Evaluation of Maifanitum quality from different regions using XRF and ICP-MS, along with health risk assessment of its decoction.

Background: Maifanitum, a traditional mineral medicine first documented in the "Bencao Tujing" during China's Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), is reputed for its multifaceted therapeutic properties, including detoxification, tissue regeneration, diuretic effects, and life-prolonging capabilities. Beyond medicinal applications, Maifanitum is also utilized for water purification and health benefits by enhancing the content of beneficial elements in water. Variations in the composition and content of Maifanitum from different origins, parts, and applications may contribute to differences in its medicinal efficacy.

Methods: This study utilized X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to assess the material composition and loss on ignition of Maifanitum, as well as the inorganic element content within its decoction. Based on the test results, we conducted an analysis and comparison of the material composition of Maifanitum from different origins and parts using chemometric methods such as Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structures Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA). Additionally, we assessed the quality of the Maifanitum decoction and its health risk implications by calculating ADI, THQ, HI, and CR values.

Results: The primary chemical constituents of Maifanitum are SiO₂, Al₂O₃, K₂O, Na₂O, MnO, among others. Analyses HCA and PCA indicate a certain correlation between the chemical composition and the origin as well as the intended use of Maifanitum, with Al₂O₃ and MnO being the main differential components among different parts of Maifanitum. The aqueous extract of Maifanitum is predominantly composed of elements such as Na, Si, K, and Ca. An evaluation of the beneficial and harmful elements indicates that the quality of the Maifanitum decoction is significantly influenced by factors related to its origin and the part of Maifanitum. Notably, the "non-rice" portion of Maifanitum tends to receive higher scores, suggesting that a higher proportion of the "non-rice" portion may correlate with superior quality. Furthermore, the loss on ignition (LOI) of Maifanitum, ranging from 0.30 to 3.23%, implies variability in the water content among Maifanitum from different sources.

Conclusion: This research provides significant scientific evidence for the quality control and safety assessment of Maifanitum, and there is no evidence to support that the water decoction of Maifanitum with health risk to humans.