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Moringa oleifera
Moringa oleifera is a multipurpose tree native to the foothills of the Himalayas in
north-western India and is cultivated throughout the tropics.
From: Bioactive Food as Dietary Interventions for Arthritis and Related
Inflammatory Diseases, 2013

Related terms:
Antioxidant, Germination, Isothiocyanate, Phytochemical, Beta-Carotene, Oleic
acid, Oxidative stress, Moringa, NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (quinone 1), Helianthus

Learn more about Moringa oleifera

Moringa oleifera Safe African Medicinal Plants

for Clinical Studies
V. Kuete, in Medicinal Spices and Vegetables from Africa, 2017
Theophine Chinwuba Okoye1, ...
1
Emeka K. Okereke1, in Toxicological
Introduction
Moringa oleifera commonly known as Moringa, Survey of Africantree,
drumstick Medicinal Plants,tree,
horseradish
2014
ben oil tree, or benzoil tree is the only genus in the family Moringaceae. The
plant is native to northwestern India, and widely
18.2.21cultivated in tropical and
subtropical areas (Flora and Pachauri, 2011). It is the
Moringa most Lam.
oleifera widely(Moringaceae)
cultivated
species of the genus Moringa, and its young seed pods
Moringa and
oleifera is leaves are used
a tree that is as
vegetables. All parts of the Moringa tree are edible andcalled
sometimes have the
long“Tree
beenof Life” or

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consumed by humans (Prabhu et al., 2011).

“Miracle
MoringaTree.”
is used
It isworldwide
an economically
in the
traditional medicine, for various health conditions,
importantsuch
treeas
and
skin
vegetable,
infections,
which
anemia, anxiety, asthma, blackheads, bloodhasimpurities,
been variously
bronchitis,
used in
catarrh,
ATM forchest
congestion, cholera, infections, fever, glandular,
treatment
swelling,
of different
headaches,
diseases.
abnormal
The
blood pressure, hysteria, pain in joints, pimples,
leaves of
psoriasis,
the plant
respiratory
have beendisorders,
reported
scurvy, semen deficiency, sore throat, sprain,
to possess
tuberculosis,
many for
pharmacological
intestinal worms,
lactation, diabetes, and pregnancy (Fuglie, 2001;
activities
Mahmood
which include
et al., 2010;
analgesic,
Sairam, 1999). In many regions of Africa, itantiinflammatory,
is widely consumed antiasthmatic,
for self-
medication by patients affected by diabetes, antiulcer,
hypertension,
antispasmodic,
or HIV/AIDS
(Mbikay, 2012). Moringa oil has tremendous antibacterial,
cosmetic value
antihyperglycemia,
and is used in body
and hair care as a moisturizer and skin conditioner.
antioxidant,
It has
anticancer,
been shown
and larvicidal
that
aqueous, hydroalcohol, or alcohol extracts activities
of M. oleifera
[64–67].
leaves
Toxicological
possess a wide
range of additional biological activities including
studiesantioxidant,
on Moringa tissue
oleiferaprotective
have
(liver, kidneys, heart, testes, and lungs), analgesic,
shown absence
antiulcer,
of antihypertensive,
severe
radioprotective, and immunomodulatory actions
hepatotoxicity
(Stohs and
andHartman, 2015).
organ damage
Phytochemical analyses have shown that M.except
oleifera
in very
is a rich
highsource
doses.ofThe acute
potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamins
lethalityA(LD
and50D,
) test
essential
of Moringa
aminooleifera
as β-carotene,
acids, as well as known antioxidants, such has been foundvitamin
to be relatively
C, and safe
flavonoids (Bennett et al., 2003; Mbikay, 2012).
with the
A wide
subchronic
variety of
toxicity
polyphenols
studies,
and phenolic acids as well as flavonoids, glucosinolates,
eliciting no significant
and possibly
difference
alkaloids
in
are believed to be responsible for the effects
sperm
of the
quality,
Variationsplantin(Stohs
hematological
and
Polyphenols and
Hartman, 2015). This chapter is intended to
biochemical
andcompile
Lipidthe
parameters
pharmacological
Soluble in the treated
Vitamins
effects of M. oleifera as well as its phytochemical
rats compared
constituents
in Moringa to the
(Mahmood
oleiferacontrol [68–70].
et al., 2010). Moringa oleifera has recently been
Julia P. Coppin,
reported ... James
to possess E. anticancer
potent Simon, in
Read full chapter Processing and Impact
effects and exhibited on Active
synergistic
Components in Food,[71,72].
effects with cisplatin 2015 These
and its longtime use in
Abstract
ethnomedicine
Moringa oleifera have shown
is a commonly used
Moringa
plant andoleifera
a rich to be a of
source good
nutrients
candidate for clinical
and antioxidants. trialHPLC
Using studies.
combined with UV and MS detection,
Read full chapter
a total of 20 moringa leaf samples
field-grown from the same genetic

