The study was conducted to estimate the contents of heavy metal in commercial herbal medicines (1047 samples of 132 species) which were collected from markets in Seoul and to analyze the contents of heavy metals of herbal medicines by classifying them by parts. The samples were digested using microwave method. The contents of heavy metal (Pb, Cd, and As) and Hg were determined using Inductively coupled plasma-Mass spectrometer (ICP/MS). And the contents of Hg were obtained by Mercury analyzer. The average values of heavy metal in herbal medicines were as follows [mean (minimum-maximum), mg/kg]; Pb 0.870 (ND-69.200), As 0.148 (ND-2.965), Cd 0.092(ND-2.010), and Hg 0.007 (ND-0.137). And the average values of heavy metal by parts in herbal medicines were as follows [mean (minimum-maximum), mg/kg]; Ramulus 2.046 (0.065-4.474), Herba 1.886 (0.048-10.404), Flos 1.874(0.052-5.393), Cortex 1.377 (0.011-4.837), Radix 1.165 (0.012-70.111), Rhizoma 1.116 (0.016-5.490, Fructus 0.838(0.017-4.527), Perithecium 0.729 (0.013-4.953), Semen 0.646 (0.006-4.416). The average values of heavy metal of imported herbal medicines except Radix were higher than domestic ones. By decoction of herbal medicines exceeding the tolerances, average intake rates of Pb, As, Cd and Hg were obtained as 6.1%, 40.3%, 4.7%, and 2.2%, respectively.

We studied concentration of heavy metals in Sagunjatang. In this experiment was analyzed the concentration of heavy metals of boiled Sagunjatang, decoction and its ingredient herbal medicines. The concentration of heavy metals(As, Pb, and Cd) were analysed using ICP-AES, and Hg was analysed by mercury analyzer. The average concentration of heavy metals in Sagunjatang were as follows : In all ingredient herbal medicines (Glycyrrhizae Radix, Atractylodes Macrocephala, Poria Cocos and Jinseng) of Sagunjatang, As(arsenite) contents in all samples was in the range of 0.369-0.723ppm, Cd(cadmium) was in the range of 0.000-0.085ppm, Pb(lead) was in the range of 0.059-0.871ppm and Hg(mercury) was in the range of 0.001-0.004ppm. In boiled Sagunjatang, the concentration of heavy metals(As, Pb, Cd and Hg) was in the range of 0.000-0.016ppm, respectively. In the decoction of herbal medicines after boiled, the concentration of heavy metals was in the range of 0.004-0.387ppm. These results suggest that Sagunjatang which we take is less harmful than herbal medicine itself, and there are more significant for using the decoction of herbal medicines.