moringa

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• moringa
• ben-tree
• drumstick-tree
• horseradish-tree
• Bènbòm
• Miracle Tree
• Moringa Tree
• Moringo
• Orselli
• Drumstick Tree
• West Indian ben
• ben-oil-tree
• benzolive-tree
• Ben oil tree
• Benzoil tree
• Horse-Radish Tree
• benzolive tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Hyperanthera decandra
• Moringa erecta
• Hyperanthera moringa
• Guilandina moringa
• Moringa domestica
• Moringa nux-eben
• Moringa amara
• Moringa robusta
• Moringa octogona
• Moringa zeylanica
• Moringa sylvestris
• Moringa polygona
• Anoma moringa
• Moringa edulis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Moringa oleifera, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae, falling within the order Brassicales. Finally, it is a member of the family Moringaceae and is situated in the genus Moringa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Moringa oleifera, exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several warm regions. In Northern Africa, it can be found growing in the country of Libya. Its presence extends to the Macaronesian islands, specifically within Cape Verde. In West Tropical Africa, the species is established in Benin and Burkina. Additionally, the plant is widely distributed throughout the Gambia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Moringa oleifera is characterized by its ability to thrive across diverse landscapes, ranging from specialized bushlands on coral to grasslands situated on black clay, and is frequently found within various cultivation settings. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal tolerance, occupying an elevational range that begins at sea level (0 m AMSL) and extends up to a maximum of 1050 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1050 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

bushland on coral, grassland on black clay, cultivations

Life history

The life history of Moringa oleifera is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive shoots are elevated well above the ground, typically manifesting as a small to medium-sized tree. The plant exhibits a deciduous growth habit, shedding its leaves periodically, often in response to seasonal changes or periods of drought. This combination of a long-lived perennial lifecycle and a phanerophyte life form ensures its ability to establish a dominant presence in its native tropical and subtropical habitats.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Moringa oleifera is characterized by its growth form as a woody, self-supporting tree or shrub. It is a terrestrial, independent species that does not function as an epiphyte or a parasite. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variability in height, with measurements ranging from a minimum of 2.5 m to a maximum of 12 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 7.75 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

12 m

Plant height mean:

7.75 m

Plant height min:

2.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Moringa oleifera is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency in varying light environments. The morphological dimensions of its foliage play a significant role in its gas exchange and transpiration rates; the leaves exhibit a mean length of 42.5 cm, with individual leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 25 cm to a maximum of 60 cm. In terms of lateral expansion, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 0.5 cm and a maximum of 1.2 cm, maintaining a mean width of 0.85 cm. Furthermore, from a nutritional and soil-interaction perspective, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on available soil nitrogen rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to meet its physiological requirements for protein synthesis and growth.

Leaf length max:

60 cm

Leaf length mean:

42.5 cm

Leaf length min:

25 cm

Leaf width max:

1.2 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.85 cm

Leaf width min:

0.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Moringa oleifera is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily facilitated by bees. The flowering process involves inflorescences that vary in length, ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.3 m. Following successful pollination, the plant develops a capsule-type fruit. These fruits exhibit significant morphological variation, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 20 cm to a maximum of 50 cm, maintaining an average length of 35 cm. The fruit is dehiscent, meaning it splits open at maturity to facilitate seed release. The resulting seeds show specific mass characteristics, with a minimum mass of 0.20202 g, a maximum of 0.25 g, and a mean seed mass of approximately 0.219675 g. Once released, the seeds utilize an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on wind for movement and colonization.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Fruit length max:

50 cm

Fruit length mean:

35 cm

Fruit length min:

20 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Inflorescence length max:

0.3 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.1 m

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.25 g

Seed mass mean:

0.219675 g

Seed mass min:

0.20202 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Moringa oleifera has 6 reported plant parts identified across 212 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, seed, root, flower, fruit.

Leaf

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences
2. BioMed research international
3. Scientific reports
4. Pharmacognosy research
5. F1000Research

Seed

1. Natural product research
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences
3. PloS one
4. Scientific reports
5. Food science & nutrition

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Physiological research
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
4. Journal of public health in Africa
5. Nutrients

Flower

1. Pharmacognosy research
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
4. Nutrients
5. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology

Fruit

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Physiological research
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology

Stem

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Biomedica : revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud
3. International journal of environmental health research
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Moringa oleifera has 322 reported phytochemicals identified across 212 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, quercetin, kaempferol, Glucosinolates, CHLOROGENIC ACID.

