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, | Antiinflammatory 19 |
| Oil from dried seeds, |
Antioxidant 20 |
| Defatted and shell free seeds, |
Antimicribial 21 |
| Aqueous extract of stem bark, |
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, | Anticancer 26 |
| Aqueous and ethanolic extract of roots and flower, | 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 Increases blood glucose level 30 |