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varieties introduced into and grown

in Ghana,and
Moringa (Moringa oleifera) Seed Extract Senegal,
the and Zambia were
Prevention of
Oxidative Stress collected and analyzed to give an
individual account of α- and β-
Swaran J.S. Flora, Vidhu Pachauri, in Nuts carotenes,
and Seeds α-
in and
Health and Diseaseand
γ-tocopherols,
Prevention, 2011
six chlorogenic analogs. The total α-
and β-carotenes
Moringa oleifera is a well established medicinal α- and γ-of
and systems
plant in ancient
tocopherols
medicine, with every part useful for its nutritional and ranged between
therapeutic value.4.49 –
Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Moringa116.79 mg/100 g
seeds have beendry weightfor
screened (d.w.).
Total chlorogenic
various pharmacological and commercial utility, analogs
including metal rangedanti-
antidote,
fromactivities,
asthmatic, anti-arthritic, and hepatoprotective 181 mg/100 g d.w.asSamples
and also water-
varied based
purifying natural coagulant, confirming traditional on the
claims. Theenvironment,
plant seed
Medicinal Efficacy of Indian
country
contains a range of phytochemicals, including of origin such
antioxidants and genetic and
Herbal Remedies as forvitamin
the C,
morphological
β-carotene, α- and γ-tocopherol, β-sitosterol, characteristics.
vitamin A, the phenolic
Treatment of
Moringa oleifera
Arthritis
has great potential
compounds quercetin and kaempferol, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, along to
become
R. Arora*
with a few rare classes of compounds, including a‡,far
... more
alkaloids, M.S. important
Baliga †, in food
glucosinolates, and
source as Food
Bioactive
isothiocyanates. However, studies related to it is a as
rich
the fractionation, source of and
Dietary
isolation,
identification of such phytochemicals havevitamins and polyphenols.
Interventions
not yet been for Arthritis
reported, and Related
concluding
Inflammatory
the mechanism of action and stating the specific Diseases,
nutritional 2013
and therapeutic
Read full chapter
benefits. This chapter gathers together most of the published scientific
1.3.3
literature on the nutritional and therapeutic properties of Moringa oleifera seed,
Moringa oleifera (family: Moringaceae,
particularly highlighting its role as an antioxidant.
common name: sahjan)
Moringa oleifera is a multipurpose tree
Read full chapter
native to the foothills of the
Himalayas in north-western India and
is cultivated throughout the tropics.
The plant possesses antimicrobial
properties and is also useful in the
treatment of rheumatism, venomous
bites, and for enhancing cardiac
function (Shailaja et al., 2007). Studies
Moringa (Moringa oleifera) Seed Oil
have shown that aurantiamide acetate
isolated from the roots possesses
Hasanah Mohd Ghazali, Abdulkarim Sabo Mohammed, in Nuts and Seeds in
significant inhibitory effects on TNF-
Health and Disease Prevention, 2011
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Introduction α and IL-2. Another phytochemical,

The Moringa oleifera seed contains about 22–40% by weight
1,3-dibenzyl urea, of pale
also yellow, non-
showed
drying oil which is used for lighting, as it burns without
significant smoke. It is also
dose-dependent utilized
analgesic
in hairdressing and for soap-making. It is valued in perfume
effects and manufacture
inhibited IL-2. Together
because of its capacity to absorb and retainthese
floralobservations
fragrances (Chopra et al.,
clearly indicate
Anticancer
1965), and formerly was highly prized for lubricating fineActivities andof
watchesmay
that these compounds be
machinery in Europe (Lowell, 1999). The oilAfrican
from theMedicinal
responsible seeds, anti-Spices and
for theknown
Vegetables
commercially as “Ben” or “Behen” oil, is edible and pleasant-tasting; and
inflammatory/antiarthritic it
resembles olive oil and is widely used as a analgesic
salad dressing in Haiti
activities and
of the M.the oleifera
V. Kuete, ... H. Sivas, in Medicinal
Caribbean. The seed oil contains all the fatty
rootacids found inet
(Sashidhara olive
al., oil, except for
2009).
Spices and Vegetables from Africa,
linolenic acid.
2017
Read full chapter
Read full chapter 5.6
Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae)
M. oleifera commonly known as
moringa, drumstick tree, horseradish
tree, or benzoil tree, is native to the
western and sub-Himalayan tracts,
India, Pakistan, Asia Minor, Africa,
and Arabia and is now distributed in
Health foods and foods with health claims in the Asian
the Philippines, Cambodia, Central
subcontinent: countries of the Association of Southeast Asian
America, North and South America,
Nations
and the Caribbean Islands (Anwar
et al., 2007).
Jerzy Zawistowski, in Developing New Functional FoodThe
andplant’s young seed
Nutraceutical
Products, 2017 pods and leaves are used as
vegetables. It grows in several African
18.4
countries, such as Benin, Burkina
Philippines
Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Eritrea,
In the Philippines, one can find an assortment of natural health products. For
Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea,
example, bitter gourd or ampalaya is a vegetable that may lower blood glucose.
Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania,
Maunggay (horseradish tree) and kamote (sweet potato) are good sources of β-
Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone,
carotene: an antioxidant that scavenges oxidative radicals. These types of
Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda
botanicals are potential bioactives for health foods. At least 10,000 plants have
(Anwar et al., 2007). The moringa
been documented and 2000 species are being subjected to research. Without
plant provides a rich and rare
being labeled as a functional food, some of these foods are recognized to have
combination of zeatin, quercetin,
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medicinal functions or health benefits beyond

