Moringa oleifera seed and herb, Zija
October 19 2016 by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

This fast growing-small tree has been used in Ayurveda for thousands of years. It produces long drumstick like pods, which contain its seeds. The Moringa tree can bear fruit the first year of planting and almost every part of the tree is beneficial in some way and is treasured by the native peoples. It is used in Thai traditional medicine as a cardiotonic.
   The leaves of Moringa oleifera are highly nutritious, being a significant source of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, protein, iron and potassium. The leaves are cooked and used like spinach. In addition to being used fresh as a substitute for spinach, its leaves are commonly dried and crushed into a powder, and used in soups and sauces. Moringa leaves have anti-oxidant properties and also have their special place in Ayurvedic medicine where the leaves are used in controlling blood pressure and blood glucose levels. In Africa, the Philippines and Indonesia the leaves are believed to increase lactation and are thus served to nursing mothers.

Benefit
As of 2016 I could not find human clinical trials with Moringa oleifera supplements.

Products
Bio Nutrition, Moringa Super Food, 5,000 mg, 90 Veggie Caps
 

Depression treatment
J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2015. Evaluation of the antidepressant activity of Moringa oleifera alone and in combination with fluoxetine. The prevalence of mental depression has increased in recent years, and has become a serious health problem in most countries of the world, including India. Due to the high cost of antidepressant synthetic drugs and their accompanying side effects, the discovery of safer antidepressant herbal remedies is on the rise. Moringa oleifera (MO) (drumstick) has been used in traditional folk medicine, and in Ayurveda, it is considered as a valuable remedy for treating nervous system disorders as well as memory enhancing agent. The present study was designed to evaluate the acute and chronic behavioral and antidepressant effects of alcoholic extracts of MO leaves in standardized mouse models of depression. Alcoholic extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves were prepared, and phytoconstituents were determined using appropriate chemical analytical methods. Following preliminary dose-finding toxicity studies, the biological activity of MOE was tested in Swiss albino mice. Animals were divided into six groups: Groups 1 and 2 served as vehicle control and fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) standard control, respectively. Groups 3 and 4 served as treatment groups and were orally administered ethanolic Moringa oleifera at doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg, respectively. The antidepressant effect of Moringa oleifera may have been invoked through the noradrenergic-serotonergic neurotransmission pathway, which is the hallmark of sel

Indian J Exp Biol. 2015. Moringa oleifera Lam. seed extract prevents fat diet induced oxidative stress in mice and protects liver cell-nuclei from hydroxyl radical mediated damage.

Effects of Oral Administration of Moringa oleifera Lam on Glucose Tolerance in Goto-Kakizaki and Wistar Rats.
J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2007. Department of Nutritional Science, Faculty of Applied Bioscience, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
We investigated the effects of Moringa oleifera Lam, Moringacea, on glucose tolerance in Wistar rats and Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, modeled type 2 diabetes. Major polyphenols in Moringa oleifera powder were quercetin glucosides, rutin, kaempferol glycosides and chlorogenic acids. The results indicated that Moringa oleifera has an ameliorating effect for glucose intolerance, and the effect might be mediated by quercetin-3-glucoside and fiber contents in Moringa oleifera leaf powder.

Cancer
The present study examined and assessed the hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-mediated DNA damage in human tumor KB cells and also assessed the ability of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts to inhibit the oxidative damage. H(2)O(2) imposed a stress on the membrane lipids which was quantified by the extent of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formed. The leaf extracts caused a very significant inhibition of the extent of LPO formation and enhanced the activity of antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in KB cells. The comet assay was employed to study the DNA damage and its inhibition by the leaf extracts. H(2)O(2) caused a significant increase in the number of cells bearing comets, resulting in significant DNA damage. The leaf extracts significantly reduced the incidence of comets in the oxidant stressed cells. The extent of cytotoxicity of H(2)O(2) in the presence and the absence of leaf extracts studied in KB tumor cells by the MTT assay showed that H(2)O(2) caused a marked decrease in the viability of KB cells where as the leaf extracts effectively increased the viability of assaulted KB cells. The observed cytoprotective activity is probably due to the antioxidant properties of its constituents, mainly phenolics. Total phenolics showed higher correlation with antioxidant activity. The leaf extracts showed higher antioxidant activity than the reference compound. These results suggest that the inhibition by the leaf extracts on oxidative DNA damage could be attributed to their free radical scavenging activities and the effect evidenced in KB cells can be in part correlated to a modulation of redox-sensitive mechanisms. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2010 Dec. Modulatory effects of Moringa oleifera extracts against hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative damage. Sarangapani S, Padma PR.Faculty of Science, NUS, Singapore.

