Moringa found to boost immunity

A study by researchers from the University of Ibadan and Afe Babalola University in Nigeria found that moringa (Moringa oleifera) improves immune functions and protects the liver from potential damage. This finding, which was published in the journal Pharmacognosy Communications, was based on the results of in vivo experiments conducted in albino rats.

• Moringa is popularly called the “miracle tree” due to its nutritional, medicinal, and economic benefits. Because of these, the plant is widely cultivated and highly valued in tropical and sub-tropical regions.
• Traditionally, moringa roots, leaves, gum, and seeds were used as natural remedies for various health problems. These include rheumatism, constipation, headache, infections, dysentery, asthma, and fever.
• More and more people are consuming moringa either in its raw form or as processed preparations due to its reported benefits. However, there is little information regarding the toxicity profile of this plant.
• In this study, the researchers collected extracts from the seeds and air-dried leaves of moringa and determined their effects on albino rats using different biochemical assays for different markers of liver cell damage, blood profile analysis, and histopathological examination.
• Results showed that the rats that were given extracts from either moringa seeds or leaves exhibited an increase in neutrophils and white blood cells, indicating possible improvements in immunity.
• The treated rats also had reduced levels of the liver cell damage markers, namely aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransaminase, and alkaline phosphatase. This could mean that moringa can protect the liver from damage to some extent.

From these results, the researchers concluded that seed and leaf extracts of moringa have immune-boosting and hepatoprotective activities.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

For more articles about the health benefits of moringa, visit Superfoods.news.

Journal Reference:

Olayemi AT, Olanrewaju MJ, Oloruntoba AC. TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF MORINGA OLEIFERA LAM SEEDS AND LEAVES IN WISTAR RATS. Pharmacognosy Communications. January 2016;6(2). DOI: 10.5530/pc.2016.2.8