beta-sitosterol,
their basic nutritional
caffeoylquinic
value.
acid,
Currently, there are several ongoing research
andprojects
kaempferol.
in theVarious
Philippines
parts of this
studying the efficacy and application of bioactives
plant, such
in functional
as the leaves,
foods.
roots,
Scientific
seed,
validation of medicinal plants for health care
bark,
is also
fruit,being
flowers,
conducted.
and immature
These
multidisciplinary projects combine pharmacological
pods act asandcardiac
toxicological
and circulatory
assessments, formulations, and manufacturing
stimulants,
research
possess
(Mallillian
antitumor,
and
Bautista-Batallones, 2004). antipyretic, antiepileptic,
18.4.1 Functional foods and health claims antiinflammatory, antiulcer,
antispasmodic,
With the exception of Indonesia, the Philippines, diuretic,
as with other SEA countries,
VEGETABLES
antihypertensive,
does not have a legal definition of functional foods. The country OFfollows
TROPICAL
cholesterol the
Codex Alimentarius definition of functional lowering,
CLIMATES antioxidant, antidiabetic,
| Commercial
foods (Codex, 2004). However, thereand
hepatoprotective,
Dietary
is confusion associated with this term, since Importance
in the Philippines antibacterial,
it encompasses and
not only foods with health claims but also antifungal
fortified foods.activities,
Foodand are beingwith
fortification
S.K. Roy, A.K.
employed Chakrabarti,
for the treatment in
vitamins and minerals is an important initiative of governmental policyofand is
Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and
differentAct
regulated under the Philippine Food Fortification ailments
of 2000in(Republic
the indigenous
Nutrition (Second Edition), 2003
Act, 2000). The government has implemented systemthisofact
medicine
to make(Anwar
the fortification
et al., 2007).
of certain staple foods mandatory in orderOther
to helpVegetables
combat Thetheseed extractsofhave
problem
malnutrition in the country. been
Therefound effective
are several otheronvegetables,
hepatic
carcinogen
like plantainmetabolizing enzymes
(Musa paradisiaca), bread
Vitamin A deficiency is endemic to the Philippines. Therefore, under current
and
fruit skin papillomagenesis
(Artocarpus altilis), jackin mice
regulations, micronutrient supplementation and food fortification withfruit (A.
vitamin
(Bharali et al., 2003).
heterophyllus), papayaM. oleifera
(Carica leaves
papaya),
A is mandatory. This applies also to fortification with iron and iodine. There are
and bark extracts
drumstick (Moringa showed cytotoxic
oleifera), and lotus
well-established fortification programs regarding processed food products
effects
(Nelumbo against MDA-MB-231
nucifera), which are cells
(Sangkap Pinoy Seal voluntary program) with vitamins and minerals, andpopular
staple
andthe
in HCT-8 ileocecal
tropics. adenocarcinoma
The plantain is high in
foods (Diamond Seal mandatory program) such as rice, wheat flour, sugar,
cancer cell lineand
carbohydrate (Al-Asmari
provitamin A. The
cooking oil, and salt with vitamin A and iron (Republic Act, 2000; Mallillian and
et al., 2015).
fruits, pseudostem, and inflorescence
Bautista-Batallones, 2004). Furthermore, the term functional foods is used to
are cooked, as they contain a
include dietary supplements in medicinal format. A dietary supplement is
Read fullamount
considerable chapterof tannin, which
defined as follows:
renders them unpalatable even when
A processed food product intended to supplement the diet bears or contains
ripe because of astringency. The fruits
one or more of the following dietary ingredients: vitamin, mineral, amino acid,
are boiled or cooked to prepare
herb, or other dietary substance of botanical, animal, artificial or natural origin
various dishes and are also used for
to increase the total daily in amounts conforming to the latest Philippine
making alcohol. The inner sheaths of
Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intake (RENI) or international daily
the pseudostem of banana are cooked
requirements. It is usually in the form of capsules, tablets, liquid, gels, powders
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or pills and is not represented for use as a in

