Significance of Heavy metal
Heavy metals are metals and metalloids that possess high density and are toxic at low concentrations, often monitored in water samples due to their potential toxicity. Elements such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic can accumulate in living organisms and pose significant health risks, particularly in Ayurveda where their presence in medicinal formulations raises safety concerns. Their toxicity can lead to detrimental effects on human health and the environment, necessitating careful regulation and evaluation in various contexts, including herbal medicine and industrial settings.
The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference.
The concept of Heavy metal in scientific sources
Heavy metal refers to toxic elements like mercury, lead, and cadmium assessed for their therapeutic effects in Ayurvedic treatments. High atomic weight metals pose health risks, necessitating safe processing methods like Shodhana in medicinal formulations.
From: World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
(1) Toxic metals that can accumulate in the aquatic environment and harm living organisms, significantly mentioned as contaminants in the Ami River.[1] (2) Toxic elements such as lead and mercury that can contaminate Ayurvedic medicines, posing health risks.[2] (3) Toxic elements such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury that have detrimental effects on reproductive outcomes and are associated with miscarriages.[3] (4) Inorganic substances such as cadmium that accumulate in living organisms and may cause toxicity and detrimental health effects.[4] (5) A classification of metals including mercury that can have toxic effects unless properly purified.[5]
From: International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
(1) Toxic elements such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead found in chewing tobacco that can adversely affect health if ingested over long periods.[6] (2) Elemental metals found in some Ayurvedic formulations that must be carefully handled to avoid toxicity, underscoring the need for proper preparation methods.[7] (3) Elements like lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic that can be present in low levels in the environment, assessed for safety in therapeutic use.[8] (4) Toxic elements added during the adulteration process, compromising the safety and efficacy of herbal drugs.[9] (5) Heavy metals are environmental contaminants that accumulate in certain plants from soils, polluted water, and the atmosphere, making them a concern in herbal drugs.[10]
From: AYU (Journal of Research in Ayurveda)
(1) Toxic elements that were tested for permissible limits in Trinakantamani Pishti to ensure safety for internal administration.[11] (2) Heavy metals, namely mercury and gold, are the primary constituents in Makaradhwaja, necessitating careful evaluation of their safety and toxicity.[12] (3) Toxic elements which can affect respiratory health and are mitigated by certain Ayurvedic treatments.[13] (4) Metals with high atomic weights that can be toxic at elevated levels and are often a concern in medicinal formulations.[14] (5) Toxic elements that can be harmful to human health; Ayurvedic practices aim to process these metals into safe therapeutic forms through methods like Shodhana.[15]
From: Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine
(1) Ingredients such as mercury and arsenic used in some traditional formulations prescribed by Dr. CP Mathew for cancer treatment.[16] (2) Minerals like Cr, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Mn that are present in trace amounts and are significantly reduced during the LB preparation process.[17] (3) Elements like Mercury, Cadmium, Arsenic, and Lead, assessed in the formulation, were found to be within the prescribed limits.[18] (4) Heavy metals are elements that may raise concerns regarding the safety aspect of ayurvedic formulations when present in significant amounts.[19] (5) Toxic elements like mercury and arsenic that can be part of herbomineral formulations, requiring careful regulation and analysis.[20]
From: Ancient Science of Life
(1) Metals with high atomic weights that can be harmful to human and animal health, often accumulating in the body.[21] (2) Toxic elements like lead and arsenic that can have harmful effects when present in Ayurvedic preparations.[22] (3) Toxic elements found in certain preparations; in the context of Tamra Bhasma, its quality is confirmed by analyzing the absence of harmful heavy metals.[23] (4) Toxic elements like lead and cadmium that can contaminate herbal formulations and cause health issues.[24] (5) Toxic elements that were measured to be within the prescribed limits in both Kamsaharitaki avaleha and granules.[25]
From: Ayushdhara journal
(1) Toxic metallic elements that can be harmful to health; their levels are monitored in herbal formulations to ensure patient safety.[26]