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Chapter 7 Impact of heavy metal on the medicinal and aromatic plants’ biochemistry

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Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
This chapter is in the book Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

Abstract

Medicinal plants have long been vital to human health and well-being, serving as critical resources for food, medicine, and environmental sustenance. These plants are characterized by their active biochemical compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and essential oils, which possess therapeutic and aromatic properties. Their importance spans traditional and modern medicine, as well as the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries. However, environmental factors, particularly abiotic stresses such as heavy metal contamination, significantly influence the production of these bioactive compounds. Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic are among the most harmful environmental pollutants, originating from industrial activities, mining, and agricultural practices. These metals accumulate in soil and water, disrupting plant growth, metabolic functions, and secondary metabolite production. While some metals, like copper and zinc, are essential micronutrients, their excessive concentrations, alongside toxic metals, can lead to oxidative stress, stunted growth, and bioaccumulation in plants and the food chain, posing serious risks to human and ecological health. Medicinal plants are particularly susceptible to heavy metal contamination due to their bioaccumulation tendencies. Studies have revealed significant heavy metal levels in commonly used species like mint, lavender, and rosemary, potentially jeopardizing their medicinal quality. However, this absorption ability also positions medicinal plants as key agents in phytoremediation, a biotechnological approach to mitigating environmental pollution. By tolerating and sequestering heavy metals, these plants help remediate contaminated soils while maintaining some level of secondary metabolite production. Despite their phytoremediation potential, heavy metals can alter the composition and yield of essential oils, impacting their medicinal and aromatic properties. These changes depend on factors such as metal concentration, plant species, and metabolic pathways. While low metal concentrations may stimulate essential oil production, higher levels typically inhibit it, underscoring the complex relationship between heavy metals and plant biochemistry. To address these challenges, advanced detection technologies, improved agricultural practices, and stringent regulations are essential for minimizing heavy metal 266contamination. Furthermore, future research must focus on understanding the genetic and biochemical mechanisms underlying these effects, broadening the study scope to include diverse medicinal plant species. Such efforts will optimize the use of medicinal plants in polluted environments and ensure their sustainability for human and industrial applications.