conventional
India, and the
food
immature,
or as the male
sole item
of a meal or diet or a replacement for drugs
flower
and medicines.
buds, after removal
(Food Safety
of the
Act, 2013) boat-like fibrous bracts, are cooked in
In 2009, the Philippines promulgated a newmany
law:South Asianand
“the Food countries.
Drug (See
Administration Act of 2009.” Based on thisPAPAYAS.)
act, the government created the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within
Immature
the Department
bread fruits
of Health
and jack
(DOH).
fruits
The FDA has amalgamated two existing DOH
are used
agencies:
as vegetables
the Philippines
in many Bureau
of Foods and Drugs (BFAD) and the Bureau
countries
of Health
of Devices
Asia; theand
fruits,
Technology
when
(BHDT). Subsequently, the FDA assumes BFADtender,
functions
contain over
a highfoods
leveland
of starch.
is
responsible for governing foods, includingAfter
thoseremoving
with health
the claims
skin and(deouter
Perio
Peralta and Credo Matienzo, 2010). The Act
layer
alsoofdefines
the fruit,
“health
the flesh
products”
is sliced
as or
“products that may have an effect on health
cubed
whichand
require
then boiled,
regulations
cooked,
as or
determined by the FDA.” This definition also
fried.
includes
In India,
health
seeds
foods.
of mature jack
fruit are
Development
In 2004, the DOH issued a draft Administrative cooked,
Order and drum
of New
on “Rules and stick is a
Regulations Governing Nutrition and Healthpopular
Claimsvegetable.
Antiherpetic Lotus rhizomes,
Drugs
of Prepackaged Based
Food on
commonly called
Plant Compounds
Products Distributed in the Philippines” (Mallillian and roots, are cooked in
Bautista-
many
Batallones, 2004; Austrade, 2007). Afterward, Asian the
in 2014, countries.
rules and regulations
Adil M. Allahverdiyev1, ... Olga Nehir
were amended by the DOH (Administrative Maize
Order, 2014).
(also called
Thesweetcorn)
Philippines
is has
Oztel1, in Fighting Multidrug
adopted the Codex guidelines for use on nutrition
popular in and
Western
health countries
claims andandCodex
is
Resistance with Herbal Extracts,
general guidelines on claims (Codex, 2004).
rich
The
inCodex
starch.regulations
The tenderwere
cobs are
Essential Oils and Their Components,
implemented in connection with the existing
consumed
nationalraw,
lawsboiled,
on labeling
or roasted
and and
2013
advertisement (Consumer Act, 1992; Administrative
can be canned
Order, 2014).
or frozen.Claims not
covered by the aforementioned regulationsOther
are subject
These Important
vegetablesto evaluation
Plant Extracts
have localbased
demandon
In contrast toApplications
submitted substantiation (Administrative Order, 2014). the other studies, a
and are mostly consumed for new
where they
study For
health claims must be supported by references. performed in Thailand the
claims substantiating
are produced.
identified
risk reduction of disease, they must be supported byspecific
clinical activity against
data from well-
designed human intervention studies, andHSV in vitro
published
Read ininpeer-reviewed
full extracts of Aglaia
chapter journals
(Chan, 2011). edulis, Centella asiatica, Glyptopetalum
sclerocarpum, Maclura cochinchinensis,
In the Philippines, nutrient content claims, nutrient comparative claims,
and Mangifera indica [34].
nutrient function and other function claims, and reduction of disease risk
claims are permitted (Chan, 2011). Additionally, extracts of Azadirachta
indica, Rinorea anguifera, and Protium
Nutrient content claims containing the phraseology: “high,” “rich,” “good
serratum were also demonstrated to
source,” or “low” are permitted; however, the criteria for making these claims
be effective against HSV-1 and
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are different from those provided in the Codex

