Estimation of minerals, nitrate and nitrite contents of medicinal and aromatic plants used as spices, condiments and herbal tea

In this study, the minor and major mineral contents of 31 kinds of medicinal and aromatic plant collected from the south region of Turkey in 2004 year were established by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The samples were composed of Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P and Zn. The highest mineral concentration were measured between 57.70-2962.74 mg/kg Al, 1160.04-16452.88 mg/kg Ca, 44.83-1799.5 mg/kg Fe, 3570.73-27669.72 mg/kg K, 477.17-4313.59 mg/kg Mg, 1102.62-20912.33 mg/kg Na, 443.60-9367.80 mg/kg P and 7.18-48.36 mg/kg Zn. The highest values of Ca, K and P were established in Foeniculum vulgare (bitter fennel) (16452.88 mg/kg), Ocimum minumum (basil) (27669.72 mg/kg) and F. vulgare (bitter fennel) (9367.80 mg/kg), respectively. The heavy metal contents were determined too low in all samples. Nitrate and nitrite contents of samples were analysed using the phenolicdisulphonic acid method and the diazotisation method of the American Public Health Association, respectively. These nitrate and nitrite values were established to vary widely depending on the different plant species. While nitrate contents were high in most cases and varied from 12.15 mg/kg lime flover (Tilia corata) to 238.85 mg/kg myrtle (Myrtus communis), nitrite contents were established between 3.69 mg/kg sesame (Sesamum indicum) to 52.70 mg/kg basil (Ocimum minumum). Generally, nitrate contents of samples were found very high compared with nitrite values. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.