Moringa Oleifera Leaves Nutritional Values

Moringa Nutritional Values

Moringa Oleifera has very high nutrition values, this positions the plant high in the table of the "Healthy Edible Plants & Vegetables" as an important source of Vitamins & Minerals essential for our health. In the present time many aid programs & NGO in Africa are training and assisting the local population growing Moringa as an answer to malnutrition, especially in children and breastfeeding mothers due to the effect of milk production and quality. In addition Moringa is being used to feed cattle and live stock to achieve better results in milk production and body mass.

Comparing Moringa Oleifera to other plants and food:

Moringa Leaves - Amino Acids (All values are per 100 grams of edible portion.) Fresh Leaves Dried Leaves Arginine 406.6 mg 1,325 mg Histidine 149.8 mg 613 mg Isoleucine 299.6 mg 825 mg Leucine 492.2 mg 1,950 mg Lysine 342.4 mg 1,325 mg Methionine 117.7 mg 350 mg Phenylalinine 310.3 mg 1,388 mg Threonine 117.7 mg 1,188 mg Tryptophan 107 mg 425 mg Valine 374.5 mg 1,063 mg

Moringa Leaves - Vitamins and Minerals (All values are per 100 grams of edible portion.) Fresh Leaves Dried Leaves Vitamin A (Arginine Carotene) 6.78 mg 18.9 mg Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) 0.06 mg 2.64 mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.05 mg 20.5 mg Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 0.8 mg 8.2 mg Vitamin C 220 mg 17.3 mg Vitamin E 448 mg Calcium 440 mg 2,003 mg Calories 92 cal 329 cal Carbohydrates 12.5 g 41.2 g Copper 0.07 mg 0.57 mg Fat 1.70 g 5.2 g Fibers 0.90 g 19.2 g Iron 0.85 mg 28.2 mg Magnesium 42 mg 368 mg Phosphorus 70 mg 204 mg Potassium 259 mg 1,324 mg Protein 6.70 g 29.4 g Zinc 0.16 mg 3.29 mg

YOU NEED IT ? CALL US TO : +254 (0)724 043 272

Treating Lupus with Moringa Oleifera

Lupus, an inflammatory, autoimmune disease, often affects the joints, skin, blood, and kidneys, and the exact cause of this chronic condition is unknown and cannot be easily defined. Authorities in the medical field indicate that it may result from a combination of factors, such as am individual’s genetic makeup along with certain unknown triggers of the disease, a bit like combining a lighted match and gasoline.

Those recently diagnosed with lupus will want to focus on reducing inflammation and managing the various symptoms that are related to the disease to maintain balance in their lives and avoid depression, panic, and fear.

There are also two essential steps they can take:

• Learn to avoid flare-ups – Direct sunlight is the most common cause for one, but they may also be triggered by certain skin and scalp products or some medication you are taking. This may mean that you will need to take a vitamin D supplement, and you will also want to discuss all of your medications with your primary care physician.
• Learn to live an anti-inflammatory lifestyle – This should include moderate exercise on a regular basis, giving up smoking if you are a smoker, following an anti-inflammatory diet, and taking nutritional supplements, especially omega-3s.

Why lupus victims look for alternative medications

The cost of the drugs generally used in treating lupus victims is prohibitive, and there is the possibility of serious side effects as well. Also, while they may alleviate some of the symptoms, research has yet to reveal that they actually hinder the process of the disease or help prevent damage to the organs.

Following an alternative treatment may help the patient cope with lupus or reduce the amount of stress endured by anyone who is dealing with a chronic illness. If the patient’s physician believes that one of the approaches has some merit and no negative factors, it can become part of that individual’s treatment plan, enabling him or to make an informed decision about how to proceed.

How Moringa Oleifera helps lupus patients

Moringa (also known as the horseradish tree) is a purely natural extract found in tropical regions that has been widely used in the East as a medication for centuries. It is also considered to be much safer to use than the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that are often prescribed for lupus patients, including Voltaren, Kaspo, Adoil, and others. The various side effects of these drugs include the risk of kidney, circulatory, and digestive problems, just to name a few, increasing the risk of serious medical complications. Moringa, on the other hand, is less toxic than the other remedies,—and at least as effective. moringa is easy to combine with most medication because there have been no adverse reactions to it, and it contains no known impurities.

How Moringa works in the body

The leaves used for making the Moringa extract contain large amounts of anti-inflammatory, anti-toxin, and anti-oxidant elements, and they are also rich in the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that bolster our immune system. Because of the many benefits of Moringa oleifera, the European Union (EU), World health Organization (WHO) and other NGOs now plant and support its cultivation in various locations, including Africa, in order to combat malnutrition.

