Assessment of contamination pattern of medicinal plants with heavy metals in polluted soils

This study investigated the accumulation patterns of heavy metals, i.e., Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Pb, and Cd, from heavily polluted agricultural soil with 23 medicinal plant species commonly used in traditional Indian medicine. The bark, leaf, and fruit samples, along with corresponding soils, were collected from 45 locations in central India's Ambagarh Chowki district, Chhattisgarh state, and analyzed via ICP–MS. Plant parts (bark, leaves, mesocarps and seeds) presented distinct accumulation patterns of these heavy metals (10.4–58.4, 20–144, 8.8–74.4 and 11.2–113.7 mg kg ^− 1 ), with the highest total concentrations found in Bauhinia racemosa (BR) barks, Careya arborea (CA) leaves, Tamarindus indica (TI) mesocarps, and Terminalia arjuna (TA) seeds. Selective element enrichment was observed, varying significantly among species. Statistical analysis revealed strong correlations between soil composition and plant accumulation patterns. Family-specific accumulation trends emerged, with Lecythidaceae accumulating more heavy metals. While most species were within safe ranges, some exceeded safety thresholds for As, Cd, and Pb, particularly in areas with high soil contamination. These results establish important baselines for medicinal plant safety in contaminated regions and identify promising candidates for phytoremediation, suggesting the need for location-specific monitoring protocols in traditional medicine practices.