According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, nearly 70–80% of the world population still primarily relies on nonconventional medications, mostly derived from herbal plants. Herbal plants represent an important class of various traditional medicine systems and, in recent years, they are increasingly used in the primary health care intervention in both developed and developing countries. They often contain highly active pharmacological components including minerals and trace metals. Herbal remedies are widely used for the treatment of various illnesses. The findings of the study suggest that most of the analyzed herbs contained unsafe levels of heavy metals that exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits (PL). The concentration ranges were found as follows: less than 0.1–1.11 mg Metals were found to be present in varied concentrations in the herb samples. Microwave-assisted digestion was applied for the dissolution of the samples and heavy metals concentration was determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). A total of 81 samples of seven herbs, parsley ( Petroselinum crispum), basil ( Ocimum basilicum), sage ( Salvia officinalis), oregano ( Origanum vulgare), mint ( Mentha spicata), thyme ( Thymus vulgaris), and chamomile ( Matricaria chamomilla), were purchased from the local market in Dubai and analyzed for their cadmium, lead, copper, iron, and zinc contents. This study aimed at determining the concentration of heavy metals in selected traditional herbs consumed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Herbs are extensively consumed in the United Arab Emirates for their flavoring and medicinal properties.
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