Above all, Moringa suppresses the COX-2 enzyme, which causes both inflammation and the pain related to it. It seems that anyone, including children and senior citizens in particular, can experience the benefits of taking Moringa. Athletes report a surge in energy from using these capsules, and many users are amazed because they feel the results so quickly.

Moringa Oleifera as Treatment for Gout & Arthritis

For many centuries Moringa Oleifera was used in traditional medicine, such as the "Ayurveda", as a treatment Arthritis and Gout. It was believed that Moringa Leaf Powder reduce inflammations and pain caused by these conditions.

In 2008 the Faculty of Medicine Health Sciences of the Putra University in Malaysia, published a research aimed to test if Moringa poses any Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory activities, the same activities achieved by the drugs used in modern medicine such as NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). The research found that the Moringa leaves posses substances that have antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activitie; in fact they found that it has high quantities of these substances. This means that Moringa Oleifera use in Indian traditional medicine as a treatment Arthritis and Gout was just.

The effects of the Moringa is suppressing the COX-2 enzyme. This enzyme is responsible for inflammation processes and pain. Usually the drugs used to suppress this enzyme are NSAID such as Voltaren, Nksin, Adoil, ARCOXIA, Kaspo etc. The side effects of these products include risk for stroke, kidney problems, blood vessels problems, stomach problems and the list goes on. Combine the risks from the side effects with the existing condition causing the need to take the NSAID and the presence of pain combined with an inflammatory issue, and the risks for medical complications grow.
Moringa Oleifera in pure natural tree that has been used as food and as medicine along history, this means that it is much safer to use than NSAID but with similar effectiveness and less toxicity.

Link to the official research :http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13880200802366710

Moringa Oleifera: A treatment for Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that is characterized by problems involving the hormone insulin. In healthy people, the pancreas releases insulin; insulin then works to help the body use and store the fat and sugar that is derived from the food that people eat. With diabetes, insulin can be compromised in a couple of different ways. In some cases, the pancreas doesn't produce any insulin at all. Other times, the body does not react in the right way to insulin - this is known as "insulin resistance." Finally, diabetes is sometimes characterized by a pancreas that produces an insufficient volume of insulin.

The Two Types of Diabetes

It's important to understand that diabetes is a disease that has no cure. Once a person develops diabetes, they will suffer from the condition for the rest of their life. Although diabetes may be triggered by a variety of different phenomena involving the pancreas and insulin production - or lack thereof - it can also be divided into two distinct types.

Type 1 Diabetes - Type 1 diabetes typically first arises in people under the age of 20, although it can happen at any age. Insulin-producing cells - known as beta cells - in the pancreas are completely destroyed by the body's immune system. In turn, the pancreas can no longer produce any insulin and insulin injections must be administered.

Type 2 Diabetes - With type 2 diabetes, a person's pancreas still produces insulin; the problem is that it either doesn't create enough insulin, or the person's body is resistant to the insulin that is produced. Type 2 diabetes commonly occurs in obese and overweight individuals - usually over the age of 40 - and is sometimes called "adult onset diabetes."

Managing Diabetes

There is no cure for diabetes. However, there are several ways to manage the condition in order to keep insulin at the proper level. There are several different techniques and strategies for managing diabetes. Some of them include:

• carefully monitoring one's diet in order to keep blood sugar levels in check;
• using insulin injections as needed to maintain optimal levels in those whose bodies don't produce the hormone;
• keeping a close eye on blood sugar levels by using special kits that measure insulin and sugar in the blood; and
• following an exercise routine in order to keep blood pressure levels in check.

Moringa Oleifera: A Natural Treatment for Diabetes

As with any disease or condition, doctors and researchers are constantly seeking new ways to treat and manage diabetes. People are more concerned about using harsh, synthetic medications than ever before, which is what makes the promise of a tree called Moringa Oleifera all the more exciting. Moringa Oleifera is a tree that is originally native to India, but is now grown across the globe. As it happens, people in many developing countries - particular in Africa - have been using Moringa Oleifera to treat and manage the symptoms of diabetes for years.

Why does Moringa Oleifera hold so much promise for those who suffer from diabetes?

Primarily because of its many amazing, natural benefits. Moringa Oleifera has been shown to naturally boost the immune system, which usually becomes compromised in those who suffer from type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Moringa Oleifera has also been shown to possess many key anti-inflammatory benefits; diabetes often causes circulatory problems which can be managed through anti-inflammatory supplements. There are no negative side effects associated with Moringa Oleifera use, meaning that it is a safe, natural way for people to manage their blood sugarand care for their diabetes symptoms. It's just one more option for the many people who have to cope with this serious condition.