Immune system
The aim of the present study was to investigate the immunomodulatory action of methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera (MEMO) in an experimental model of immunity. The cellular immunity was evaluated using neutrophil adhesion test, cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia and carbon clearance assay, whereas, humoral immunity was tested by mice lethality test, serum immunoglobulin estimation and indirect haemagglutination assay in animals. Administration of MEMO (250 and 750 mg/kg, po) and Ocimum sanctum (100 mg/kg, po) significantly increased the levels of serum immunoglobulins and also prevented the mortality induced by bovine Pasteurella multocida in mice. They also increased significantly the circulating antibody titre in indirect haemagglunation test. Moreover, MEMO produced significant increase in adhesion of neutrophils, attenuation of cyclophosphamide-induced neutropenia and an increase in phagocytic index in carbon clearance assay. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2010. Immunomodulatory activity of methanolic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera in animals. Department of Pharmacology, Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy, Bangalore.

Stomach ulcer
J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2013. Assessment of the antiulcer potential of Moringa oleifera root-bark extract in rats. In the present study, an ethanolic root-bark extract of Moringa oleifera (MO) was examined for its antiulcer potential in albino Wistar rats using two experimental models: ethanol-induced and pylorus ligation-induced gastric ulceration. The extract was orally administered at three different doses (150, 350, and 500 mg/kg) for 15 consecutive days. The antiulcer effects in rats treated with different doses of the extract and omeprazole (30 mg/kg, p.o.) were determined and compared statistically with the antiulcer effects in the control rats treated with saline (NaCl, 0.9%). The MO at doses of 350 and 500 mg/kg decreased the ulcer index significantly as compared to the control group. The percentage protections against gastric ulcers were 82.58%, 85.13%, and 86.15% for MO doses of 150, 350, and 500 mg/kg, respectively, in the pylorus-ligated ulcer model and 55.75%, 59.33%, and 78.51%, respectively, in the ethanol-induced ulcer model. The MO significantly reduced the free acidity, total acidity, and ulcer index and increased the pH of gastric content compared with the control group. This study suggests that MO possesses valuable antiulcer, antisecretory, and cytoprotective activity. Thus, an ethanolic root-bark extract of Moringa oleifera can be used as source for an antiulcer drug.

Moringa oleifera leaves have flavonol glycosides. The botanical name for the tree that is also called zija.

Topical uses
BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014 Feb 14. Efficacy of Moringa oleifera leaf powder as a hand- washing product: a crossover controlled study among healthy volunteers. Four grams of Moringa oleifera powder in dried and wet application had the same effect as non-medicated soap when used for hand washing. Efficacious and available hand washing products could be useful in developing countries in controlling pathogenic organisms that are transmitted through contaminated hands.

Emails
Dear Dr. Sahelian: We grow and process Moringa Oleifera, a plant with many medicinal properties and full of nutrients. It has 46 anti oxidants, all essential amino acids, 36 antiinflammatory agents, 27% protein, more calcium than yogurt, full of vitamins in high dosages and many minerals. This tree is known as "The Miracle Tree". Our processing plant is USDA complaint, Registered with the FDA and by far the largest producers of Moringa in the world. Ayurvedic medicine treats more than 300 ailments with products obtained from Moringa and much research to corroborate these claims is being done in prestigious Universities, Hospitals and research centers throughout the world. All with excellent and very promising results. We offer you leaf powder, cake seed, seed powder and oil. Each of these products with different properties and uses. We wash and disinfect leaves with ozone water, dry the leaves at 45 Degrees Centigrade to preserve enzymes and nutrients. All equipment is made of food grade stainless steel and each production batch is tested before packaging. I would like you to consider including Moringa products in some of your formulations, I am convinced that your patients will find improvements in their medical condition. Our plantation is in Nicaragua, just a few hours away by plane from Florida, Texas and other States. air transportation is frequent and economical and our Countries have signed a TLC just as Mexico or Canada, making it easy to do commerce.  Sincerely, Jacobo Arguello