Nutritional Characterization and Phenolic Profiling of Moringa oleifera Leaves Grown in Chad, Sahrawi Refugee Camps, and Haiti.
Moringa oleifera is a plant that grows in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Its leaves are rich of nutrients and bioactive compounds. However, several differences are reported in the literature. In this article we performed a nutritional characterization and a phenolic profiling of M. oleifera leaves grown in Chad, Sahrawi refugee camps, and Haiti. In addition, we investigated the presence of salicylic and ferulic acids, two phenolic acids with pharmacological activity, whose presence in M. oleifera leaves has been scarcely investigated so far. Several differences were observed among the samples. Nevertheless, the leaves were rich in protein, minerals, and β-carotene. Quercetin and kaempferol glycosides were the main phenolic compounds identified in the methanolic extracts. Finally, salicylic and ferulic acids were found in a concentration range of 0.14-0.33 and 6.61-9.69 mg/100 g, respectively. In conclusion, we observed some differences in terms of nutrients and phenolic compounds in M. oleifera leaves grown in different countries. Nevertheless, these leaves are a good and economical source of nutrients for tropical and sub-tropical countries. Furthermore, M. oleifera leaves are a source of flavonoids and phenolic acids, among which salicylic and ferulic acids, and therefore they could be used as nutraceutical and functional ingredients.
International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS), University of Milan, Via Sandro Botticelli 21, 20133 Milan, Italy. alessandro.leone1@unimi.it.|Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. alessandro.leone1@unimi.it.
Alessandro
A
Leone
International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS), University of Milan, Via Sandro Botticelli 21, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.|Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.
Giovanni
G
Fiorillo
International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS), University of Milan, Via Sandro Botticelli 21, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.|Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.
Franca
F
Criscuoli
International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS), University of Milan, Via Sandro Botticelli 21, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.|Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.
Stefano
S
Ravasenghi
Department of Chemistry, University of Milan, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, Italy. laura.santagostini@unimi.it.
Laura
L
Santagostini
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), University of Milan, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milan, Italy. gelsomina.fico@unimi.it.|Botanic Garden G.E. Ghirardi, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), University of Milan, Via Religione 25, 25088 Toscolano Maderno, Italy. gelsomina.fico@unimi.it.
Gelsomina
G
Fico
International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS), University of Milan, Via Sandro Botticelli 21, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.|Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.
Angela
A
Spadafranca
International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS), University of Milan, Via Sandro Botticelli 21, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.|Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.
Alberto
A
Battezzati
Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.
Alberto
A
Schiraldi
AVSI Foundation, Via Legnone, 20158 Milan, Italy. federica.pozzi@avsi.org.
Federica
F
Pozzi
Movimento Africa 70, Via Missori 14, 20900 Monza, Italy. sara.dilello@alice.it.
Sara
S
di Lello
ACRA Foundation, Via Lazzaretto 3, 20124 Milan, Italy. sandro.filippini@acra.it.
Sandro
S
Filippini
International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS), University of Milan, Via Sandro Botticelli 21, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.|Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. alberto.schiraldi@unimi.it.
Simona
S
Bertoli
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry; D002596:Chad; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry; D005504:Food Analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006205:Haiti; D029588:Moringa oleifera / Q000737:chemistry*; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*
D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts
Chad; Haiti; Moringa oleifera; Sahrawi; antioxidant; ferulic acid; flavonoids; phenolic acids; proximate analysis; salicylic acid