Moringa oleifera commonly known as “Moringa” is a type of local medicinal Indian herb which has turn to be familiar in the tropical and subtropical countries. Other names for Moringa oleifera are “Horseradish tree, Mulangay, Mlonge, Benzolive, Drumstick tree, Sajna, Kelor, Saijihan and Marango. Moringa oleifera is shown in scientific division as follows (Fahey, 2005).
Scientific classification of Moringa oleifera
Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Rosids
Division: Magnoliopsida
Order: Brassicles
Family: Moringaceae
Genus: Moringa
Species: Moringa oleifera.
Moringa oleifera is one of the vegetable of the Brassica order and belongs to the family of Moringaceae. The Moringaceae is a single genus family with thirteen (13) known species (Khawaja, Tahira and Ikram 2010). Moringa oleifera is being used as vegetable by the people of Africa, Arabia, South East Asia, The Pacific, The Caribbean and The South America. Apart being used as vegetable by the people of this region, Moringa is also widely known and used for its health benefit and among commoners; it has earned its name as “The miracle tree” due to its amazing healing abilities for various ailments and with some chronic diseases (Marcu, 2005).
For centuries and in many cultures around the world, the medicinal usage of Moringa has been used to treat problems such as skin infections, anaemia, anxiety, asthma, blackheads, blood impurities, bronchitis, catarrh, chest congestion, cholera and many other illnesses (Khawaja et al., 2010; Hamza, 2010; Singh and Sharma, 2012). Moringa oleifera also consists of anti- inflammatory, anti-plasmodic, anti-hypertensive, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-pyretic, anti-ulcer, anti-epileptic, diuretic, cholesterol lowering, renal problem (Paliwal, Sharma and Pracheta, 2011; Sharma et al., 2012) and hepatoprotective activities (Lai, Weng and kuoi, 2010; Huang, Deng and Huang, 2012).
It has also long been labeled for its great cosmetic value in which in recent years, the Moringa has commonly been found to be used in various health care products. Moringa was claimed to be ‘the most nutrient-rich plant yet discovered’ (Khawaja et al., 2010).
Nutritional value of Moringa oleifera
The Moringa’s incredible medicinal usage which is claimed by many cultures and communities based on real life experiences are now slowly be confirmed by science. Through research, the Moringa was found to contain many essential nutrients that include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, beta carotene, anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids (Fahey, 2005; Hsu, Midcap and Arbainsyah, 2006; Kasolo, Bimenya and Ojok, 2010).
Nutrition content of a plant plays an essential function in medicinal, nutritional, and therapeutic properties (Al-Kharusi, Elmardi and Ali, 2009). Research has shown that moringa leaves have high content of vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, iron, β-carotene as well as protein more than any other known plants and fruits (Marcu, 2005). It works as an effective source of natural antioxidant as it contains compounds such as flavonoids, ascorbic acid, carotenoid and phenolic. Moringa is able to extend the period of food containing fats (Dillard and German, 2000; Siddhuraju and becker, 2003).
Research has also shown that moringa leaves whether fresh, cooked or stored as dried powder for months without refrigeration, did not lose its nutritional value (Hsu et al., 2006).
In addition, the moringa was found to have a group of unique compounds containing sugar and rhammose which are uncommon sugar-modified glucosinolates (Fahey, 2005; Amaglo, Bennet and Curto, 2010). These compounds were reported to demonstrate certain chemo preventive activity, by inducing apoptosis (Brunelli, Tavecchio and Falcioni, 2010).
References
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Brunelli D., Tavecchio M., Falcioni C. (2010). Theisothiocyanate produced from glucomoringin inhibits NF-kB and reduces myeloma growth in nude mice in vivo. Biochem Pharmacol, 79, 1141-8.
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Hsu R., Midcap S., Arbainsyah DWL. (2006). Moringa oleifera: Medicinal and Socio-Economical Uses. International Course on Economic Botany, National Herbarium Leiden, the Netherlands.
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Paliwal R., Sharma V., Pracheta S. (2011). Antinephrotoxic effect of administration of Moringa oleifera Lam in amelioration of DMBA-induced renal carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice, Biol Med, 3, 27-35.
Siddhuraju P., and Becker K (2003). Antioxidants properties from various solvents extract from total phenolic constituent from three different agroclimatic origins of drumstick tree (Moringa oleifera Lam.) leaves. J Agri Food Chem, 51, 2144-5.
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