CURRY LEAVES AS ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE IN HEAVY METAL INDUCED OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS Review Article

Workers in different industries are regularly exposed to heavy metals. Those metals enter their body through several routes (inhalation, food contamination etc.,) and accumulate in the tissues and induce generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to oxidative damages. Chronic, regular exposures result in health hazards. Certain physiological, biochemical and behavioural dysfunctions cumulate to pathological conditions. Many of the symptoms complained by those industry workers are hardly recognized to be related to occupational exposure to heavy metals, often unidentified as occupational health hazards with a story of metal induced oxidative stress beneath their etiology. Most of the synthetic conventional drugs which are extensively prescribed by clinicians for treatments of these diseases have adverse side effects and potent cytotoxicity. Herbal remedy can be a safe substitute. The heavy metals induce generation of ROS and the phyto-components have the potential to scavenge those and boost the body’s endogenous antioxidant system. They have no reported cytotoxic or adverse side effects, if not over consumed. Some specific or a perfect blend of potent phyto-constituent(s) from curry leaves can be suggested for or adapted as alternative medicine or integrative medicine for preventing or treating or curing or protecting against heavy metal-induced occupational health hazards.