Moringa

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Moringa oleifera

Other Names : Drumstick tree, Arango, Árbol de las Perlas, Behen, Ben Nut Tree, Benzolive, Chinto Borrego, Clarifier Tree, Horseradish Tree, Indian Horseradish, Jacinto, Kelor Tree, Malunggay, Marango, Mlonge, Moringa, Moringa oleifera, Moringa pterygosperma, Mulangay, Murungakai, Narango, Nebeday, Paraíso Blanco, Perla de la India, Sahjna, Saijan, Saijhan, Sajna, San Jacinto, Shagara al Rauwaq, Shigru, Terebinto.
Drumstick tree is a plant that is native to the sub-Himalayan areas of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. It is also grown in the tropics. The leaves, bark, flowers, fruit, seeds, and root are used to make medicine.

Special Precautions of Moringa

  • It’s important to avoid eating the root and its extracts. These parts of the plant may contain a toxic substance that can cause paralysis and death.
  • Moringa should not be taken by women during their childbearing years, because it is an abortifacicant. The plant chemicals in moringa root cause the fertilized egg not to be able to attach to the lining of the uterine wall. Traditional literature indicates that moringa root was used as a permanent form of birth control. Moringa root bark can cause violent and potentially fatal uterine contractions.
  • However, moringa leaf can help breastfeeding mothers to produce more milk, it’s best to avoid moringa if you are breast-feeding. There isn’t enough information to know whether it is safe for a nursing infant.

The benefits of Moringa are

It’s the leaves of the species called moringa oleifera, in particular, which have become recognized in recent years as being highly beneficial to human health. Compared to other green superfoods like spirulina, wheat grass and chlorella, moringa oleifera has been relatively unknown until recent years when reports appeared in mainstream scientific journals describing its medicinal and nutritional properties. Over the past 40 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been studying and using the moringa plant as a low-cost health-enhancing food for third world countries where malnutrition and hunger are widespread. India’s natural Ayurvedic medicine uses moringa leaves to prevent and treat over 300 diseases.

  • Moringa leaves’ rich combination of nutrients, amino acids, antioxidants, as well as anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties could fill an entire book. According to Optima of Africa, Ltd., 25 grams of moringa leaf powder could provide these astounding percentages of recommended daily allowances: Protein: 42%, Calcium: 125%, Magnesium: 61%, Potassium: 41%, Iron: 71%, Vitamin A: 272%, Vitamin C: 22%. The leaves contain complete proteins, which are rare to find in the plant kingdom. This should come as good news for vegetarians, as well as those who are trying to limit their meat and dairy consumption — without compromising their protein intake. A Bureau of Plant Industry report states that, gram per gram, moringa leaves contain: twice the protein content of 8 ounces of milk (and 4 times the calcium); the Vitamin C equivalent of 7 oranges; the potassium content of 3 bananas; 3 times the iron of spinach; and 4 times the Vitamin A of carrots.
  • Anti-aging : Perhaps the most fascinating discovery about moringa leaves is that they are rich in zeatin. Zeatin is a member of the plant hormone family known as cytokinins. Cytokinins induce cell division and growth, and delay cell aging. A study published in Rejuvenation Research shows the undeniable youth-preserving effects of zeatin on aging human skin.Zeatin has recently become increasingly sought after because of its powerful anti-aging properties. It defends cells against free radical damage, protects healthy cells from the effects of stress, helps the body replace dying cells more rapidly, and strengthens living cells… thereby slowing the aging process.No plant has a greater abundance of zeatin than the moringa plant. In fact, moringa has several thousand times more zeatin than any other known plant. The human body has approximately 19 million skin cells at any given time. However, 30,000 to 40,000 skin cells die every minute. New skin cells make their way to the upper skin layers as old skin cells flake off and die.With the zeatin contained in moringa, new skin cells grow at a faster rate than old skin cells die. This results in a marked reduction of wrinkles on the face and other parts of the body, and a more youthful skin appearance.
  • Antibacterial : Moringa leaf tincture kills certain bacterial strains in vitro : There is promising potential for both water- and alcohol-based moringa leaf tinctures to fight a variety of bacterial infections, according to a 2011 clinical study published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine. In this study, scientists soaked paper discs with several strengths of moringa leaf extract. While the moringa leaf tinctures could not kill Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, and Pseudonomas aeruginosa, moringa was found to be effective against Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Aeromonas cavaie, and Enterococcus faecalis.
  • Diabetes : Moringa leaf may improve glucose tolerance in diabetics based on a clinical study involving rats : In a 2006 study performed at Tokyo University of Agriculture, moringa was fed to rats with diabetes in order to determine the effects of moringa leaf powder on glucose tolerance. The researchers noted "major" amounts of polyphenols in moringa, especially quercitin and rutin. After ingesting moringa powder, the rats showed a significant reduction in their blood glucose levels as compared to the control groups during a glucose tolerance test. The scientists concluded that moringa did have a positive effect on lowering glucose levels. They believe this is because of the quercitin content in moringa. While insulin levels were not monitored in this study, the researchers remarked that moringa leaf may have a positive effect on insulin secretion and action.
  • Cancer :
    • Moringa root bark kills ovarian cancer cells due to unique phytochemicals : Medscape General Medicine reported a study involving moringa root's effectiveness against post-menopausal epithelial ovarian cancer. This cancer is caused by a combination of failing ovaries and an over-productive pituitary gland. The only herb which has been clinically demonstrated to have a positive effect on female reproductive system cancer is moringa oleifera Lam, because it has both female hormonal and anti-tumor properties. Scientists chose to test moringa root bark because it contains two more alkaloid chemicals than does the rest of the plant. The researchers in this study believe it is these chemicals in the moringa root bark which affect sex hormones. Traditional herbal medicine bears this belief out.
    • M. oleifera root extract shows cytotoxic effect on leukemia and melanoma cell lines.
    • Studies show that 2 compounds that are present in moringa cause a dramatic reduction of skin tumors, and even inhibit tumors in lab mice that are bred to be susceptible to tumors. This has earned moringa the reputation of being a cancer preventative plant. The superfood known as moringa (from the moringa tree) contains several thousand times more of the powerful anti-aging nutrient zeatin than any other known plant — and that it also has 2 compounds that prevent cancer and stop tumor growth.
    • Moringa Seeds have an antiproliferative effect on breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7) cancer

Uses :

  • TAKEN BY MOUTH
    • “Tired blood” (anemia).
    • Arthritis.
    • Asthma.
    • Cancer.
    • Constipation.
    • Birth control.
    • Diabetes.
    • Diarrhea.
    • Epilepsy.
    • Stomach pain (gastritis).
    • Stomach and intestinal ulcers.
    • Headache.
    • Heart problems.
    • High blood pressure.
    • Kidney stones.
    • Swelling (inflammation).
    • Thyroid disorders.
    • Infections.
    • Increasing breast milk production.
    • As a nutritional supplement.
    • Stimulating immunity.
    • Increasing sex drive.
  • APPLIED TO THE SKIN
    • Athlete’s foot.
    • Dandruff.
    • Warts.
    • Skin infections.
    • Snakebites.
    • Gum disease (gingivitis).