Moringa Gateway

Author(s): S.R. Kurma, SH Mishra
Published in: Indian Journal of Natural Products.   Dec 1, 1993
Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Pages: 3-6

Researchers in this study aimed to determine whether polysaccharides from Moringa oleifera pods could be used in the pharmaceutical industry.
The pods used for this study were extracted first with the use of sulfuric acid and then through an alcoholic rinse of sorts. They were then purified, dried and studied by the researchers. It was found through these studies that the polysaccharides found in such pods could possibly work in a pharmaceutical format in the future.

Author(s): Caceres A., S. Lopez
Published in: Pharmacological Properties of Moringa oleifera.   Jun 25, 1991
Volume: 62 Issue: 5 Article number: 3 Pages: pp. 449-45

Moringa oleifera has been used, where grown, in treatment of skin irritation and infections, and in this study, the effects of the M. oleifera seed extracts are tested on experimental pyodermia in mice. It was found that when applied daily to infected lesions, the substances containing the extracts healed the wounds faster than the control, and just as fast as an antibiotic ointment, suggesting fair antibiotical properties to the extracts of M. oleifera seeds.

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): 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.

Author(s): Kurup PA, PL Narasimha Rao
Published in: Journal of the Indian Institute of Science.   Jan 1, 1970
Volume: 34 Issue: 1 Pages: 219-227

The antibiotic that is found in the root of Moringa pterygosperma had not been previously identified. Researchers set out to find out what it was. They purified the root's extract in several different ways to find the strongest bacteria-killing one. Two ways were more effective as antibiotics than other ones. This paper presents the first of a series of research into Moringa's bacteria-killing properties.

Author(s): Gopalakrishna KS, PA Kurup, PL Rao
Published in: Indian Journal of Medicine.   Jan 1, 1970
Volume: 42 Issue: 1 Pages: 97-99

Moringa seeds have been shown to have an antibiotic ability when used in certain forms. Researchers have attempted to study the effects of pterygosperma on the seeds' antibiotic-like actions. In soaking the seeds in a specific solution, this article explains that the effects of such a solution are minimal on the seeds in this manner.