poliovirus
guidelines.
in vitroApproved
[34]. Moreover,
claims
relating to energy, protein, carbohydrates,extracts
fat and its
of Hura
components,
crepitans,fiber,
sodium, vitamins, and minerals must haveMoringa
an established
oleifera,NRV.
Schima
Forwallichii,
example, and
“contains low sodium” means that food contains
Willughbeia
120 mg
edulis
or specifically
less sodiuminhibited
per
100 g. The NRV is based on the local reference,
plaqueRENI,
formation
and itby
is used
HSV-1;
to in
give
recommendations for energy and 21 nutrients
addition,
(Barba
none
andofCabrera, 2008;
these plant extracts
FNRI, 2014). were cytotoxic [34]. The
Moringa
Health claims must be supported by scientific data,oleifera
which extract
shows awas more
cause and
effect relationship established between theeffective againstofaaphosphono
consumption food or its
acetate-resistant
constituent and the claimed effect. The Philippines does not(APr)
havestrain and list
a positive
Aglaia odorata
with health claims, however this country authorizes wasrisk
disease lessreduction
effective
claims according to the Codex Alimentarius against a thymidine
(Tee, 2009). kinase-deficient
Currently, only two
disease risk reduction claims are allowed instrain compared to“calcium
the Philippines: their activities
and
osteoporosis risk reduction,” and “food lowagainst the wild-type
in fat and some types strain (7401H
of cancer risk
HSV-1)
reduction” (Zawistowski, 2011). Interestingly, food[34]. In vivowith
enriched studies
plantrevealed
sterols,
that
which is linked to reducing the risk of heart A. odorata,
disease, Cerberaunder
is approved odollam,the M.
Philippines Food Fortification Act of 2000.oleifera,
However,Ventilago denticulata,
the eligible and
claim on W.
foods
edulis
“this product contains plant sterols that help either
lower inhibit plaque
cholesterol” formation
is a nutrient
or exhibit therapeutic levels of
function claim (Zawistowski and Jones, 2015).
antiviral efficacy against HSV-1
According to the Philippines DOH, probiotics are food supplements. The
following oral application [34]. The
regulators approved the following probiotics species, which are beneficial to
anti-HSV activity of M. oleifera in
human health (BFAD, 2004):
mice does not involve a direct
• lactobacilli antiviral effect, because this extract
• biofidobacteria can also be used as an immune
modulator in mice. The three plant
• nonpathogenic strains of Streptococcus
extracts containing active compounds
• Saccharomyces boulardi
(A. odorata, M. oleifera, and V.
• Bacillus clausii denticulata) were also nontoxic.
Therefore,
Furthermore, the following probiotic claims all mayand
on food labels be for
useduseasin
advertisement are permitted: prophylactic or therapeutic anti-HSV
medicines for the treatment of HSV-1
• enhancement of intestinal ecology
infections. The M. oleifera extract is
• helping improve lactose malabsorptionparticularly promising because of its

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• improving digestion immunomodulatory and anti-HSV

features.
• aid to the enhancement of natural resistance to intestinal infections
Combinations of acyclovir and herbal
It is worthwhile to note that probiotics can be also classified as drugs based on
extracts have also been used to
specific criteria. The key criterion is the nature of claims made on a product. For
improve the treatment of HSV-1
example, if a claim relates to altering disease or immune modulatory action,
infection in humans. Some studies
probiotics are classified as drugs with a therapeutic claim. Additional criteria
have shown that Geum japonicum,
used for classification are formats, such as food or medicinal forms and
Rhus javanica, Syzygium aromaticum,
concentration per dosage unit. In the support of drug claims, a submission
and Terminalia chebula can augment
dossier to the FDA must contain scientific evidence based on human clinical
the anti-HSV-1 activity of acyclovir in
studies (BFAD, 2004). The classification between drug and food supplement
the brain, rather than the skin [35].
categories also applies to vitamins and mineral products. Drug claims on foods
Controversially, the anti-HSV-1
such as “therapeutic,” “mitigation,” and “treatment of diseases” are strictly
activity of acyclovir appeared to be
prohibited.
weaker in the brain than in the skin.
18.4.2 Nutrition labeling
The researchers also suggested that
For a long time, nutrition labeling has been required on foods with nutrition
the combined use of acyclovir with
and health claims but since Oct. 2014 it has been mandatory for all foods.
herbal extracts at various
Foods must bear the nutrition fact label, which includes calories, total fat,
concentrations showed strong
saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber,
synergistic anti-HSV-1 activity,
sugar, and protein (Alcaraz, 2015).
without a toxic effect. Additionally,
Read full chapter combined treatment with acyclovir
and T. chebula was more efficient in
the brain than the use of T. chebula
alone [35]. Thus, these extracts may
be beneficial for prophylactic use
against central nervous system
complications.

Read full chapter

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