Moringa oleifera is a potent anti-inflammatory, study finds

Sunday, December 22, 2013 by: Michael Ravensthorpe
Tags: Moringa oleifera, anti-inflammatory, herbal medicine

(NaturalNews) Moringa oleifera, also called the drumstick tree and the horseradish tree, is a drought-resistant tree that grows in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains in northern India. It is also cultivated throughout Africa and Central and South America, where it is treasured for its significant medicinal value. In fact, Moringa is nicknamed "The Tree of Immortality" and "The Miracle Tree" in its native lands due to its remarkable healing properties and its ability to grow in the harshest of conditions.

Though research into Moringa oleifera is limited due to its relative obscurity in the West, more and more studies are emerging which confirm that this beautiful tree deserves its long-standing reputation as a healer. One of these studies, undertaken by French researchers and published in the Dakar Med journal, has found that Moringa roots contain impressive anti-inflammatory properties and could help treat acute inflammatory conditions such as bronchitis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Promising results

For the study, the researchers administered either distilled water (the control group), 10 mg/kg of indomethacin (an anti-inflammatory drug) or a root extract of Moringa oleifera (750 mg/kg or 1000 mg/kg) to a group of rats. 30 minutes later, the paws of each rat were subjected to edema induced by an injection of carrageenin.

The researchers found that the 750 mg/kg Moringa extract "significantly inhibited" the development of edema between one, three and five hours after the injection. While increasing the moringa extract dosage to 1000 mg/kg didn't inhibit oedema development any further at 1 and 3 hours, it did increase the effects after 5 hours. The indomethacin inhibited oedema development at comparable levels to the 750 mg/kg moringa extract.

"These findings indicate that an aqueous root extract of Moringa oleifera at 750 mg/kg reduces the carrageenin induced oedema to [a] similar extent as the potent anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin," concluded the researchers. "Moreover, these results provide further evidence that the roots of Moringa oleifera contain anti-inflammatory principle that may be useful in the treatment of the acute inflammatory conditions."

Moringa can treat many conditions

Though this study into Moringa oleifera's anti-inflammatory benefits is promising, this tree is packed with so much nutrition that it could probably help treat anything. Analysis reveals that Moringa leaves contain 90 different nutrients, including 36 times more magnesium than eggs, 50 times more vitamin B3 than peanuts, 25 times more iron than spinach and 4 times more calcium than milk. Moringa leaves are also a "complete" protein source that contains 18 amino acids and at least 46 essential antioxidants, including 272 percent of our recommended daily intake of vitamin A. No wonder ancient healing systems such as the Ayurveda claim that Moringa can treat over 300 diseases, including diabetes and cancer.

Moringa oleifera is traditionally consumed in powdered leaf form, though Moringa extracts - widely available online - also provide good results. Alternatively, you might be interested in trying Ben oil, an odorless, sweet-tasting oil made from the tree's matured pods. This oil, which is comparable to olive oil in nutrient density and antioxidant activity, lasts indefinitely and makes a great survival food.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

http://www.vanguardngr.com

http://www.naturalnews.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Michael Ravensthorpe is an independent writer whose research interests include nutrition, alternative medicine, and bushcraft. He is the creator of the website, Spiritfoods, through which he promotes the world's healthiest foods.