Heavy metals alter the potency of medicinal plants

There has been increased use of herbal drugs in recent years. Because of increasing demand and wider use, it is essential that the quality of plant-based drugs should be assured prior to use. When heavy metals contaminate the plants from which herbal drugs are derived, they affect both plant growth characteristics and production of secondary plant metabolites. Plants exposed to heavy metal stress show changes in production of secondary metabolites. High levels of heavy metal contamination in medicinal or other plants may suppress secondary metabolite production. Alternatively, the presence of heavy metals in medicinal plants may stimulate production of bioactive compounds in many plant species. Moreover, some research results suggest that heavy metals may play an important role in triggering plant genes to alter the titers or nature of secondary plant metabolites, although the exact mechanism by which this happens remains unclear. Oxidative stress induced by heavy metals triggers signaling pathways that affect production of specific plant metabolites. In particular, reactive oxygen species (ROS), generated during heavy metal stress, may cause lipid peroxidation that stimulates formation of highly active signaling compounds capable of triggering production of bioactive compounds (secondary metabolites) that enhances the medicinal value of the plant. As usual, further research is needed to clarify the mechanism by which heavy metals induce responses that result in enhanced secondary metabolite production.