Moringa Oleifera for Cancer Prevention or Treatment

As we learn more about cancer, we are empowered to use more of the tools which nature has created for us to help battle this terrible disease. The fight against cancer exists on many fronts, encompassing both prevention and treatment methods. In the past we have put all of our faith in pharmaceutical drugs, however these are not the only weapons we have at our disposal to do battle with cancer. Moringa Oleifera is a plant which is known to have many medicinal properties. It is becoming very clear that this natural resource is a helpful ally in a comprehensive treatment of cancer.

Moringa has been shown in studies to have an anti-tumor capacity. Moringa contains benzyl isothiocyanate. There are many studies that have shown this chemical and compounds derived thereof to have anti-cancer and chemoprotective capabilities. This chemoprotective aspect is critical for those who are battling cancer; this helps strengthen cells so that they can tolerate chemotherapy.

Moringa Oleifera has other characteristics which make it a good compliment to a cancer prevention or treatment plan. It contains an enormous amount of nutritional content; Moringa Oleifera contains vitamins, minerals, and amino acids which are critical for good health. It is loaded with calcium, iron, potassium, protein, Vitamin A and C, and many more properties which promote a healthy body that has the tools to fight cancer. It is known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, antioxidant, anti-allergenic, and pain relief uses. It has also been put to use to fight a variety of infections.

This incredibly useful tree has grown popular of late due to its ability to help sustain populations that have otherwise been fraught with nutritional problems. It tends to grow in areas where access to food and clean water are more complicated. The successes that many have had with Moringa Oleifera in promoting good health in some of the most devastated areas have lead many scientists to examine its properties closely. It is fast emerging as a means to prevent cancer. It is also gaining notoriety as a product which helps cancer patients who are currently undergoing pharmaceutical treatment.

Fighting cancer is about equipping your body with the tools to fight every day. While drug therapies are very useful in this fight, it is also key that naturally occurring dietary options are used as well. Total health will give a cancer patient the endurance to battle the disease with full energy. The anti-tumor properties in Moringa Oleifera will be of special interest to cancer patients. Also, for those undergoing chemotherapy, the chemoprotective properties associated with this wonderful plant will empower the patient to stand strong when using chemotherapy to fight cancer. Investigate the studies which show this plant to be useful in a comprehensive battle against cancer. Always be sure to discuss all of your treatments options with your doctor, including your choice of dietary supplements, as interactions between chemicals must always be closely monitored when undergoing drug treatment. Moringa Oleifera has exciting potential as an ally in the war against cancer.

MORINGA MEDICAL AND USES

Plants have played a significant role in maintaining human health and improving the quality of human life for thousands of years and have served humans well as valuable components of medicines, seasonings, beverages, cosmetics and dyes. Herbal medicine is based on the premise that plants contain natural substances that can promote health and alleviate illness. In recent times, focus on plant research has increased all over the world and a large body of evidence has collected to show immense potential of medicinal plants used in various traditional systems. Today, we are witnessing a great deal of public interest in the use of herbal remedies. Further more many western drugs had their origin in plant extract. There are many herbs, which are predominantly used to treat cardiovascular problems, liver disorders, central nervous system, digestive and metabolic disorders. Given their potential to produce significant therapeutic effect, they can be useful as drug or supplement in the treatment / management of various diseases. Herbal drugs or medicinal plants, their extracts and their isolated compound(s) have demonstrated spectrum of biological activities. Such have been used and continued to be used as medicine in folklore or food supplement for various disorders. Ethnopharmacological studies on such herbs/medicinally important plants continue to interest investigators throughout the world.

One such plant, Moringa oleifera Lam., invites attention of the researchers worldwide for its pharmacological activities ranging from anti-inflammatory to anticancer activities. Moringa oleifera Lam. (Family: Moringaceae) is a small or middle sized tree, about 10 m in height, cultivated throughout India. It is a multipurpose tree, used as vegetable, spice, a source of cooking and cosmetic oil and as a medicinal plant. It is known as Drumstick in English, Saragvo in Gujrati, Soanjna in Hindi, Sajna in Bengali, Nugge in Kannada, Sigru in malyalam, Shevga in Marathi, Shobhanjana in Sanskrit, Munaga in Telgu and Murungai in Tamil.

It is reported to contain alkaloids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins and cinnamates. It is used in abortion 1-3, diabetes 4 and as an antipyretic 5, anthelmentic 6 and antiherpes simplex virus type I (HSV-I) 7. All parts of the tree are considered to possess medicinal properties and used in the treatment of ascites, rheumatism, and venomous bites and as cardiac and circulatory stimulant. The root is laxative, expectorant, diuretic, and good for inflammations, throat, bronchitis, piles, cures stomatitis, urinary discharges and obstinate asthma 8. The root bark is useful in heart complaints, eye diseases, inflammation, dyspepsia, and enlargement of spleen. The root and bark are abortifacient 9. The leaves are anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, cures hallucinations, dry tumors, hiccough and asthma. Dried powder of leaf extract produces abortifacient activity in rats 3. The flowers cure inflammations and muscle diseases. The fruit cures biliousness, pain, Leucoderma and tumor. The seed cures eye diseases and head complaints. Oil is useful in leprous ulcers and as external application for rheumatism 8. The roots and seeds are prescribed for the treatment of snakebites and scorpion stings 9. Seeds extracts have been proposed as an eco-friendly alternative, due to their traditional use for the clarification of drinking water.

