Abstract
<jats:p>Medicinal plants are widely used in both traditional and folk medicine and are capable of accumulating not only essential but also toxic elements. The purpose of the work is to study the mineral profile and species characteristics of the accumulation of macro- and microelements by medicinal plants in the protected area of the Voronezh region using the herbs Artemisia absinthium L., Achillea millefolium L., and Leonurus quinquelobatus Gilib. as examples. Harvesting of plant raw materials was carried out in the phenophase of flowering plants in the Voronezh State Natural Biosphere Reserve. In parallel with the collection of plant materials, soil samples were collected from the upper horizon (0-20 cm) at the growing site for subsequent comparative analysis. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine the elemental composition of the plant and soil samples after preliminary sample preparation using acid and microwave digestion. Fifty-nine elements were identified in soil and plant material samples. All studied plants are active accumulators of phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and copper, underscoring their vital importance in plant physiology. However, even when grown in the same soil, medicinal plants develop different mineral profiles in their aboveground parts, reflecting their adaptive strategies. The identified hyperaccumulation of copper by wormwood, cobalt and nickel by motherwort, and lithium by yarrow create a specific mineral profile that can modulate the activity of enzymes involved in the synthesis of alkaloids, terpenoids, and flavonoids, thereby directly influencing the pharmacological potential of the raw materials. The analysis underscores that the evaluation of medicinal plant materials should include not only an analysis of the main biologically active compounds but also a comprehensive screening of the micro- and macroelement composition, taking into account the unique biogeochemical strategy of each species.</jats:p>