Moringa Gateway

Author(s): Memon GM, SA Memon, AR Memon
Published in: Pakistan journal of scientific and industrial research.   Feb 21, 1985
Volume: 28 Issue: 1 Pages: 7-9

This paper examines the isolation of various chemicals within the fruits of the Moringa oleifera. In studying this topic, researchers used fruit which was picked during April of that year. They then used water alcohol in extracting the fruit.

This process, in addition to testing the moringye with other solutions, aided researchers in two ways. First, they were able to determine much of the chemical structure of the Moringa fruit. In determining the structure, researchers were then able to isolate each particular component through a variety of trials.

Author(s): Dhar, B. and O. P. Gupta
Published in: Bulletin of Medico-Ethno-Botanical Research (B.M.E.B.R.).   Jan 1, 1982
Volume: III Issue: No. 2 to 4 Pages: 280-288

Dhar and Gupta’s research recommends the use of Moringa Oleifera (a.k.a. Shigru) to prevent and/or obliterate diseases, particularly night blindness so prevalent in the developing world. Moringa, which flowers and fruits twice a year, is cultivated in tropical countries, making it an ideal supplement for vitamin-poor diets. Minerals such as calcium, phosphorous and magnesium are essential for body development, growth, and strengthening bones and teeth. Iodine expedites the thyroid while copper and iron form blood cells. All of these nutrients are found in Moringa to a high degree.
Moringa leaves contain all the essential nutrients to maintain body health, especially Vitamins A and C. Moringa is noted for preventing Xeropthal mia caused by Vitamin A deficiency. It has the highest value of all the vegetables for Vitamin A, making it an ideal choice in treatment of night blindness and other eye diseases. When compared to developed countries, blindness is 10 to 40 times higher in developing countries where forty-two million people, 25% of them children, go blind each year. In India alone, 40,000 go blind annually due to malnutrition.
Moringa oleifera with its rich nutrients of Vitamins A and C provides an inexpensive treatment for malnutrition. Only 4,000-5,000 IUs of Vitamin A per day clears up Bitot spot and cures night blindness in a week. A mere hundred grams of Shigru leaves provide all essential constituents per day and is cost effective, as well. One problem to be surmounted is finding a way to make its slightly unpleasant, bitter taste more palatable to the general public.

Author(s): Ginja V, D Sharada, P Pushpamma
Published in: International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research.   Oct 5, 1981
Volume: 52 Issue: 1 Pages: 9-13
Free Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7085205

The nutritional content of the leaves of three trees native to the Andhra Pradesh area of India were compared in this study. This particular research concerned amounts of thiamine, riboflavin and niacin in each tree's leaves. Results showed that when cooked in a curry form the former two nutrients were found highly in the Moringa plant's leaves. The methods of the study are also included within the paper.

Author(s): Eilert U, B Wolters, and A Nahrstedt
Published in: Journal of Medicinal Plant Research.   Jan 1, 1981
Volume: 42 Pages: 55-61

The leaves, roots, and seeds of Moringa oleifera and M. stenopetala have a long tradition of use in folk medicine. In the Sudan, powdered seeds of M. oleifera have been used in water purification. This paper reports on the findings of the antibiotic principle of the seeds of M. oleifera and M. stenopetala through their purification, elucidation, and antimicrobial properties, and on the antibiotic substance of the roots of M. oleifera. Tests revealed one active antimicrobial agent present in the seeds of both species. Defatted and shell free seeds of each species contain 8-10% of this antimicrobial agent. Only the roots of M. oleifera contain this compound, and asorbic acid must be added during water extraction. Applying 0.2 g/l of powdered M. stenopetala seeds for water purification will help coagulation and will have an effect against microorganisms present.

Author(s): Sharma, G.K., V. Raina
Published in: Improvement of forest biomass : symposium proceedings / edit.   Nov 18, 1980
Volume: 20-21 Pages: p. 175-181

The object of this study was to see how Moringa might best propagate itself so that it can be grown on a large scale. Moringa was tested in two forms, from cuttings and seeds. Hard wood cuttings from 1- and 2-year old branches were air-layered and treated with different levels of Indole-butyric acid in July and August, November and December, and February and March.

For seeds, the best time to sow was 1 month after harvesting. The longer the seeds were in storage, the less they were able to germinate. They grew best sowed at 10 mm. depth. The air-layered cuttings only sprouted during the February/March period. 50 parts per million IBA treatment for 24 hours was found to be the best dose for rooting branches. The two-year old branches grew more roots than the one-year olds. Moringa does not propogate well by air-layering.

Author(s): Negi, S. S.
Published in: Indian Vet. Res. Inst., Patampur, Himachal Pradesh, India. I.   May 18, 1977
Volume: Vol.103 Issue: 14 Article number: No.9 Pages: pp.616-622

While using tree leaves as livestock feed is a well known practice for most farmers, it is usually done in the absence of grains, grasses or other feed. In many mountainous regions such as northern India, however, trees are the main constituent in livestock diet. In wet, mountainous climates ill-suited for production of more common fodders such as grass and legumes, tree foliage could be a valuable asset to local agriculture.
Most tree fodder has a richer nutrient content than grass and non-legume fodders, containing crude fiber and high calcium, and with some species additional benefits include favorable taste and shade for farmers and animals. This article explores the pros and cons of various tree species employed for farm use in India.

Author(s): B. R. Das, P. A. Kurup, P. L. Narasimha Rado
Published in: Indian Journal of Medical Research.   Jan 1, 1970
Volume: 45 Issue: 2 Pages: 191-196

This article investigates Moringa Pterygosperma for its chemical structure. Pterygosperma is a condensation product of two molecules of benzyl-isothiocynate and Benzoquinone. A similar study examined the chemical makeup of cruciferous plants but failed to recognize the powerful antibacterial activity of benzyl ester.
Experimenters conclude that in the homologous series, the highest antibacterial account of a number of the experimental compounds is reached in benzyl ester. Among the aliphatic compounds in this study, the iso-butyl and secondary-butyl esters are only weakly active. Observations suggest that the highly active compounds may have in common a radicle of the type R-CH2-NR1-CR2R3-SR. The possibility of the breakdown of these compounds should not be overlooked in some antibiotics.

Author(s): Kurup PA, PL Narasimha Rao
Published in: Indian Journal of Medical Research.   Jan 1, 1970
Volume: 42

This is the fifth installment in a series of related papers. No one knew how the antibiotic from Moringa pterygosperma's root worked, though researchers supected it worked like penicillin. They found that it was similar to penicillin, but there were key differences. This article explains how Moringa's antibiotic works and how they discovered the information.

Author(s): Kurup PA, PL Narasimha Rao
Published in: Indian Journal of Medical Research.   Jan 1, 1970
Volume: 42 Issue: 1 Pages: 101-107

This is the fourth article in a series of related papers. The researchers tested how different vitamins and amino acids affected an antibiotic found in Moringa pterygosperma's roots. Most of the amino acids had no effect on the antibiotic. Different vitamins either helped or hindered how well it worked.

Author(s): Kurup PA, PL Narasimha Rao, R Venkataraman
Published in: Indian Journal of Medical Research.   Jan 1, 1970
Volume: 42

This article is the sixth in a series of complimenting papers. It addresses why pterygospermin, the antibiotic in Moringa pterygosperma, kills bacteria. It stops the cell from functioning right by keeping certain biological processes from working right. In turn, that keeps a nutrient that bacteria need from being made in the cell or used at all.