{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,10]],"date-time":"2026-04-10T09:55:07Z","timestamp":1775814907399,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,24]],"date-time":"2022-02-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1645660800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Foods"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Medicinal plants are often used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, although knowledge about their mode of action and the substances responsible for their antidiabetic potential is limited. It is well known that some trace elements play a role in glucose metabolism and insulin action. Thus, a particular trace elements profile could be associated with the antidiabetic properties observed for some medicinal plants. Methods: Infusions (n = 102) prepared from commercial herbal products (n = 34) containing medicinal plants indicated for the treatment of diabetes (n = 16 different plant species) and infusions (n = 60) prepared from commercial herbal products (n = 20) containing medicinal plants without such an indication (n = 7 different plant species) were analyzed by ICP-MS for their trace elements content. Results: In both groups, results varied significantly between different medicinal plants and also between different origins (brands) of the same medicinal plant. Significant differences (p &lt; 0.05) between the two groups were found for nine elements, including four trace elements related to glucose metabolism (Mn, B, V, and Se), but with lower median contents in the group of medicinal plants for diabetes. Conclusions: Except for some particular species (e.g., Myrtilli folium) in which the trace element Mn may play a role in its antidiabetic effect, globally, a direct association between the claimed antidiabetic properties and a specific trace element profile of the studied medicinal plants was not evident.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/foods11050667","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,24]],"date-time":"2022-02-24T21:11:07Z","timestamp":1645737067000},"page":"667","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["Trace Elements in Medicinal Plants Traditionally Used in the Treatment of Diabetes\u2014Do They Have a Role in the Claimed Therapeutic Effect?"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1065-4142","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pawel","family":"Konieczynski","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Analytical Chemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, Gen. J. Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdansk, Poland"}]},{"given":"Monika","family":"Gappa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Analytical Chemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, Gen. J. Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdansk, Poland"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3577-1377","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marek","family":"Wesolowski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Analytical Chemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, Gen. J. Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdansk, Poland"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8021-4783","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edgar","family":"Pinto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LAQV\/REQUIMTE, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Environmental Health, School of Health, P.Porto, Rua Dr. Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida 400, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1297-3198","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Agostinho","family":"Almeida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LAQV\/REQUIMTE, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"(2010). 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