Abstract

REVIEW ARTICLE ON MORINGA OLEIFERA: AS TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANT

*Ekta Choubey, Dr. Ashish Saraf and Dr. Amit Kumar Dutta

ABSTRACT

Moringa - The Key to Better Food and Nutrition and So Much More…..! Moringa oleifera is a tropical species that is known by various regional names as benzolive, drumstick tree, kelor, marango, mlonge, mulangay, nebeday, saijhan, and sajna. Over the past two decades, many reports have been published describing its nutritional and medicinal properties. It has an impressive range of medicinal uses with high nutritional value. Different parts of this plant contain a profile of important minerals, and are a good source of protein, vitamins, βâ€Âcarotene, amino acids and various phenolics. Various parts of this plant such as the leaves, roots, seed, bark, fruit, flowers and immature pods act as cardiac and circulatory stimulants, possess antitumor, antipyretic, antiepileptic, antiinflammatory, antiulcer, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and antifungal activities, and are being employed for the treatment of different ailments in the indigenous system of medicine. In developing countries, Moringa has the potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development, and support sustainable landcare. It may be used as forage for livestock, a micronutrient liquid, a natural anthelmintic, and possible adjuvant. Moringa trees have been used to combat malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers.

Keywords: Moringa, Taxonomy, Ecology, Nutrition, Traditional Medicine.