Abstract

Medicinal plants have long been vital to human health and well-being, serving as critical resources for food, medicine, and environmental sustenance. These plants are characterized by their active biochemical compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and essential oils, which possess therapeutic and aromatic properties. Their importance spans traditional and modern medicine, as well as the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries. However, environmental factors, particularly abiotic stresses such as heavy metal contamination, significantly influence the production of these bioactive compounds. Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic are among the most harmful environmental pollutants, originating from industrial activities, mining, and agricultural practices. These metals accumulate in soil and water, disrupting plant growth, metabolic functions, and secondary metabolite production. While some metals, like copper and zinc, are essential micronutrients, their excessive concentrations, alongside toxic metals, can lead to oxidative stress, stunted growth, and bioaccumulation in plants and the food chain, posing serious risks to human and ecological health. Medicinal plants are particularly susceptible to heavy metal contamination due to their bioaccumulation tendencies. Studies have revealed significant heavy metal levels in commonly used species like mint, lavender, and rosemary, potentially jeopardizing their medicinal quality. However, this absorption ability also positions medicinal plants as key agents in phytoremediation, a biotechnological approach to mitigating environmental pollution. By tolerating and sequestering heavy metals, these plants help remediate contaminated soils while maintaining some level of secondary metabolite production. Despite their phytoremediation potential, heavy metals can alter the composition and yield of essential oils, impacting their medicinal and aromatic properties. These changes depend on factors such as metal concentration, plant species, and metabolic pathways. While low metal concentrations may stimulate essential oil production, higher levels typically inhibit it, underscoring the complex relationship between heavy metals and plant biochemistry. To address these challenges, advanced detection technologies, improved agricultural practices, and stringent regulations are essential for minimizing heavy metal 266contamination. Furthermore, future research must focus on understanding the genetic and biochemical mechanisms underlying these effects, broadening the study scope to include diverse medicinal plant species. Such efforts will optimize the use of medicinal plants in polluted environments and ensure their sustainability for human and industrial applications.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Part I: Introduction
  4. Chapter 1 The importance of medicinal and aromatic plants for living things 1
  5. Chapter 2 Methods of obtaining drugs from medicinal and aromatic plants 41
  6. Chapter 3 Challenges encountered in growing medicinal and aromatic plants 119
  7. Chapter 4 Medicinal and aromatic plants that are toxic 155
  8. Part II: Effect of stress factors on medicinal and aromatic plants
  9. Chapter 5 Impact of drought stress on the medicinal and aromatic plants’ biochemistry 197
  10. Chapter 6 Impact of salinity stress on medicinal and aromatic plant biotechnology 229
  11. Chapter 7 Impact of heavy metal on the medicinal and aromatic plants’ biochemistry 265
  12. Chapter 8 Metabolic and hormonal responses of medicinal and aromatic plants to abiotic stress 299
  13. Part III: Pharmaceutical use of medicinal plants
  14. Chapter 9 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in burn treatment 327
  15. Chapter 10 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in respiratory diseases 363
  16. Chapter 11 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antioxidant properties 385
  17. Chapter 12 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antibacterial properties 417
  18. Part IV: Uses of medicinal and aromatic plants in other areas
  19. Chapter 13 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in cosmetics 457
  20. Chapter 14 Edible medicinal and aromatic plants 491
  21. Chapter 15 The mysteries of Moroccan nature: aromatic plants and their therapeutic medicinal properties 513
  22. Chapter 16 The use of medicinal and aromatic plants in aromatherapy 547
  23. Chapter 17 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antioxidant properties 581
  24. Chapter 18 Medicinal and aromatic plants with anti-parasitic properties 611
  25. Chapter 19 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in personal care products 651
  26. Chapter 20 Genotoxic effects of medicinal and aromatic plants 681
  27. Chapter 21 Applicability of start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism markers in determining genetic diversity in medicinal and aromatic plants 707
  28. Index 743
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111469713-007

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Part I: Introduction
  4. Chapter 1 The importance of medicinal and aromatic plants for living things 1
  5. Chapter 2 Methods of obtaining drugs from medicinal and aromatic plants 41
  6. Chapter 3 Challenges encountered in growing medicinal and aromatic plants 119
  7. Chapter 4 Medicinal and aromatic plants that are toxic 155
  8. Part II: Effect of stress factors on medicinal and aromatic plants
  9. Chapter 5 Impact of drought stress on the medicinal and aromatic plants’ biochemistry 197
  10. Chapter 6 Impact of salinity stress on medicinal and aromatic plant biotechnology 229
  11. Chapter 7 Impact of heavy metal on the medicinal and aromatic plants’ biochemistry 265
  12. Chapter 8 Metabolic and hormonal responses of medicinal and aromatic plants to abiotic stress 299
  13. Part III: Pharmaceutical use of medicinal plants
  14. Chapter 9 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in burn treatment 327
  15. Chapter 10 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in respiratory diseases 363
  16. Chapter 11 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antioxidant properties 385
  17. Chapter 12 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antibacterial properties 417
  18. Part IV: Uses of medicinal and aromatic plants in other areas
  19. Chapter 13 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in cosmetics 457
  20. Chapter 14 Edible medicinal and aromatic plants 491
  21. Chapter 15 The mysteries of Moroccan nature: aromatic plants and their therapeutic medicinal properties 513
  22. Chapter 16 The use of medicinal and aromatic plants in aromatherapy 547
  23. Chapter 17 Medicinal and aromatic plants with antioxidant properties 581
  24. Chapter 18 Medicinal and aromatic plants with anti-parasitic properties 611
  25. Chapter 19 Medicinal and aromatic plants used in personal care products 651
  26. Chapter 20 Genotoxic effects of medicinal and aromatic plants 681
  27. Chapter 21 Applicability of start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism markers in determining genetic diversity in medicinal and aromatic plants 707
  28. Index 743
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