Information on the content of medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes is scarce in the literature. The objectives of this study were to determine the levels of macroelements and microelements in three different medicinal plant species including the dry samples and teas from Bauhinia forficata, Eleusine Indica, and Orthosiphon stamineus and assess the human health risks of ingestion of the tea. The content of the dry samples and teas was obtained using the technique of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) after microwave digestion procedure. The hazard quotient (HQ) method was used to access the human health risks posed by heavy metal through tea consumption. The results revealed the presence of K, Mg, Na, P, Al, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, and Se in dry samples and plant teas. The dry plants have high concentration of K and P. All dry plants contain Mg, Na, Al, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Cu above the limit permissible level set by the World Health Organization (WHO). All the hazard index (HI) values in plant teas were found to be within safe limits for human consumption (HI < 1). The plants may have possible action benefits when used in popular medicine. However, the ingestion through capsules prepared by enclosing a plant powder or teas can be harmful to the health of diabetics. The prescription of this plant for the treatment of diabetes should be treated with caution.
Fruits and byproducts are valuable sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds, which are associated with a decreased risk of developing several diseases, such as cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, and Alzheimer’s. The fruits of canjiqueira (Byrsonima cydoniifolia) are already exploited as a food resource, while the seeds are discarded. This study aimed at showing the potential of the whole fruit of canjiqueira. Elemental characterization was performed on ICP OES, while thermal stability was assessed on thermogravimetry. The determination of the fatty acid profile was carried out on gas chromatography and bioactive compound identification using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Results show that both parts of canjiqueira fruit are a source of various minerals, such as Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, and Mn while the seed only is a good source for Zn. Oleic and linoleic acids are the main compounds in pulp and seed. The thermal stability of seed oil is superior to pulp oil, while piceatannol concentration is higher in seed than pulp. All parts of canjiqueira fruit may be used as a strategy to address nutrition issues and are valuable ingredients to prospective food products.