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Review
. 2024 Feb 2:15:1288382.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1288382. eCollection 2024.

Moringa oleifera (drumstick tree)-nutraceutical, cosmetological and medicinal importance: a review

Marta Klimek-Szczykutowicz  1 , Katarzyna Gaweł-Bęben  2 , Angelika Rutka  3 , Eliza Blicharska  4 , Małgorzata Tatarczak-Michalewska  4 , Katarzyna Kulik-Siarek  1 , Wirginia Kukula-Koch  5 , Magdalena Anna Malinowska  6 , Agnieszka Szopa  3
Affiliations
Review

Moringa oleifera (drumstick tree)-nutraceutical, cosmetological and medicinal importance: a review

Marta Klimek-Szczykutowicz et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) is a species of tree with an increasing utility, occurring naturally mainly in Pakistan and northern India. M. oleifera is currently cultivated in Africa, South America, Asia and the Middle East. The usage of its leaves, seed oil, bark, fruits, flowers and roots has positive opinions of FDA (American Food and Drug Administration), EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) and CosIng (Cosmetic Ingredients database). The chemical composition of M. oleifera is dominated by: proteins (consisting mainly of amino acids such as arginine or serine), fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6), vitamins (vitamin A, B and C and tocopherols), mineral salts (including several bioelements, such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium), valuable polyphenolic compounds from the group of phenolic acids (e.g., gallic acid, ferulic acid) and flavonoids (e.g., myricetin, rutoside, and kaempferol). The raw materials show antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Dietary supplements and alimentary products containing M. oleifera are recommended as health-promoting and "novel food" preparations. The main purpose of this work was a review of the latest scientific literature on M. oleifera, with particular emphasis on the studies focusing on its chemical composition, biological activity and safety. Moreover, the review tends to discuss the results of biotechnological studies using this material and the agronomical significance.

Keywords: Moringa oleifera; agronomic importance; chemical composition; cosmetology applications; drumstick tree; nutritional properties; pharmacological activities.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Chemical structures of main flavonoids found in M. oleifera leaves.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Chemical structures of main phenolic acids found in M. oleifera.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Chemical structure of the glucomoringin found in M. oleifera.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Chemical structures of the isothiocyanates found in M. oleifera.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Chemical structures of the alkaloids found in M. oleifera.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Chemical structures of vitamins found in M. oleifera.
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Chemical structures of sterols/oils/fatty acids present in M. oleifera.
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
Chemical structures of the amino acids found in M. oleifera.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study was funded by the Program of the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education no. N42/DBS/000273 and Statutory Project DS503-07-01-38 of the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów.

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