CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

ABSTRACTIntroduction: "pearl fruit? or ?Partridge herb" is a shrub that grows in SouthAmerica where it is native. Infusions of the aerial parts: leaves and stems are usedin folk medicine fundamentally for the treatment of several urinary disorders. No studies were found about of the mineral content of the aerial parts neither infusion for this species.Objectives: to determine the concentration of mineral elements in aerial parts and infusions of Margyricarpus pinnatus (Lam.) Kuntze.Methods: samples of M. pinnatus in San Luis, Argentina were collected.Concentrations of thirty-two elements in the aerial parts and infusions were determined by optical emission spectroscopy inductively coupled plasma.Results: concentrations in the aerial parts of twenty-four elements were found, while, at infusions only concentrations of fourteen elements were detected. The rest of the elements showed result below the limit of quantification. Extraction efficiency for the order Potassium> Calcium> Chrome> Sodium> Phosphorus> Copper> Magnesium> Boron> Zinc> Silicon> Manganese> Strontium> Aluminum> Iron was registered. The mineral content of the infusions are lower than the limits for the recommended daily intake of minerals.Conclusions: a contribution to the knowledge of the elemental composition of the aerial parts of M. pinnatus and infusions. Daily consumption of the infusions would not be harmful to health.Key words: medicinal plants, infusions, mineral composition, Margyricarpus pinnatus.