Background: In today&rsquo;s modern world, heavy metal accumulation, one of the consequences of rapid and excessive environmental pollution, is a serious threat to the health of organisms. Many diseases and disorders are linked to the excessive accumulation of heavy metals, defined as metals with a specific gravity greater than 5 g/cm3. This study aims to investigate the elemental composition of Lathyrus annuus, L. hierosolymitanus, L. hirsutus, L. undulatus and L. tuberosus species, which have potential for human consumption as food and to determine the concentrations of Na, Mg, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cr, Ni, Cd and Cu, the last seven of which are classified heavy metals. 
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Methods: Plant materials were obtained from their natural distribution areas and identified according to the Flora of T&uuml;rkiye. In the chemical analyses, sample preparation was carried out using the wet digestion method in accordance with EPA Method 3015A and ICP-OES measurements were performed according to EPA Method 6010. 
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Result: The highest concentrations of Ca, Mn, Cd, Zn and Cu were found in L. hirsutus, while Na and Fe were most abundant in L. hierosolymitanus, K in L. tuberosus and Mg in L. annuus. In all species, Cr and Ni amounts were found to be lower than 0.008 and 0.006 ppm, respectively. Cd and Cu levels were less than 0.005 and 0.003 ppm, respectively, in all species except L. hirsutus. Compared to other species examined in the current study and to literature data, it was found that the aerial parts of L. hirsutus contain very high amounts of Mn and Cd.

Chemical Compositions and Some Heavy Metal Contents of Five Lathyrus Species (Fabaceae) from T&uuml;rkiye

Background: Phytotherapeutic approaches are becoming increasingly important for the treatment of various diseases and disorders. Therefore, the&nbsp;identification of plants with the desired bioactivity properties is important. The primary purpose of this study is to determine the phenolic composition of Lathyrus annuus, L. hierosolymitanus and L. hirsutus and reveal the bioactivities of extracts obtained using aerial parts of these species. 
 
Methods: Twelve phenolic compounds were investigated and their amounts were determined by HPLC analysis. For the detection of the bioactivities of species, antioxidant ability tests (DPPH, ABTS, RP) and enzyme inhibition assays were carried out. Pancreatic lipase and amylase were selected as target enzymes for the inhibition assays. 
 
Result: Eight of the&nbsp;investigated twelve phenolic compounds were detected in all species. The gallic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid contents of L. hirsutus were found to be in conspicuous amounts. The ethanol extracts of L. hirsutus and L. annuus and the water extract of L. hierosolymitanus showed the highest antioxidant activity in the DPPH, ABTS and RP assays, respectively. The lowest antioxidant property was shown by the acetone extract of L. annuus among all extracts. The acetone extract of L. hierosolymitanus and ethanol extract of L. annuus had the strongest inhibitory effects on amylase and lipase enzyme activities, respectively.

Chemical Compositions and Some Heavy Metal Contents of Five Lathyrus Species (Fabaceae) from Türkiye

Antioxidant Properties and Enzyme Inhibitory Effects of Extracts of Three Lathyrus Species (Fabaceae) from Türkiye