Heavy metal contamination in commonly consumed herbal medicines from local markets in Hyderabad, India, and associated health risks

Heavy metal (HM) contamination in commonly consumed herbal medicines (<i>n</i> = 80), as determined by Liquid Chromatography-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy, revealed that 10% of the samples contained at least one HM which exceeded the maximum limits of the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. The estimated daily intake of Cr was higher through the consumption of amla, brahmi, and lodhra bark, when compared to other HMs. The Hazard Quotient (1.8) and Hazard Index (2.3) exceeded 1 for brahmi consumption, suggesting potential non-carcinogenic health risks for the population. The Life Time Cancer Risk for brahmi was 2.95E-03, so above 10^-4-10^-6, which indicates a cancer risk to the population. Monte Carlo simulations for amla showed a skewed distribution, also suggesting its consumption to be a health risk. Therefore, proper management strategies and regular monitoring of herbal products are recommended to ensure the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines for the consumers.