Pollution Research Paper

Vol 39, Issue 2, 2020; Page No.(303-307 )

AN AYURVEDIC PURIFICATORY METHOD TO REDUCE THE LEAD ACCUMULATION IN ROOT TUBERS OF MUSTA-CYPERUS ROTUNDUS LINN (A POTENT MEDICINAL PLANT).

RAIBY P. PAUL, PRIYA S., VIMALA K.S. AND PRIYALATHA B

Abstract

Musta (Cyperusn rotundus Linn.) is a potential Ayurvedic medicinal plant which has got a hyper accumulatory action on lead (Pb). In Cakradatta (An Ayurvedic textbook), oeodhana of Musta has been mentioned. The objective of the present study was to analyze and compare the change in lead content in root tuber of Musta before and after oeodhana (Ayurvedic purificatory method). The study comprises of seven samples of Musta. Out of this, 3 were collected from heavy traffic area and 3 from shooting ranges and the non polluted sample was collected from natural source atleast 10 km away from the source of contamination. The samples were subjected to analysis of lead content using Inductively Coupled Plsama - Mass spectrometry before and after oeodhana (Ayurvedic purificatory method). Results were statistically analyzed using Wilcoxon signed rank test and Mann whitney U test in IBM SPSS Ver 20. Statistical analysis revealed that the lead content is significantly higher in heavy traffic area (17.3 ± 11.9) compared to shooting range (4.32 ± 0.92) and lead content is significantly reduced after purification (1.79 ± 0.80) compared to the lead content before purification (9.55 ± 10.1). Tetra methyl lead is one of the most significant heavy metal contaminant in recent years which is eliminated from motor vehicle exhaust. This might have contributed to the high level of lead in heavy traffic area in the study. The specific oeodhana (Ayurvedic purification) procedure mentioned in Cakradatta is effective in reducing the lead content accumulated in root tuber of Musta.