From Tree to Treatment: The Chemistry behind the Healing Powers of Moringa oleifera Leaves in Pakistan

Abstract

Moringaoleifera also called the ‘’Miracle Tree’’ is reported to contain a high phytochemical content and has been linked to numerous medicinal uses. This research aims at examining the chemical profile, antioxidant properties, antimicrobial effect, and hemolysis of Moringaoleifera extracts coming from Pakistan grown plants of the plant’s leaves. The extracts were screened for soluble flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and saponins and the solvent used included methanol, acetic acid, aqueous solutions, n-hexane, and n-butanol. In this study, the two polar solvents, methanol and acetic acid, produced the highest antioxidant activity on the basis of DPPH radical scavenging activity and enzyme activities including catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The antibiotic susceptibility screening indicated inhibition zones against both, the gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae) and the gram negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria, the highest activity was recorded for acetic acid extract. As antifungal activity, the highest zone of inhibition was recorded against Aspergillusflavus with the acetic acid extract being 24 mm in diameter. Preliminary data from the hemolysis assay were moderate cytotoxicity, and aqueous extracts had the highest hemolytic effect of 51%. These results underscore the fact that the extent of phytochemical extraction and biological activities is a function of solvent polarity, and the relative-potency ranking places Moringaoleifera as a viable prospect for developing drugs and dietary supplements. Further research work on the antimicrobial constituents of this plant is required through the extraction of stereoisomers and clinical trials.