A Comprehensive and Comparative Metabolomic Study of Two Nutraceutical-Containing Plants; Moringa oleifera and Solanum lycopersicum: A Review

Abstract

Solanum lycopersicum and Moringa oleifera are two essential nutraceutical-containing plants from two different families, and are sources of abundant metabolites. They have a variety of applications in medicines, functional food additives and even water purification. This review aims to complement earlier reviews by comparing the metabolite profiles and modern-day pharmacological relevance of both plants. The metabolome of Moringa oleifera was compared to that of Solanum lycopersicum, to evaluate the common metabolites found within the two plants and how these compounds can be used for same pharmacological and nutritional benefits. While these plants contain similar metabolites, they also contain different compounds of the same class that differ in terms of their biological functions. In such instances, Moringa oleifera and Solanum lycopersicum may have similar applications, but remain distinguishable from each other in terms of pharmacological potential.