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Moringa oleifera: A Miracle Plant

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Popular Kheti
Volume -8, Issue-2 (April-June), 2020
Available online at www.popularkheti.com
© 2020 popularkheti.com
eISSN: 2321-0001

Moringa oleifera: A Miracle Plant

Sunidhi Mishra1*, Sarla Lakhawat2 and Himanshu Pandey3
1
PhD Research Scholar, 2Associate professor & Head
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, CCAS, MPUAT, Udaipur
3
PhD Research Scholar, Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Y.S. Parmar
University of horticulture and forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh
*Email of corresponding author: sunidhi.mishra69@gmail.com

Moringa oleifera is universally referred to as the miracle plant or the tree of

life. The Moringa plant derives this name based on its uses, particularly with
regard to medicine and nutrition. It is a plant native to the sub-Himalayan tracts
of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Moringa oleifera belonging to
the family of Moringaceae which is an effective remedy for malnutrition.
Moringa is rich in nutrition owing to the presence of a variety of essential
phytochemicals present in its leaves, pods and seeds.

Introduction
Moringa oleifera is small growing evergreen or deciduous tree that usually grows up
to 10-12 m in height. It has a spreading, open crown of drooping, fragile branches,
feathery foliageoftripinnate leaves and thick coeky whitish bark. Moringa oleifera of
moringacea, is grown throughout southern Asia. It’s all parts are medicinally and
nutritionally important including leaves, roots, seeds, root barks, stem bark, pods etc.
About its nutritional value it is said that its leaves are equivalent to seven oranges
(vitamin C), four carrots (vitamin A) and four glasses of milk (milk protein).
Traditionally it is used in many of diseases throughout world.
Morphology
• Leaves: The leaves are bipinnate or more commonly tripinnate up to 45 cm long.
These are compound leaves with leaflets 1-2 cm long.
• Flowers: The fragrant bisexual, yellowish, white flowers are borne on slender,
heavily stalks in spreading or drooping axillary cluster 10-25 cm long.
• Fruits: Fruits are trilobed capsules and are frequently referred to as pods.
• Seed: Seed are round with a brownish semi permeable seed hull, with 3 papery
wings.
• Roots: Seedlings develop a swollen, tuberous, white taproot, which has a
characteristics pungent odor, and very sparse lateral roots.
• Bark and wood: The bark is whitish gray, thick soft, fissured and warty or corky,
becoming rough.
Nutritional Value
Every part of M. oleifera is a storehouse of important nutrients and anti nutrients. The
leaves of M. oleifera are rich in minerals like calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium,
iron and copper. Vitamins like beta-carotene of vitamin A, vitamin B such as folic
acid, pyridoxine and nicotinic acid, vitamin C, D and E also present in M. oleifera.

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 Mishra et al., 2020, Pop. Kheti, 8(2): 29-30 Popular
Article

Moringa leaves also have a low calorific value and can be used in the diet of the
obese. The pods are fibrous and are valuable to treat digestive problems and thwart
colon cancer. A research shows that immature pods contain around 46.78% fiber and
around 20.66% protein content. Pods have 30% of amino acid content. The immature
pods and flowers showed similar amounts of palmitic, linolenic, linoleic and oleic
acids.
Socio-economic Importance
Maringa oleifera is mostly used tropical tree. The propagation of tree by both sexual
and asexual means is easy and its low demand for soil nutrients and water after being
planted makes its production and management easier. Its introduction in farm could
be beneficial for both the owner as well as surrounding eco system. Maringa oleifera
known was well known to the ancient world but only recently it has been rediscovered
as a multipurpose tree with tremendous variety of potential uses.
Health Benefits
M. oleiferais often referred as a panacea and can be used to cure more than 300
diseases. Moringa has long been used in herbal medicine by Indians and Africans.
The presence of phytochemicals makes it a good medicinal agent. Moringa is very
rich is nutrients and it is very helpful to prevent the diseases.
Anti diabetic: Several studies have shown that, moringa can act as an anti-diabetic
agent. Diabetes leads to several complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy and
atherosclerosis etc. Moringa can be used to prevent such ailments.
Anti cancer activity: M. oleifera can be used as an anticancer agent as it is natural,
reliable and safe, at established con- centrations. Studies have shown that moringa can
be used as an anti-neoproliferative agent, thereby inhibiting the growth of cancer
cells.
Anti microbial agent: Microbial diseases are widespread and there is a need for
antimicrobial agents, M. oleifera has been proven as a good antimicrobial agent.
Hepatoprotective activity: Moringa oleifera leaves are very nutritious. The chemical
constituents of leaves like ethanolic extract of leaves have hepatoprotective activity.
Anti-fertility activity: Aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera was found to be effective
as anti fertility in presence as well as absence of estradiol dipropionate and
progesterone and shown increased histoarchitecture of uterine.
References
Rockwood JL, Anderson BG and Casamatta DA. 2013. Potential uses of Moringa
oleifera and an examination of antibiotic efficacy conferred by M. oleifera
seed and leaf extracts using crude extraction techniques available to under-
served indigenous populations, Int. J. Phytothearpy Res. 3: 61–71.
Kasolo JN, Bimenya GS, Ojok L, Ochieng J and Ogwal-okeng JW. 2010.
Phytochemicals and uses of Moringa oleifera leaves in Ugandan rural
communities, J. Med. Plants Res. 4:753–757.

Popular Kheti ISSN: 2321-0001 30

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