Abstract: | Wood garlic (Allium ursinum) enjoys a large popularity in Romania, its leaves being consumed fresh, as salad (in spring) or dried, as a spice. Known from traditional folk medicine for its stomachic, anthelmintic, antibacterial, depurative, expectorant activities [1], several recent pharmacological investigations have documented the impressive therapeutic potential of this plant in cardio-vascular disorders. Its content in gamma-glutamyl peptides and sulfur-containing compounds is believed to be responsible for the inhibition of the angiotensin I - converting enzyme (ACE) and the interference with the nitric oxide system [2,3]. On the other hand, high levels of adenosine [4] relax smooth vascular muscles by acting upon the ATP-dependent K-channels [5], thus enhancing the blood pressure lowering effects of this plant. Additionally, cardioprotective effects were pointed out, based on the significant reduction of the incidence of ventricular fibrillation [6]. Allium ursinum (AU) also inhibits 5- lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenase, thrombocyte aggregation, lowers the levels of total cholesterol and increases circulating insulin [7,8]. Several authors suggest that AU has a greater therapeutic benefit compared to Allium sativum [3,4,8].
Although the content in organic active principles of AU has thoroughly been investigated [9], the inorganic part received less attention. However, plants are known to contain a large variety of mineral elements, according to their specific biochemical features and site of development [10]. Following the ingestion of vegetal products, human organisms are exposed to these inorganic constituents, some of them essential, some toxic to man. As AU represents a very popular vegetable and spice, it is consumed in relatively large daily amounts. Thus, the intake of inorganic compounds through AU preparations could be significant.
In this concept, the objective of the present research was to perform an extensive investigation of the inorganic constituents of AU leaves, evaluating their content in 47 elements. All samples were gathered from non-polluted sites of the wild flora, in order to assess the natural level of inorganics in the leaves. |
