title: Moringa oleifera: a food plant with multiple medicinal uses.
abstract: Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) is a highly valued plant, distributed in many countries of the tropics and subtropics. 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, beta-carotene, amino acids and various phenolics. The Moringa plant provides a rich and rare combination of zeatin, quercetin, beta-sitosterol, caffeoylquinic acid and kaempferol. In addition to its compelling water purifying powers and high nutritional value, M. oleifera is very important for its medicinal value. 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, particularly in South Asia. This review focuses on the detailed phytochemical composition, medicinal uses, along with pharmacological properties of different parts of this multipurpose tree.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan. anwar.gilani@aku.edu
authors.forename: Farooq
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.forename: Sajid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Latif
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.forename: Anwarul Hassan
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Gilani
mesh_terms: D035264:Flowers; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D029588:Moringa oleifera; D010154:Pakistan; D008517:Phytotherapy; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots; D010945:Plants, Edible; D012639:Seeds
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts