Moringa oleifera Lam

Moringa oleifera Lam

Taxonomy
Phylum : Tracheophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Super Order: Rosanae
Order : Brassicales
Family : Moringaceae
Genus : Moringa
Species : Moringa oleifera Lam

                                                                                     

Common Name
Daun kelor, daun lemunggai, gemunggai or remungai, Horseradish tree, drum-stick tree, west Indian ben

Characteristics
Morphology

Leaves
The leaves are 2-3-pinnate, measure up to 60 cm long with 4-6 pairs of pinnae, articulated, caducous, and somewhat crowded towards the twig-ends. The petiole is 4-15 cm long while the petiolule is 1-6 mm. There are 6-11 leaflets which are elliptical or obovate, measuring 0.5-3 cm x 0.3-2 cm, hairless or hairy.

Inflorescences
The inflorescence is an erect to spreading panicle, and measures 8-30 cm long with numerous white to creamy flowers. The flowers are fragrant, with pedicel 1-2 cm long and articulate near the top. The sepal is tubular, 5-lobed and green. There are 5 petals which are oblong-spathulate, measure 1-2 cm long and unequal. The 5 stamens are with 3-5 staminodes and both are hairy at base. The ovary is on a gynophore 2-3 mm long and densely hairy. The style is tubular with open canal and truncate at the apex.

Fruit
The fruit is a 3-angled, dagger-shaped, pendant capsule, measuring 10-50 cm x 1.5-2.5 cm, green at first but turns brown later, and smooth with 3-ribbed valves. The seed is nearly globular, trigonous, measures 1-1.4 cm in diameter and with 3 thin wings of 0.5-2.5 cm long.

                                                                                   

Plant part used
Leaves, seeds, seed, bark, fruit, flowers and immature pods.

                                                                                     

Traditional Uses

• A traditional herb used M. oleifera throughout Southeast Asia and Indo-China. Every part of this plant is valued for food and it is used for stimulation of digestion and treating septicemia, as a remedy for venereal diseases and diseases of the chest, as a stimulant, antipyretic, tonic and for treatment of convulsions. The flowers, leaves, and roots are used in folk remedies for tumors while the seed for abdominal tumors.
• The root decoction is used in Nicaragua for dropsy. Root juice is applied externally as rubefacient or counter-irritant.
• Leaves applied as poultice to sores, rubbed on the temples for headaches, and said to have purgative properties. Bark, leaves and roots are acrid and pungent, and are taken to promote digestion.
• Oil is somewhat dangerous if taken internally, but is applied externally for skin diseases. The leaves are also used by Indians as a hypocholesterolemic agent in obese patients and patients with heart disease.

Medicinal used

• Antiurolithiasis activity- The root-wood of M. oleifera is endowed with antiurolithiatic activity. The mechanism is unknown but may involve increased diuresis and decreased urinary concentrations of stone-forming constituents.
• Antioxidant activity- M. oleifera and silymarin significantly lowered the antiTB-drug induced increase in hepatic marker enzymes and lipid peroxidation and simultaneously increased the levels of antioxidants. The protective effects of M. oleifera extract probably involve its ability to decrease liver lipid peroxides and to enhance the antioxidants activity. 
• A source of β-carotene activity- Fresh or dehydrated M. oleifera leaves are importance plant sources of vitamin A that should be considered for supplementary feeding programs.

                                                                                     

List of Country
Moringa oleifera is indigenous and found growing wild in northern India and Pakistan. It was introduced into Southeast Asia at an early date, and is now cultivated throughout the tropics. In many places, it also occurs more or less naturalised.

Red List Category
Least Concern (LE)

Amirah Syahmina binti Alwi

Amirah Syahmina binti Alwi

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