Department of Physics, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Biophysics, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Biol Trace Elem Res. 2022 Sep;200(9):4199-4216. doi: 10.1007/s12011-021-03014-4. Epub 2021 Nov 20.
Shilajit is used commonly as Ayurvedic medicine worldwide which is Rasayana herbo-mineral substance and consumed to restore the energetic balance and to prevent diseases like cognitive disorders and Alzheimer. Locally, Shilajit is applied for patients diagnosed with bone fractures. For safety of the patients, the elemental analysis of Shilajit is imperative to evaluate its nutritional quality as well as contamination from heavy metals. The elemental composition of Shilajit was conducted using three advanced analytical techniques (LIBS, ICP, and EDX). For the comparative studies, the two Shilajit kinds mostly sold globally produced in India and Pakistan were collected. Our main focus is to highlight nutritional eminence and contamination of heavy metals to hinge on Shilajit therapeutic potential. In this work, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the Shilajit. Our LIBS analysis revealed that Shilajit samples composed of several elements like Ca, S, K, Mg, Al, Na, Sr, Fe, P, Si, Mn, Ba, Zn, Ni, B, Cr, Co, Pb, Cu, As, Hg, Se, and Ti. Indian and Pakistani Shilajits were highly enriched with Ca, S, and K nutrients and contained Al, Sr, Mn, Ba, Zn, Ni, B, Cr, Pb, As, and Hg toxins in amounts that exceeded the standard permissible limit. Even though the content of most elements was comparable among both Shilajits, nutrients, and toxins, in general, were accentuated more in Indian Shilajit with the sole detection of Hg and Ti. The elemental quantification was done using self-developed calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS) method, and LIBS results are in well agreement with the concentrations determined by standard ICP-OES/MS method. To verify our results by LIBS and ICP-OES/MS techniques, EDX spectroscopy was also conducted which confirmed the presence above mentioned elements. This work is highly significant for creating awareness among people suffering due to overdose of this product and save many human lives.
喜来芝在全球范围内被广泛用作阿育吠陀药物，是一种拉莎那草本矿物物质，用于恢复能量平衡，并预防认知障碍和阿尔茨海默病等疾病。在当地，喜来芝被用于诊断为骨折的患者。为了患者的安全，对喜来芝进行元素分析对于评估其营养质量以及重金属污染至关重要。使用三种先进的分析技术（LIBS、ICP 和 EDX）对喜来芝的元素组成进行了分析。为了进行比较研究，收集了全球两种最畅销的喜来芝，一种来自印度，一种来自巴基斯坦。我们的主要重点是强调营养卓越性和重金属污染，以支撑喜来芝的治疗潜力。在这项工作中，激光诱导击穿光谱（LIBS）被应用于喜来芝的定性和定量分析。我们的 LIBS 分析表明，喜来芝样品由 Ca、S、K、Mg、Al、Na、Sr、Fe、P、Si、Mn、Ba、Zn、Ni、B、Cr、Co、Pb、Cu、As、Hg、Se 和 Ti 等几种元素组成。印度和巴基斯坦的喜来芝富含 Ca、S 和 K 等营养物质，并且含有 Al、Sr、Mn、Ba、Zn、Ni、B、Cr、Pb、As 和 Hg 等毒素，其含量超过了标准允许限度。尽管两种喜来芝的大多数元素含量相当，但一般来说，印度喜来芝的营养物质和毒素更为突出，仅检测到 Hg 和 Ti。元素定量是使用自行开发的无标样激光诱导击穿光谱（CF-LIBS）方法进行的，LIBS 结果与标准 ICP-OES/MS 方法确定的浓度非常吻合。为了通过 LIBS 和 ICP-OES/MS 技术验证我们的结果，还进行了 EDX 光谱分析，证实了上述元素的存在。这项工作对于提高因过量服用这种产品而受苦的人们的意识，挽救许多人的生命具有重要意义。
