Moringa oleifera: a natural gift-A review - PharmaInfo

1 Khawaja Tahir mahmood et al /J. Pharm. Sci. & Res. (11), 2010,775-781. Moringa oleifera : a natural gift -A review Khawaja Tahir Mahmood1 Tahira Mugal2 and Ikram Ul Haq3. 1. DTL, Government of Punjab, Lahore 2. LCWU, Lahore,3 Akhter Saeed Cllege of Pharmaceutical Sciences, , Lahore Abstract Moringa oleifera , Lam {Syn Gaertn} usually mentioned in literature as Moringa , is a natural as well as cultivated variety of the genus Moringa belonging to family Moringaceae .It is one of the richest plant sources of Vitamins A ,B {1,2,3,6,7}, C,D,E and K. The vital minerals present in Moringa include Calcium, Copper, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese and Zinc. It has more than 40 natural anti-oxidants. Moringa has been used since by ancient kings and queens in their diet for mental alertness and healthy skin. The leaves, pods, seeds, gums , bark and flowers of Moringa are used in more than 80 countries {including Pakistan} to relieve mineral and vitamin deficiencies, support a healthy cardiovascular system, promote normal blood-glucose levels, neutralize free radicals {thereby reducing malignancy}, provide excellent support of the body's anit-flammatory mechanisms, enrich anemic blood and support immune system.

2 It also improves eyesight, mental alertness and bone strength. It has potential benefit in malnutrition, general weakness, lactating mothers, menopause, depression and osteoporosis. It is also used to make an efficient fuel, fertilizer and livestock feed. Moringa is an edible extremely safe plant. Its tree could easily and cheaply be cultivated and grown in Pakistan. We need to explore therapeutic, nutritional and benefit of this gift of nature reported to be one of the world's most useful trees. Key Words Moringa , benefits, nutritional value, therapeutic use INTRODUCTION utilized plants in Pakistan which have the The plants have always been vital for mankind potential to bring lot of prosperity. Moringa . irrespective of the era and area all over the an edible plant, is at the top of underutilized globe since the begining of life. These were, resources of Pakistan.

3 Its tree could easily and are and will remain ever beneficial from cheaply be cultivated and grown in Pakistan. nutritional, social, cultural, religious, Antiquity; The indigenous knowledge and use environmental and human's health etc. The of Moringa is referenced in more than 80. medicinal plants have greatest potential for countries including Pakistan and known in over benefitting people, especially those living in 200 local languages. Moringa has been used by countries {like Pakistan} suffering from various societies {Roman, Greek, Egyptian, poverty, poor health, malnutrition, and Indian to mention a few} for thousands of unemployment and isolation in international years with writings dating as far back as 150. trade. The 21st century is the century of biology AD. The history of Moringa dates back to 150. powered and propelled by scientific knowledge Historical proofs reveal that ancient kings and technological expertise.

4 Three technologies and queens used Moringa leaves and fruit in namely Biotechnology , Herbal technology their diet to maintain mental alertness and and Information technology healthy skin. Ancient Maurian warriors of India {Bioinformatics} are going to be the most were fed with Moringa Leaf Extract in the powerful elements that are crucial for warfront. The Elixir drink was believed to add prosperity and welfare for the people of them extra energy and relieve them of the stress nations. All technologies for the manufacture of and pain incurred during war. These brave value added plant products can be called as soldiers were the ones who defeated herbal technology. The global trade in herbals Alexander the Great. {17, 32, 44 }. is increasing swiftly and in hundreds of billions Traditional Medicine ; Moringa has been in US$.Pakistan is included among major used in the traditional medicine passed down players of import as well as export.

5 For centuries in many cultures around the word, for skin infections, anemia, anxiety, asthma, Some time we do not see gold which is present blackheads, blood impurities, bronchitis, before our open eyes. There are many under catarrh, chest congestion, cholera, 775. Khawaja Tahir mahmood et al /J. Pharm. Sci. & Res. (11), 2010,775-781. conjunctivitis, cough, diarrhea, eye and ear receiving an annual rainfall as low as 300 mm, infections, fever, glandular, swelling, although such sites are probably irrigated or are headaches, abnormal blood pressure, hysteria, characterized by a high water table. In Puerto pain in joints, pimples, psoriasis, respiratory Rico, Reseda has become naturalized to a disorders, scurvy, semen deficiency, sore limited extent on sites with an annual rainfall throat, sprain, tuberculosis, for intestinal between 1000 and 1800 mm. {14, 26, 33, 34, worms, lactation ,diabetes and pregnancy The 36, 38}.

