METALLOME OF ORIGANUM VULGARE: THE UNKNOWN SIDE OF A MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANT USED WORLDWIDE
DIANA S. ANTAL 1#, COSMIN CITU 2#, FLORINA ARDELEAN1, CRISTINA DEHELEAN1*, LAVINIA VLAIA1, CODRUTA SOICA1, VICENTIU VLAIA1, MARIUS BIRIS2, IOAN SAS2
1.“Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, Timisoara, Romania
2.“Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, Timisoara, Romania
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Potential health benefits of aromatic and medicinal plants connected to their content in minerals are usually not evoked by the
relevant literature. However, they may be significant for persons using regularly phytotherapy, as well as for those adopting
diets which are rich in herbal spices. In this context, we performed an extensive investigation of metal and metalloid elements
present in different populations of wild-growing Origanum vulgare samples from Romania. Forty-nine elements were
identified and quantified through inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results were discussed as to
their significance for human health. The present study provides, for the first time, a complete set of reference data on the
mineral content of Origanum vulgare from South-Western Romania.