Figure: Structures of selected phytochemicals from Moringa oleifera. 4-(4'-O-acetyl-α-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy) benzyl isothiocyanate [A] and 4-(-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy) benzyl isothiocyanate [B].

Phytochemical constituents isolatedfromMoringa oleifera Lam.

Parts	Phytochemical constituents
Roots	4-(α-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)-benzylglucosinolate and benzylglucosinolate 10
Stem	4-hydroxymellein, vanillin, β-sitosterone, octacosanic acid and β-sitosterol 11
Bark	4-(α-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)-benzylglucosinolate 10
Whole gum exudates	L-arabinose, D-galactose, D-glucuronic acid, L-rhamnose, D-mannose, D-xylose and leucoanthocyanin 12-13
Leaves	Glycoside niazirin, niazirinin and three mustard oil glycosides, 4-[4’-O-acetyl- α -L-rhamnosyloxy) benzyl] isothiocyanate, niaziminin A and B 14-15
Mature flowers	D-mannose, D-glucose, protein, ascorbic acid, polysaccharide 16
Whole pods	Nitriles, isothiocyanate, thiocarbanates, 0-[2’-hydroxy-3’-(2’’-heptenyloxy)]-propylundecanoate, 0-ethyl-4-[( α -1-rhamnosyloxy)-benzyl] carbamate, methyl-p-hydroxybenzoate and β-sitosterol 14-15
Mature seeds	Crude protein, Crude fat, carbohydrate, methionine, cysteine, 4-(α-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)-benzylglucosinolate, benzylglucosinolate, moringyne, mono-palmitic and di-oleic triglyceride 10
Seed oil	Vitamin A, beta carotene, precursor of Vitamin A 17-18

Traditional uses of Moringa oleifera Lam.

Parts and its form	Pharmacological activities
Crude ethanolic extract of dried seeds, Hot water infusion of flowers, leaves, roots, seeds and bark, Crude methanolic extract of the roots	Antiinflammatory 19
Oil from dried seeds, Methanol and ethanol extract of free dried leaves	Antioxidant 20
Defatted and shell free seeds, Fresh leaves juice, Roots and bark	Antimicribial 21
Aqueous extract of stem bark, ethanolic extract of leaves, Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of whole pod and their parts, namely, coat, pulp and seed	Cardiovascular 22
Leaves and fruits	Antihyperlipidemic 23
Methanolic extract of roots	CNS depressant 24
Aqueous or ethanolic extract of bark and roots	Antifertility 25
Paste of leaves, Ethanolic extract of seeds	Anticancer 26
Aqueous and ethanolic extract of roots and flower, Ethanolic extract of leaves	Antihepatotoxic 27
Methanolic extract of leaves and flower buds	Antiulcer 28
Hot water infusion of flowers, leaves, roots, seeds and stalks of bark Seed infusion Carotene of M. olifera Extract of M. olifera	Miscellaneous Antispasmodic 19 Diuretic 19 Produces Vitamin A Rises blood Hemoglobin level 29 Increases blood glucose level 30 Regulate hyperthyroidism 31

Ref: http://www.pharmainfo.net/reviews/moringa-oleifera-lam-miracle-tree

MORINGA OLEIFERA PROPERTIES

Anti-inflammatory properties of Moringa Oleifera

There are over 46 antioxidants and 36 anti-inflammatory compounds all naturally
occurring in the Moringa plant.

Antioxidants:
Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B (Choline), Vitamin B1 (Thiamin),
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B6, Alanine, Alpha-Carotene,
Arginine, Beta-Carotene, Beta-sitosterol, Caffeoylquinic Acid, Campesterol,
Carotenoids, Chlorophyll, Chromium, Delta-5-Avenasterol, Delta-7-Avenasterol,
Glutathione, Histidine, Indole Acetic Acid, Indoleacetonitrile, Kaempferal, Leucine,
Lutein, Methionine, Myristic-Acid, Palmitic-Acid, Prolamine, Proline, Quercetin, Rutin,
Selenium, Threonine, Tryptophan, Xanthins, Xanthophyll, Zeatin, Zeaxanthin, Zinc.

