Mineral content of Chinese medicinal herbs used as diuretic treatments for Taiwanese children

Eighteen major, minor and trace elements in 12 Chinese medicinal herbs commonly consumed by Taiwanese Children as diuretics were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Dried and powdered herb samples were irradiated in a neutron flux of ca. 2 × 1012 n/cm2 s under separate short and long irradiation schemes. Lichen (IAEA-336) was used as the reference standard, and tomato leaves (NIST-SRM 1570a) were employed for cross-checking the accuracy of the results. INAA was shown to be a reliable multi-element analytical method for determining the content of both toxicologically and nutritionally important minerals in Chinese medicinal herbs. Determined elements were present in the dried herbs in concentrations ranging from 104 to 10-3 μg/g. The mineral contents and the maximum daily intake values of the tested herbs were compared with published values and with the recommended daily intakes for Taiwanese children as specified by the World Health Organization.