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Moringa un Arbol con muchos usos

Anticonvulsive and antioxidant activity of aqueous root extract of Moringa oleifera in ferric chloride-induced epileptic rats

Moringa oleifera (MO), commonly known as drumstick tree in South Asian countries are consumed as food and have immense medicinal value. The consumption of the root of MO reduced neuronal hyper-excitability in psychiatric disorders.

The present study has tested the efficacy of the aqueous root extract of MO in preventing epilepsy, a serious neurological disorder, from non-penetrating brain injury.

Reducing power, polyphenol, flavonoid content of MO, and high performance liquid chromatographic identification of free radical scavenging compounds in the extract in the present study encourages its use for preventing free radical-induced epilepsy.

Holtzman Strain adult rats, weighing 200-250 g, were assigned into four groups (n=6 in each group): normal control; sham operated; intracortically FeCl3 injected (100mM; 8micro litre); FeCl3 injected + MO pretreated (350mg/kg, orally) and FeCl3 injected + diazepam (DZ) pretreated (20mg/kg, i.p). Lipid peroxidation (LPO), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were studied as indirect parameters of free radical-induced brain damage.

Serotonin, dopamine and nor-epinephrine were also evaluated biochemically from different brain regions. A statistically significant reduction in lipid peroxidation, CAT and SOD activity was observed in MO pretreated group when compared to the untreated epileptic rats. Serotonin level was found to be elevated significantly in cerebral cortex whereas dopamine and nor-epinephrine levels declined in the caudate nucleus and in cerebellum of MO-pretreated rats in comparison to untreated epileptic group and synchronizes with the changes with anticonvulsant diazepam.

MO effectively prevents the advent of FeCl3 induced epilepsy by ameliorating free radical damage and by regulating protective neurotransmitters to restrain neuronal hyper excitability.

Acceptability and Nutritional Attributes of Moringa Oleifera-enriched Maize Flour

Study was carried out to investigate the effect of fortification on the general acceptability and nutritional characteristics of Moringa oleifera flower–enriched fermented maize flour (Ogi). The fermented maize flour was grouped into five based on the percentage of maize and Moringa oleifera flower powder used for the production as a source of protein and micronutrients for the formulations.

The groups 1- 5 represent maize and Moringa oleifera flower powder in ratio 10:0, 9:1, 8:2, 7:3 and 6:4 respectively. Flowers of Moringa oleifera were sun- dried for 5 days, milled and sieved to obtain fine powder.

The fine powder was mixed thoroughly with fermented maize flour by pounding and stirring. Chemical analysis of the sample formulations revealed considerable amount of measured nutrients with group 5 formulation having the highest protein and nutrients content, followed by group 4, 3 and 2 compared to group 1 and the control group.

The resulting blends of fortified fermented maize flour were creamy and greenish yellow in colour, free flowing and dispersed easily in water. Sensory evaluation of the samples showed that group 3 sample was the most generally acceptable to the taste panel in terms of colour, texture and appearance.

This study suggests that Moringa oleifera-enriched fermented maize flour at the ratio of 80% and 20% fermented maize flour and Moringa oleifera flower powder respectively could improve significantly the protein content and general acceptability attributes of the fortified maize flour.

Moringa in Oil Industry

Crude extracts were prepared from the flowers and callus of Moringa oleifera using ethanol extract and screened for their antimicrobial activity against some bacteria andfungal pathogen by paper disc method. The tested gram positive bacterial strains were Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, gram negative bacterial strains were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Although flavonoids are present in all parts of Moringa oleifera, maximum amount was observed inflowers. Hence soxhlet extract of 5 grams of powdered flowers and unorganized tissues of M. oleifera were screened for their antimicrobial activity. Among the flowers and unorganized tissue tested, the ethanol extract of callus exhibited higher antimicrobial activity when compared to the floral extract.

icon Moringa in Oil Industry (225.23 kB)

A Food Plant with Multiple Medicinal Uses

Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) is a highly valued plant, distributed in many countries of the tropics and subtropics. It has an impressive range of medicinal uses with high nutritional value. Different parts of this plant contain a profile of important minerals, and are a good source of protein, vitamins, β-carotene, amino acids and various phenolics. The Moringa plant provides a rich and rare combination of zeatin, quercetin, β- sitosterol, caffeoylquinic acid and kaempferol. In addition to its compelling water purifying powers and high nutritional value, M. oleifera is very important for its medicinal value. Various parts of this plant such as the leaves, roots, seed, bark, fruit, flowers and immature pods act as cardiac and circulatory stimulants, possess antitumor, antipyretic, antiepileptic, antiinflammatory, antiulcer, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and antifungal activities, and are being employed for the treatment of different ailments in the indigenous system of medicine, particularly in South Asia. This review focuses on the detailed phytochemical composition, medicinal uses, along with pharmacological properties of different parts of this multipurpose tree. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

icon A Food Plant with Multiple Medicinal Uses (286.05 kB)

Antibacterial activity of Moringa Oleifera and Moringa stenopetala methanol and n-hexane seed extracts on bacteria implicated in water borne diseases

The anti-bacterial activity of methanol and n-hexane extracts of Moringa oleifera and Moringa stenopetala seeds was conducted on 3 bacterial species (Salmonella typhii, Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli) which normally cause water borne diseases. The paper disc diffusion method was used with treatments arranged in a completely randomized design and replicated four times. The highest inhibitions were observed at dilutions of 20, 5 and 40% for M. oleifera and M. stenopetala methanol extracts on E. coli, S. typhi and V. cholerae respectively. The n-hexane extract of both M. oleifera and M. stenopetala had a higher inhibition on S. typhii than V. cholerae and E. coli. The results of this study showed that M. oleifera and M. stenopetala had a degree of antibacterial properties especially in low doses.

icon Antibacterial activity of Moringa oleifera and Moringa stenopetala methanol and n-hexane seed extrac (66.77 kB)

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