Flavonoids

1. Scientific reports
2. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
3. Toxics
4. Veterinary research communications
5. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Genomics
4. Food chemistry
5. PloS one

kaempferol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Genomics
3. PloS one
4. Journal of diabetes
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Glucosinolates

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. RSC advances
4. Veterinary research communications
5. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Tropical biomedicine
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
4. PeerJ
5. BioMed research international

Fatty acids

1. Natural product research
2. Veterinary research communications
3. Food chemistry
4. Lipids in health and disease
5. Journal of the science of food and agriculture

Saponins

1. Scientific reports
2. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
3. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences
4. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
5. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Tannins

1. Scientific reports
2. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
3. Cells
4. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
5. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Toxics
3. Nutrition research and practice
4. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
5. Open life sciences

Gallic acid

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences
3. BioMed research international
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. International journal of food microbiology

Activities

Moringa oleifera has 578 reported activities identified across 212 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic, Anticancer, Hepatoprotective.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one
3. Scientific reports
4. Journal of diabetes
5. RSC advances

Antimicrobial

1. BioMed research international
2. International journal of biomaterials
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Progress in the chemistry of organic natural products

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of diabetes
3. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Chemistry & biodiversity
5. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. BioMed research international
3. Food science & nutrition
4. 3 Biotech
5. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Cells
3. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Narra J
3. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
4. Scientific reports
5. Food science & nutrition

Antifungal

1. International journal of biomaterials
2. Food science & nutrition
3. Mycoses
4. Frontiers in nutrition
5. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
4. Food science & nutrition
5. Journal of food biochemistry

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. International journal of biomaterials
4. Progress in the chemistry of organic natural products
5. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR
4. Food science & nutrition
5. Cureus

Conditions

Moringa oleifera has 264 reported investigations on conditions identified across 212 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, inflammation, oxidative stress, hypertension, breast cancer.

Cancer

1. PloS one
2. Scientific reports
3. Food science & nutrition
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Nutrition and cancer

Inflammation

1. Pharmacognosy research
2. RSC advances
3. Cells
4. International journal of medical sciences
5. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences

Oxidative stress

1. Food chemistry. Molecular sciences
2. Cells
3. Journal of bioscience and bioengineering
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Cell biology international

Hypertension

1. Biological trace element research
2. Physiological research
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR
4. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
5. Cureus

Breast cancer

1. Food science & nutrition
2. Frontiers in immunology
3. Molecular biology reports
4. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Covid-19

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
2. Journal of food biochemistry
3. Advances in respiratory medicine
4. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
5. Phytomedicine plus : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR
4. International journal of food science
5. Cureus

Malnutrition

1. Heliyon
2. Food chemistry
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of food biochemistry
5. Nutrients

Obesity

1. Nutrients
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Frontiers in nutrition
4. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
5. Journal of public health in Africa

Staphylococcus aureus

1. Mymensingh medical journal : MMJ
2. International journal of biomaterials
3. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Saudi journal of biological sciences
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Moringa oleifera has 164 reported preparations identified across 212 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include extracts, leaf extract, leaves, aqueous leaf extract, aqueous extract.

Extracts

1. Narra J
2. Frontiers in microbiology
3. Physiological research
4. Mycoses
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leaf extract

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Scientific reports
3. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
4. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
5. Journal of nutrition and metabolism

Leaves

1. Food chemistry. Molecular sciences
2. Archives of physiology and biochemistry
3. International journal of food sciences and nutrition
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Veterinary world

Aqueous leaf extract

1. F1000Research
2. SpringerPlus
3. Journal of the American College of Nutrition
4. Pharmacological research
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aqueous extract

1. Open veterinary journal
2. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences
3. BMC plant biology
4. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Extract

1. Antiviral research
2. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)
3. Microorganisms
4. Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community Dentistry

Ethanolic extract

1. Narra J
2. Gene
3. Phytochemistry

Leaf extracts

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Chinese journal of natural medicines
3. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Leaf powder

1. Journal of public health in Africa
2. Contact dermatitis
3. Food science & nutrition

M. oleifera leaf extract

1. Fish & shellfish immunology
2. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI