Thailand. Mycopathologia, 158(2): 239-44.
  70. Trucksess, M. W. & P. M. Scott. 2008. Mycotoxins in Botanicals and Dried Fruits: A Review. Food
  71. Additives and Contaminants–Part A, 25(2): 181–192.
  72. Verma, P., K. V. George, H. V. Singh & R. N. Singh. 2007. Modeling Cadmium Accumulation in Radish,
  73. Carrot, Spinach and Cabbage. Applied Mathematical Modelling, 31(8): 1652–1661.
  74. World Health Organization (WHO). 2002. WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002–2005.
  75. —. 2013. WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014–2023.
  76. Wu, F. 2004. Mycotoxin Risk Assessment for the Purpose of Setting International Regulatory
  77. Standards. Environmental Science and Technology, 38(15): 4049–4055.
  78. Yang, M. H., J. M. Chen & X. H. Zhang. 2005. Immunoaffinity Column Clean-Up and Liquid
  79. Chromatography With Post-Column Derivatization for Analysis of Aflatoxins in Traditional
  80. Chinese Medicine. Chromatographia, 62: 9–10.
Read More
Author biographies is not available.

How to Cite

Contamination of Aflatoxins and Selected Heavy Metals in Commercially Available Traditional Herbal Medicines in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (2022). Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS), 10(6). https://doi.org/10.56279/jhss.v10i6.121
Download

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.