Moringa oleifera: A Review on Medicinal properties and their Commercial Applications

Abstract

Known by many as the “tree of life” or the “miracle tree,” Moringa oleifera is a remarkable herbal plant with a wide range of therapeutic and non-medicinal effects. Historically, M. oleifera has been used to treat a wide range of illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, liver disease, ulcers, pain, and inflammation. Pharmacological investigations have validated the hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties present in extracts obtained from different sections of the Moringa oleifera plant. Remarkably, more than a hundred chemicals have been described thus far, and bioactive components have been found in every portion of the plant. Among other things, the plant has high concentrations of alkaloids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, vitamins, glycosides, and terpenes. Furthermore, strong hepatoprotective, anticancer, antihypertensive, antioxidant, and nutritional properties have been revealed by the discovery of unique compounds in the plant, such as muramoside A&B and niazimin A&B. This review highlights the long-standing and noteworthy benefits of moringa, exploring its pharmacological properties, phytopharmaceutical formulations, clinical assessments, toxicity profile, and other uses. In order to encourage additional study, it also seeks to clarify the plant’s economic and phytopharmaceutical uses. The review notes that despite this thorough examination, many traditional use of moringa remain untested by science. As a result, the study recommends more investigation to decipher the plant’s physiological processes with the goal of identifying and isolating the active or cooperative chemicals responsible for its therapeutic qualities.