Silica particles inhibit sporozoite invasion, promote IgE, inhibit CYP3A4 and provoke bursting of infected erythrocytes

This mineral has barely been studied in plants. Plants take up silicon as mono-silicic acid and later it is deposited in its polymerized form as amorphous hydrated silica. Major silica depositions occur in root endodermis, leaf epidermal cells and trichomes. The ability of a plant to accumulate Si varies greatly between species. It is up to 2% in wheat, rice, oats, close to 0 % in flowers, and intermediate in kitchen and medicinal herbs: 0.4 % in spinach, 0,1 in ginseng, 0.32%, in parsley, 0.56 in salvia, 0,56 in tilia, 0.26 % in dill, 0,67 in inula, 0,6 in hibiscus, 0.61% in mint, 0.35% in Artemisia annua, 0.22% in Artemisia absinthium, 0.57% in Artemisia frigida, but only 0.002% in Artemisia maritima. Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) and nettle (Urtica dioica) containing 1.1% silica were used in Europe against malaria.9‒13