Anti-inflammatory:
Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Arginine, Beta-sitosterol,
Caffeoylquinic Acid, Calcium, Chlorophyll, Copper, Cystine, Omega 3, Omega 6,
Omega 9, Fiber, Glutathione, Histidine, Indole Acetic Acid, Indoleacetonitrile, Isoleucine,
Kaempferal, Leucine, Magnesium, Oleic-Acid, Phenylalanine, Potassium, Quercetin,
Rutin, Selenium, Stigmasterol, Sulfur, Tryptophan, Tyrosine, Zeatin, Zinc.

DOST Study:
Anti-inflammatory and Antitumor Activities of Seeds Extracts of Malunggay,
Moringa oleifera L. (Moringgaceae)
Amelia P. Guevara, Carolyn Vargas and Milagros Uy
http://www.stii.dost.gov.ph/pjsweb/data/antitumor_of_malunggay.htm

ABSTRACT
The seeds of malunggay, Moringa oleifera, were extracted with distilled ethanol
and concentrated under reduced pressure at 40oC. The resulting extract was
partitioned between hexane, ethylacetate, butanol and water. The solvent fractions
were likewise concentrated under reduced pressure.
The crude ethanol extract of dried seeds inhibited the carrageenan-induced
inflammation in the hind paw of mice by 85% at a dosage of 3 mg/g body weight while
the mature green seeds by 77%The hexane fraction of the crude ethanol extract of the
dried seeds also inhibited inflammation by 77% at the same dosage while both butanol
and water fractions inhibited inflammation by only 34%These results indicate the strong
anti-inflammatory activities of the ethanol extract and the hexane fraction.

God bless you

What is Moringa ?

Abstract

Moringa oleifera, or the horseradish tree, is a pan-tropical species that is known by such regional names as benzolive, drumstick tree, kelor, marango, mlonge, mulangay, nébéday, saijhan, and sajna. Over the past two decades, many reports have appeared in mainstream scientific journals describing its nutritional and medicinal properties. Its utility as a non-food product has also been extensively described, but will not be discussed herein, (e.g. lumber, charcoal, fencing, water clarification, lubricating oil). As with many reports of the nutritional or medicinal value of a natural product, there are an alarming number of purveyors of “healthful” food who are now promoting M. oleifera as a panacea. While much of this recent enthusiasm indeed appears to be justified, it is critical to separate rigorous scientific evidence from anecdote. Those who charge a premium for products containing Moringa spp. must be held to a high standard. Those who promote the cultivation and use of Moringa spp. in regions where hope is in short supply must be provided with the best available evidence, so as not to raise false hopes and to encourage the most fruitful use of scarce research capital. It is the purpose of this series of brief reviews to: (a) critically evaluate the published scientific evidence on M. oleifera, (b) highlight claims from the traditional and tribal medicinal lore and from non-peer reviewed sources that would benefit from further, rigorous scientific evaluation, and (c) suggest directions for future clinical research that could be carried out by local investigators in developing regions.

This is the first of four planned papers on the nutritional, therapeutic, and prophylactic properties of Moringa oleifera. In this introductory paper, the scientific evidence for health effects are summarized in tabular format, and the strength of evidence is discussed in very general terms. A second paper will address a select few uses of Moringa in greater detail than they can be dealt with in the context of this paper. A third paper will probe the phytochemical components of Moringa in more depth. A fourth paper will lay out a number of suggested research projects that can be initiated at a very small scale and with very limited resources, in geographic regions which are suitable for Moringa cultivation and utilization. In advance of this fourth paper in the series, the author solicits suggestions and will gladly acknowledge contributions that are incorporated into the final manuscript. It is the intent and hope of the journal’s editors that such a network of small-scale, locally executed investigations might be successfully woven into a greater fabric which will have enhanced scientific power over similar small studies conducted and reported in isolation. Such an approach will have the added benefit that statistically sound planning, peer review, and multi-center coordination brings to a scientific investigation.

The following paper is intended to be useful for both scientific and lay audiences. Since various terms used herein are likely not familiar to the lay reader, nor are many of the references readily available to either scientific or lay audiences, we encourage active on-line dialog between readers and both the author and the journal staff. Both will attempt to answer questions and to direct readers to the experts in an open and public manner.

