Vol. 7, Issue 7 (2018)

Author(s):
Sushmita Negi

Abstract:
Salvadora persica Linn. of family Salvadoraceae is a medium sized evergreen perennial tree, commonly known as ‘Tooth brush tree’, ‘Mustard tree’ or Miswak. It grows as a desert tree in Indian arid zone, while in coastal parts; it grows as a halophyte tolerating extremely saline condition. It is one of the most important medicinal trees whose almost every part has pharmaceutically important ingredients. Stem is used for manufacture of toothpicks for oral hygiene that are commonly known as Miswak sticks. The present research paper enumerates quantitative analysis for four heavy metals, namely, Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium and Chromium from stem and leaf samples collected from natural stands of Salvadora persica growing in Naigaon area, near Mumbai. Prior to heavy metal analysis, preliminary investigation was conducted on certain aspects of proximate analysis of Salvadora persica, namely dry weight, ash content, acid and water soluble ash. Total ash value was found to be 21.8% in stem and 8.2% in leaf sample. Water soluble ash accounted for 3.6% in stem and only 0.9% in leaf. Acid insoluble ash was recorded to be 0.8% in stem while it was absent in the leaf samples. Quantitative analysis of heavy metals revealed that their fractions were higher in stem than in leaf sample indicating their mobility from stem to leaf in plant body. Lead accounted for123 mg/kg in stem and 54 mg/gm in leaf, Arsenic accounted for 98 mg/kg in stem and 37 mg/gm in leaf, Cadmium accounted for 101 mg/kg in stem and 22 in leaf, while Chromium accounted for 89 mg/kg in stem and 23 mg/kg in leaf of Salvadora persica. Being a medicinally important, the presence of heavy metals in Miswak is an alarming sign.