6 Moringa oleifera is cultivated in Sind healing properties of Moringa oil, have been province of Pakistan. {32}. documented by ancient cultures. Moringa oil The taxon name Moringa comes from has tremendous cosmetic value and is used in murunggi or muringa from Tamil and body and hair care as a moisturizer and skin Malayalam. Moringa is available and known by conditioner. Moringa oil has been used in skin more than 50 common names in Asia Africa, preparations and ointments since Egyptian Europe South and Central America, Caribbean. times. {17, 33, 38, 39, 44 }. Some are Drumstick tree, Horse radish tree, The present review is intended to create public Mother's best friend, West Indian ben are in awareness regarding benefit of an edible plant English , Ben, rbol del ben, Morango, Moringa which is also known as miracle tree. Moringa in Spanish, Mupulanga in Zimbabwe:, There are about 13 species of Moringa trees in Aleko, Haleko in Ethiopia: and B n ail , the genus Moringa of family Moringaceae Benzolive, in French.

7 Suhanjna is the common These are Moringa oleifera M. arborea,M. name in Pakistan {8, 32, 34, 44}. borziana,M. concanensis,M. drouhardii, M. Moringa is very impressive and amazing plant hildebrandtii,M. longituba,M. ovalifolia, M. due to its tested, trusted and potential benefits peregrine,M. pygmaea,M. rivae, M. ruspoliana, from nutritional as well therapeutical point of and M. stenopetala The most widely known views. This friendly plant is of great species Moringa oleifera reported as significance as shown to be useful in water Mpringa {34,44}. purification, cosmetics, livestock fodder, plant Moringa oleifera is indigenous to south Asia, growth enhancer and biogas. In the last ten where it grows in the Himalayan foothills from years, hundreds of research articles, theses, northeastern Pakistan to northern West Bengal, reports, and patents have been published on India.

8 It has been introduced and become Moringa . Newspapers, scientific journals, naturalized in other parts of India, Pakistan, documentaries {Discovery Channel} feature Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Southeast Moringa more and more. The Church World Asia, West Asia, the Arabian peninsula, east Service recently organized the first ever and west Africa, southern Florida, throughout Moringa Tree International Conference to the West Indies, and from Mexico to Peru, educate about Moringa 's use as an indigenous Paraguay, and Brazil. In Puerto Rico, it is resource for fighting hunger and malnutrition grown chiefly as an ornamental and in {15, 16, 17, 33,44}. fencerows and hedges and has become naturalized along roadsides on the coastal USES / BENEFITS OF Moringa . plains and lower foothills. In its native habitat, Moringa oleifera is the most nutrient-rich plant annual temperature fluctuations tend to be very yet discovered.

9 This humble plant has been large, with minimum and maximum shade making strides in less-developed societies for temperatures ranging from -1 to 3o C and from thousands of years, and significant nutritional 38 to 48o C during the coldest and warmest research has been conducted since the 1970s. months, respectively. In this region annual Moringa provides a rich and rare combination rainfall ranges from 750 to 2200 mm. Reseda is of nutrients, amino acids, antioxidants, highly drought tolerant and is cultivated in antiaging and anti-inflammatory properties semiarid and arid regions of India, Pakistan, used for nutrition and healing. Moringa is Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and east Africa, sometimes called "Mother's Best Friend" and 776. Khawaja Tahir mahmood et al /J. Pharm. Sci. & Res. (11), 2010,775-781. "Miracle Tree." Since 1998, the World Health yogurt}.But the micro-nutrient content is even Organization has promoted Moringa as an more in dried leaves; {ten times the vitamin A.

10 Alternative to imported food supplies to treat of carrots}, {17 times the calcium of milk}, {15. malnutrition {27, 32, 43, 44, 45}. times the potassium of bananas}, {25 times the iron of spinach} and {nine times the protein of Nutritional Uses/ Benefit; A large number of yogurt}. However, Vitamin C drops to half that reports on the nutritional qualities of Moringa of oranges{23,31,32,33,44}. now exist in both the scientific and the popular literature. Moringa has been in use since Nutritional value of Moringa compared centuries for nutritional as well medicinal with other food purposes. These include vitamin C, which fights a host of illnesses including colds and Content of Moringa other food flu; vitamin A, which acts as a shield against Vitamin A 6,780 mg caroot: 1,890 mg eye disease, skin disease, heart ailments, Vitamin C 220 mg Orange: 30 mg diarrhea, and many other diseases; Calcium, Calcium 440 mg cow milk: 120 mg which builds strong bones and teeth and helps Potassium 259 mg Banana: 88 mg prevent osteoporosis; Potassium, which is Protein 6.