Introduction

Moringa oleifera is the most widely cultivated species of a monogeneric family, the Moringaceae, that is native to the sub-Himalayan tracts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. This rapidly-growing tree (also known as the horseradish tree, drumstick tree, benzolive tree, kelor, marango, mlonge, moonga, mulangay, nébéday, saijhan, sajna or Ben oil tree), was utilized by the ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians; it is now widely cultivated and has become naturalized in many locations in the tropics. It is a perennial softwood tree with timber of low quality, but which for centuries has been advocated for traditional medicinal and industrial uses. It is already an important crop in India, Ethiopia, the Philippines and the Sudan, and is being grown in West, East and South Africa, tropical Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Florida and the Pacific Islands. All parts of the Moringa tree are edible and have long been consumed by humans. According to Fuglie (47) the many uses for Moringa include: alley cropping (biomass production), animal forage (leaves and treated seed-cake), biogas (from leaves), domestic cleaning agent (crushed leaves), blue dye (wood), fencing (living trees), fertilizer (seed-cake), foliar nutrient (juice expressed from the leaves), green manure (from leaves), gum (from tree trunks), honey- and sugar cane juice-clarifier (powdered seeds), honey (flower nectar), medicine (all plant parts), ornamental plantings, biopesticide (soil incorporation of leaves to prevent seedling damping off), pulp (wood), rope (bark), tannin for tanning hides (bark and gum), water purification (powdered seeds). Moringa seed oil (yield 30-40% by weight), also known as Ben oil, is a sweet non-sticking, non-drying oil that resists rancidity. It has been used in salads, for fine machine lubrication, and in the manufacture of perfume and hair care products (158). In the West, one of the best known uses for Moringa is the use of powdered seeds to flocculate contaminants and purify drinking water (11,50,113), but the seeds are also eaten green, roasted, powdered and steeped for tea or used in curries (50). This tree has in recent times been advocated as an outstanding indigenous source of highly digestible protein, Ca, Fe, Vitamin C, and carotenoids suitable for utilization in many of the so-called “developing” regions of the world where undernourishment is a major concern.

Nutrition

Moringa trees have been used to combat malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers. Three non-governmental organizations in particular—Trees for Life, Church World Service and Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization—have advocated Moringa as “natural nutrition for the tropics.” Leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked, or stored as dried powder for many months without refrigeration, and reportedly without loss of nutritional value. Moringa is especially promising as a food source in the tropics because the tree is in full leaf at the end of the dry season when other foods are typically scarce.

A large number of reports on the nutritional qualities of Moringa now exist in both the scientific and the popular literature. Any readers who are familiar with Moringa will recognize the oft-reproduced characterization made many years ago by the Trees for Life organization, that “ounce-for-ounce, Moringa leaves contain more Vitamin A than carrots, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, more Vitamin C than oranges, and more potassium than bananas,” and that the protein quality of Moringa leaves rivals that of milk and eggs. These readers will also recognize the oral histories recorded by Lowell Fuglie in Senegal and throughout West Africa, who reports (and has extensively documented on video) countless instances of lifesaving nutritional rescue that are attributed to Moringa (47,48). In fact, the nutritional properties of Moringa are now so well known that there seems to be little doubt of the substantial health benefit to be realized by consumption of Moringa leaf powder in situations where starvation is imminent. Nonetheless, the outcomes of well controlled and well documented clinical studies are still clearly of great value.

In many cultures throughout the tropics, differentiation between food and medicinal uses of plants (e.g. bark, fruit, leaves, nuts, seeds, tubers, roots, flowers), is very difficult since plant uses span both categories and this is deeply ingrained in the traditions and the fabric of the community (85). Thus, Table 1 in this review captures both nutritional and medicinal references as they relate to Moringa, whilst avoiding most of the better known agro-forestry and water purification applications of this plant. The interested reader is also directed to the very comprehensive reviews of the nutritional attributes of Moringa prepared by the NGOs mentioned earlier (in particular, see references 47,123,157).

Phytochemistry

Phytochemicals are, in the strictest sense of the word, chemicals produced by plants. Commonly, though, the word refers to only those chemicals which may have an impact on health, or on flavor, texture, smell, or color of the plants, but are not required by humans as essential nutrients. An examination of the phytochemicals of Moringa species affords the opportunity to examine a range of fairly unique compounds. In particular, this plant family is rich in compounds containing the simple sugar, rhamnose, and it is rich in a fairly unique group of compounds called glucosinolates and isothiocyanates (10,38). For example, specific components of Moringa preparations that have been reported to have hypotensive, anticancer, and antibacterial activity include 4-(4'-O-acetyl-a-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)benzyl isothiocyanate [1], 4-(a-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)benzyl isothiocyanate [2], niazimicin [3], pterygospermin [4], benzyl isothiocyanate [5], and 4-(a-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)benzyl glucosinolate [6]. While these compounds are relatively unique to the Moringa family, it is also rich in a number of vitamins and minerals as well as other more commonly recognized phytochemicals such as the carotenoids (including b-carotene or pro-vitamin A). These attributes are all discussed extensively by Lowell Fuglie (47) and others, and will be the subject of a future review in this series.


