Moringa oleifera is a fast-growing, drought-resistant plant that belongs to the Moringaceae family. As a result of its properties, moringa cultivation has spread to many countries around the globe. The common names include moringa, drumstick tree, horseradish tree and ben oil tree or benzolive tree. BINTA SHAMA reports.
Source of vitamins
Research has shown that the different parts of the Moringa tree contain at least a beneficial nutrient or anti-nutrients useful to mankind. The fresh leaves from moringa are good sources of vitamins A, C and E. Vitamin A has important functions in vision, reproduction, embryonic growth, immune development and cell differentiation. They are sources of carotenoids with pro-vitamin A. They also contain 200mg/100g of vitamin C, a concentration greater than those in oranges. The concentration of vitamin E is similar to those found in nuts. Vitamin E not only act as an antioxidant, but also inhibit cell proliferation. The dried leaves are sources of polyphenol compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. The main flavonoids in the leaves are myrecytin, quercetin and kaempferol in concentrations of 5.8, 0.207 and 7.57 mg/g respectively. Quercetin is found in concentrations of 100mg/100g as quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucoside (iso-quercetin or isotrifolin). It is a strong antioxidant with multiple therapeutic properties. It has hypolipidemic, hypotensive, and anti-diabetic properties. Other important compounds found in moringa leaves are phenolic acids which are a sub-group of phenolic compounds derived from hydroxybenzoic acid and hydroxycinnamic acid.
These compounds have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and anticancer properties. The bioactive compounds are important in lipid heamostasis. Also present in the leaves are tannins and saponins which are natural compounds made of an isoprenoidal-derived aglycone, covalently linked to one or more sugar moieties. The concentration of saponins in the freeze-dried leaves ranged between 64 and 81g/kg of dry weight. Due to the high concentrations of antioxidants present in the leaves, they can be used to treat inflammatory conditions, including cancer, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. The β carotene found in the leaves acts as an antioxidant in addition to reducing the plasma ALT, AST, ALP and creatinine. It also ameliorate hepatic and kidney damage induced by drugs.
Oil
The oil content of de-hulled seed (kernel) is approximately 42%. The oil is brilliant yellow. It is used as a lubricant in machineries such as timepieces as it hardly deteriorate and become rancid and sticky. It is also useful as cooking and frying oil. The oil is known for its capacity to absorb and retain volatile substances. It is valuable in the perfume industry for stabilizing scents. The free fatty acid content varies from 0.5 to 3%, and the saturated fatty acids 13% and unsaturated fatty acids, 82%. The oleic acid content is 70%. Moringa seeds contain between 30 – 42% oil and the press cake which is obtained as a by-product of the oil extraction process contain a very high level of protein. Some of the proteins (approximately 1%) are active cationic polyelectrolytes that have molecular weights between 7-17 K Dalton. The cationic polyelectrolytes neutralize the colloids in muddy or dirty water since the majority of these colloids have negative electrical charges.
Purification of drinking water
The protein is used as a non-toxic natural polypeptide for sedimenting mineral particles and organics in the purification of drinking water, for cleaning vegetable oil and for sedimenting fibres in the juice and beer industries. It works as a primary coagulant as natural bridges are continuously formed between the colloid particles. This is in contrast to industrial coagulants such as alumina which can be toxic. In addition, industrial coagulants are expensive.
To process the seeds for purification of water and other liquids, the wings are removed from the dry seeds and ground to powder. The powder is mixed with water, agitated for approximately five minutes. After about an hour, the solution is filtered through a piece of woven fabric to obtain pure water.
Seed powder
Alternatively, a cloth containing the seed powder can be suspended in water overnight to coagulate impurities. The cloth containing the seeds is then removed, and the purified water decanted, leaving behind the coagulated particles at the bottom. Up to 99% of colloids can be removed. Only one seed is required per litre for slightly contaminated water and two seeds for very dirty water.
The growth hormone from the leaves, called Zeatin is an excellent foliar and can increase crop yield by 25% – 30%. Incorporation and fortification of food items with moringa leaves can be used in tackling nutrient deficiency and malnutrition. Cereal gruels have been fortified by moringa leaves in order to improve the protein and energy contents. Moringa leaves are also used as a fortificant in the production of cream and butter crackers.
Also, moringa oleifera leaves incorporated in the diet of hens and layers provided excellent protein source, substituting expensive ingredients such as soybean meal and ground nut cake.
Cosmetic industry
Moringa seeds are also used in the cosmetic industry and for production of biodiesel while the seedcakes, can be used as green manure or as fertilizer. The flowers are used to make tea with hypocholesterolemic properties. The root bark has medicinal values and it is used for dyspepsia, eye diseases and to treat heart problems. The tap root of Moringa is used as a spice. The gum from the tree can be used in calico printing. The gum and roots also have antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.
Based on its properties, it is apparent that moringa is a plant with multifaceted potentials with socio-economic benefits that cut across food and nutrition, medicine, agriculture, ornamentals, environment, renewable energy, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, sanitary and hygiene etc. Their products also serve as secondary raw materials in numerous industries. The numerous socio-economic potentials of moringa make it a versatile plant that can easily address part of the diversification Agenda of the government and many aspects of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
This makes it imperative for RMRDC to ensure its sustainable development and the proliferation of its products not only for food security, enhancement of nutritional wellbeing of the citizenry but also for economic growth and promotion of economic activities in both the rural and urban centres in Nigeria.
Symmetric development of the moringa plant
This is important as the plant thrive well in all the ecological zones of the country. RMRDC has played a leading role on the symmetric development of the moringa plant, ranging from awareness creation on its socio-economic benefits, domestication, boosting the cultivation of the plant, and development of SMEs for moringa processing and value-addition. Among the areas of Council’s activities on the development of moringa locally is its collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where R&D project is being conducted on the utilization of Moringa oleifera seed extract as phyto-chemical for the replacement of imported chemical (Alum), in water treatment for rural communities in Nigeria.
Water treatment plant
The R&D result led to the development of a laboratory model of water treatment plant. Having successfully achieved this, the laboratory model which was designed, fabricated and upgraded to 10,000 liters pilot scale plant in line with the requirements for food and nutritional products. The plant after test run, had been commissioned. After this, the Coucil fund the work on oil and coagulant extraction from Moringa seeds for water treatment and generation of relevant data and analysis as relates to the water treatment plant with encouraging results. Research collaboration with University of Nigeria, Nsukka, was on Agronomic Evaluation, Biochemical Characterization and Aspects of Post-Harvest Quality Assessment of Twenty Accessions of Moringa oleifera seeds.
The Council in addition, hosted a number of sensitization and Exhibition Workshops at different locations in the Country. This include workshop on Socio-Economic uses of Moringa Oleifera with a theme “Moringa oleifera a Local Plant Resource for Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) that took place in Abuja; a sensitization workshop on boosting the cultivation and domestication of the Moringa plant in Awka, Anambra state; and capacity building workshop for SMEs on processing and value-addition to different parts of the Moringa plant in Ilorin, Kwara state.
