MULTIELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF SOME TRADITIONAL PLANT MEDICINES USED IN GHANA

ABSTRACT The essential elements in six traditional Ghanaian plant medicines used at the Center for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM), Mampong-Akwapim, Ghana, for the management and cure of various diseases were determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA), using thermal neutrons at a flux of 5 E 11 ns−1 cm−2. The plant medicines were: Ninga powder, Lippia tea, Ritchiea powder, Momordica powder, Kenken powder and Fefe powder. The samples were analysed without any chemical treatment. A total of seventeen elements namely Al, Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cu, Cr, K, Mn, Mg, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Ta, V and Zn have been determined. Of these Sb and Sc were found to be present at the trace level, Br, Co, Cu, Cr, Mn, Rb, Ta, V and Zn at the minor level, while Al, Ca, Cl, K, Mg and Na were generally at the major level. The differences in the concentration of the elements may be attributed mainly to soil composition and the climate in which the plants grow. The method was validated by analysing the NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM-1571) and it was found that the elemental concentrations measured in the SRM-1571 were within ± 10%.