Disease Treatment and Prevention

The benefits for the treatment or prevention of disease or infection that may accrue from either dietary or topical administration of Moringa preparations (e.g. extracts, decoctions, poultices, creams, oils, emollients, salves, powders, porridges) are not quite so well known (116). Although the oral history here is also voluminous, it has been subject to much less intense scientific scrutiny, and it is useful to review the claims that have been made and to assess the quality of evidence available for the more well-documented claims. The readers of this review are encouraged to examine two recent papers that do an excellent job of contrasting the dilemma of balancing evidence from complementary and alternative medicine (e.g. traditional medicine, tribal lore, oral histories and anecdotes) with the burden of proof required in order to make sound scientific judgments on the efficacy of these traditional cures (138,154). Clearly much more research is justified, but just as clearly this will be a very fruitful field of endeavor for both basic and applied researchers over the next decade.

Widespread claims of the medicinal effectiveness of various Moringa tree preparations have encouraged the author and his colleagues at The Johns Hopkins University to further investigate some of these possibilities. A plethora of traditional medicine references attest to its curative power, and scientific validation of these popular uses is developing to support at least some of the claims. Moringa preparations have been cited in the scientific literature as having antibiotic, antitrypanosomal, hypotensive, antispasmodic, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, hypocholesterolemic, and hypoglycemic activities, as well as having considerable efficacy in water purification by flocculation, sedimentation, antibiosis and even reduction of Schistosome cercariae titer (see Table 1).

Unfortunately, many of these reports of efficacy in human beings are not supported by placebo controlled, randomized clinical trials, nor have they been published in high visibility journals. For example, on the surface a report published almost 25 years ago (141) appears to establish Moringa as a powerful cure for urinary tract infection, but it provides the reader with no source of comparison (no control subjects). Thus, to the extent to which this is antithetical to Western medicine, Moringa has not yet been and will not be embraced by Western-trained medical practitioners for either its medicinal or nutritional properties.

In many cases, published in-vitro (cultured cells) and in-vivo (animal) trials do provide a degree of mechanistic support for some of the claims that have sprung from the traditional medicine lore. For example, numerous studies now point to the elevation of a variety of detoxication and antioxidant enzymes and biomarkers as a result of treatment with Moringa or with phytochemicals isolated from Moringa (39,40,76,131). I shall briefly introduce antibiosis and cancer prevention as just two examples of areas of Moringa research for which the existing scientific evidence appears to be particularly strong.

Antibiotic Activity.
This is clearly the area in which the preponderance of evidence—both classical scientific and extensive anecdotal evidence—is overwhelming. The scientific evidence has now been available for over 50 years, although much of it is completely unknown to western scientists. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s a team from the University of Bombay (BR Das), Travancore University (PA Kurup), and the Department of Biochemistry at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore (PLN Rao), identified a compound they called pterygospermin [4] a compound which they reported readily dissociated into two molecules of benzyl isothiocyanate [5] (23,24,25,26,77,78,79,80,81,108). Benzyl isothiocyanate was already understood at that time to have antimicrobial properties. This group not only identified pterygospermin, but performed extensive and elegant characterization of its mode of antimicrobial action in the mid 1950’s. (They identified the tree from which they isolated this substance as “Moringa pterygosperma,” now regarded as an archaic designation for “M. oleifera.”) Although others were to show that pterygospermin and extracts of the Moringa plants from which it was isolated were antibacterial against a variety of microbes, the identity of pterygospermin has since been challenged (34) as an artifact of isolation or structural determination.

Subsequent elegant and very thorough work, published in 1964 as a PhD thesis by Bennie Badgett (a student of the well known chemist Martin Ettlinger), identified a number of glyosylated derivatives of benzyl isothiocyanate [5] (e.g. compounds containing the 6-carbon simple sugar, rhamnose) (8). The identity of these compounds was not available in the refereed scientific literature until “re-discovered” 15 years later by Kjaer and co-workers (73). Seminal reports on the antibiotic activity of the primary rhamnosylated compound then followed, from U Eilert and colleagues in Braunschweig, Germany (33,34). They re-isolated and confirmed the identity of 4-(a-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)benzyl glucosinolate [6] and its cognate isothiocyanate [2] and verified the activity of the latter compound against a wide range of bacteria and fungi.

Extensive field reports and ecological studies (see Table 1) forming part of a rich traditional medicine history, claim efficacy of leaf, seed, root, bark, and flowers against a variety of dermal and internal infections. Unfortunately, many of the reports of antibiotic efficacy in humans are not supported by placebo controlled, randomized clinical trials. Again, in keeping with Western medical prejudices, practitioners may not be expected to embrace Moringa for its antibiotic properties. In this case, however, the in-vitro (bacterial cultures) and observational studies provide a very plausible mechanistic underpinning for the plethora of efficacy claims that have accumulated over the years (see Table 1).

