Determination of inorganic components in Brazilian medicinal plants by neutron activation analysis.

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) has been applied to multielemental determinations of medicinal extracts obtained from the plants. Cordia Verbenacea DC, Folidago Microglossa DC, and Petiveria Alliacea. Concentrations of the elements Al, Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cs, Fe, K, La, Mg, Mn, Na, Rb, Sb, and Zn have been determined in dried extracts of these herbs by short and long irradiations under a thermal neutron flux of 10(11)-10(13) n/cm2s in the IEA-R1 nuclear reactor. The NBS Tea Leaves (1572) and NIES Pepperbush (1) reference materials were analyzed simultaneously with the plant extracts. The results obtained in these analyses have shown a good accuracy and reproducibility of the method. The relative errors and the relative standard deviations were less than 10% for most of the elements analyzed.