Aware of the reported antibiotic activity of [2], [5], and other isothiocyanates and plants containing them, we undertook to determine whether some of them were also active as antibiotics against Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium was not discovered until the mid-1980’s, a discovery for which the 2005 Nobel Prize in Medicine was just awarded. H. pylori is an omnipresent pathogen of human beings in medically underserved areas of the world, and amongst the poorest of poor populations worldwide. It is a major cause of gastritis, and of gastric and duodenal ulcers, and it is a major risk factor for gastric cancer (having been classified as a carcinogen by the W.H.O. in 1993). Cultures of H. pylori, it turned out, were extraordinarily susceptible to [2], and to a number of other isothiocyanates (37,60). These compounds had antibiotic activity against H. pylori at concentrations up to 1000-fold lower than those which had been used in earlier studies against a wide range of bacteria and fungi. The extension of this finding to human H. pylori infection is now being pursued in the clinic, and the prototypical isothiocyanate has already demonstrated some efficacy in pilot studies (49,168).


Cancer Prevention.
Since Moringa species have long been recognized by folk medicine practitioners as having value in tumor therapy (61), we examined compounds [1] and [2] for their cancer preventive potential (39). Recently, [1] and the related compound [3] were shown to be potent inhibitors of phorbol ester (TPA)-induced Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation in lymphoblastoid (Burkitt’s lymphoma) cells (57,104). In one of these studies, [3] also inhibited tumor promotion in a mouse two-stage DMBA-TPA tumor model (104). In an even more recent study, Bharali and colleagues have examined skin tumor prevention following ingestion of drumstick (Moringa seedpod) extracts (12). In this mouse model, which included appropriate positive and negative controls, a dramatic reduction in skin papillomas was demonstrated.

Thus, traditional practice has long suggested that cancer prevention and therapy may be achievable with native plants. Modern practitioners have used crude extracts and isolated bioactive compounds. The proof required by modern medicine has not been realized because neither the prevention of cancer nor the modification of relevant biomarkers of the protected state has been adequately demonstrated in human subjects. Does this mean that it doesn’t work? No. It may well work, but more rigorous study is required in order to achieve a level of proof required for full biomedical endorsement of Moringa as, in this case, a cancer preventative plant.


Table 1. Reported nutritional, therapeutic & prophylactic uses of Moringa oleifera
and more About moringa go to http://www.tfljournal.org/article.php/20051201124931586

MORINGA KENYA HOME

We are in the Moringa business and you won’t find anyone in the Africa doing it longer. We have the most experience in the sales and growing of Moringa products. We also offer some other super foods to complement this remarkable tree. It is here that you can purchase most of the Moringa products whether your are a consumer, wholesaler, reseller or formulator. You can learn how to grow your own Moringa trees.You will find valuable information resources on our site that will delight and amaze you.

Moringa Kenya was the first to bring the spectrum of Moringa products to the East Africa via the web. We are both wholesalers and retailers. Since 2006 we have promoted this highly functional food with its remarkable nutritional profile, it’s antibiotic, anti- oxidant and anti-inflammatory nature. It is as close to a perfect food to be found; rich in minerals, vitamins, essential amino acids, phytochemicals, vegetable protein and carbohydrates. Research has demonstrated that the bioavailability of nutrients from plant sources is superior to the “test tube vitamins and minerals” with poor absorption rates. The body is its own genius and will heal itself with proper care and nourishment.

It seems the trend in the East Africa these days is to find functional foods with valuable nutrients to maintain health and even cure medical conditions while maintaining a suspicious eye toward the medical community’s propensity of prescribing expensive drugs for practically any ailment. Our modern medicine establishment is marvelous in its practice of crisis medicine but our medical schools do not teach nutrition nor the science of chromotherapeutic medicine where the emphasis is on proper nutrition and preventative behavior. Moringa and all the products on this site fall into the latter category. The body requires minerals and vitamins, anti oxidants, omegas 3 and 6, vitalizing herbs, clean air and water.

Moringa Kenya assists NGO’s and individuals in alleviating hunger by distributing seeds and planting Moringa trees. Check out our links page to see what good works are being done with Moringa planting. Please contact them for an enriching experience. Your donations to them would be most appreciated and assist in the war against hunger and in some cases are tax deductible.

We offer a comprehensive variety of moringa products, including leaf powder, seed powder, germinable seeds, fruit/pod powder, and oil.

So whether you are a commercial grower, home gardener, health care professional, relief worker or health conscious consumer wanting to improve the health of your family, there is something for you here. It is our goal to make your life better and Moringa an important link in the African food chain.

Moringa Kenya

PO.Box:127-30307 Mosoriot Kenya

Email:moringakenya@aol.com

Phone:+254 724 043 272