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Medicinal Plant details

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Sanskrit Name	Shobhanjan, Sigru, Dvishigru, Sweta marich (WOA, 1998).

Common name in English	Drum Stick Tree, Horse-radish tree

Botanical Name	Moringa oleifera Lam.

Etymology	Bahuladalah- a synonym indicating the large no. of leaves.

Parts Used	Leaves, Fruit, Root,Bark and Seeds.

Human Medicinal Usage	The roots are bitter, astringent, acrid, thermogenic, digestive, sudorific, refrigerant, styptic, antiemetic, antiinflammatory and constipating, verminosis, coilic, antilithic, stimulant, rubefacient, strangury, otulgia, paralysisand pectoral. They are useful in vitiated conditons of pitta, metrorrhagia, leucorrhoea, syphilis, wounds, ulcers, vomiting uteritis, dysentry and rheumatism, vesical and renal calcule, bronchitis and pharyngodynia. The leaves are astringent, acrid, refrigerant, antiemetic, antinflammatory and constipating, vitiated conditons of kapha, leucorrhoea, syphilis, wounds, ulcers, vomiting and stomatopathy and antifungal (Chopra and De, 1932; Das et al. 1957; Dashputra et al. 1977; Eilert et al. 1980; De and Parikh, 1985; Dayrit, 1990; Caceres and Lopez 1991; Caceres et al. 1992; Ezeamuzie et al. 1996 and Guevara et al. 1999). Kirtikar & Basu (1935) has described a number of uses of this tree. In Ayurveda, its root and seeds are prescribed as anti-dot of snake bite and scorpion sting. Root bark decoction alongwith rock salt and asafetida, gives relief in inflammation, abscess and calculous affections. Ayurvedic practioners sometimes suggests root as a stimulant in paralytic affections and intermittent fevers, sometimes in epilepsy, hysteria, palsy and even chronic rheumatism.Leaf juice is an emetic, gum is used to produce abortion, root and bark has even abortificient effect. The seed kernel is astringent, refrigerant, styptic, antiemetic, antiinflammatory and constipating. They are useful in vitiated conditons of pitta, syphilis, wounds, ulcers vomiting, uteritis, dysentry and diabetes (Kurup and Rao, 1950; Limaye et al. 1995; Pal et al. 1995; Nyoku and Adikwa, 1997 and Kar et al. 1998). Hartwell (19671971) has recorded its multiple uses for cancers, viz. flowers, leaves, and roots are used in for tumors and the seed for abdominal tumors. The decoction made from root is used for dropsy in Nicaragua. Root juice is used as an external application as rubefacient or counter-irritant. Leaves have purgative property, and are applied as poultice to sores and for headaches. Seed oil is is applied externally for skin diseases. Roots act as a tonic to the body and lungs, and are emmenagogue, expectorant, mild diuretic and stimulant in paralytic afflictions, epilepsy and hysteria.

Veterinary Medicinal Usage	For curing cough, a combination of Moringa oleifera, sonkheda bark and roots of Jatropha curcas are pounded to form a fine powder. About 400 ml of water is added and the solution is boiled for fifteen minutes. The cooled solution is given to the animal to drink (Mehla, 1999). To take care of the harmful effects of aflatoxin-infected feed in poultry, grind garlic, Hemidesmus indicus roots and Indigofera tinctoria roots, the leaves of Pergularia daemia and the seeds of Moringa oleifera, and administer it to the birds along with the feed (Anonymous, 2003). In case animals stop ruminating, 200 to 300 g leaves of drumstick are crushed by hand and mixed with 500 g jaggery. This mixture is then dissolved in water and given to the animal (Taral, 1997). 100 g bark of drumstick is pounded and mixed with 100 g of pounded ghodakhundi plant. This mixture is then applied to the swollen joints twice or thrice a day for three days to bring relief to the animal (Taral, 1997). Feeding the animals a mixture of Ferula narthex, betel leaf, pepper and garlic; leaves of neem, Leucas aspera, Moringa oleifera or coconut leaves; and seven to eight leaves of Calotropis sp. controls fever (Lakkanna, 2002). In many parts of India, leaves of Curcuma longa are pounded with Moringa oleifera leaves and buttermilk and are applied externally to cuts and wounds for speedy healing.

Agriculture Usage	During the rainy season Dolichos lablab seeds are dibbled underneath Moringa trees. The growing vine is made to pass through a hole made about one foot above the ground level in the moringa tree.Thereafter the hole is plugged with cow dung and kerosene mixture. Due to this Dolichos yields well.

Other Usage	Almost the entire tree is valueable as food. In Malaya seeds are eaten like nuts (peanuts). Tender leaves are consumed as greens, in salads, in vegetable curries, etc. Coarse paste made from leaves is used for cleaning utensils (as scrubber) and walls. Seed oil, known as Ben Oil, is used for painitigs, lubricating watches as well as other delicate machinery; it is also used in the manufacture of perfumes and hairdressings. Blue die is derived from the wood. To keep hyenas away, trees are planted near graves; its branches serve the purpose of charms against witchcraft. Bark can be used for tanning; it also yields a coarse fiber (Duke, 1983). According to Burkill (1966), "The seeds yield clear inodorous oil to the extent of 22 to 38.5 percent. It burns with a clear light and without smoke. It is an excellent salad oil, and gives a good soap... It can be used for oiling machinery, and indeed has a reputation for this purpose as watch oil, but is now superseded by sperm oil."

Synonyms	Moringa pterygosperma Goertn. Moringa moringa (L.) Millsp. (ITIS, 2004)

Family	Moringaceae

Description	A moderately middle sized tree with corky bark, soft wood, pungent roots and tomentose young parts. Leaves: generally 3-pinnate, upto 45 cm long, thick and articulated at the base, deciduous, leaflets 12-20 x 6-10 mm, lateral ones are elliptic and terminal are obovate, nerves obscure. Flowers: white in coulour, set in large puberulous panicles, calyx lobbed, linear lanceolate; petals spathulate and veined; stamens 5 fertile alternated with 5-7 antherless ones; overy oblong, villous; style cylindric. Fruits: pods upto 45 cm, ribbed (usually 9 ribbed). Seeds: 3 angled, winged. (Kirtikar & Basu, 1935)

Common Name in India	Sajina, Sojna (Bengali); Sahejan, Sahinjan, Segve, Mungana (Hindi); Sanjna, Sohanjna (Punjabi); Mitho-saragavo, Saragavo (Gujarati); Shegat, Murungamul, Murunga cha jhad, Sujna (Marathi); Munigha, Sajina (Oriya); Nuggi, Murunga (Kannada); Murinna (Malayalam); Murunkai (Tamil); Munaga, Mulaga (Telugu) (WOA, 1998).

Common Name in Other Countries	Daintha, Dandalonbin (Burmese); Kaylor, Ramoongie (Malay); Chum nephretigue (Indochinese); Bois nephretigue, Moringa a grainestripteres (French); Pois collie (Frenchguiana); Benbaum (Dutsch); La ken (Chinese); Moringa (Italian)

Habitat	A beautiful medium sized tree.

Soil (Physical/Chemical)	All types of soil expect stiff clays and thrive best under the tropical climate of S. India.

Regional Distribution	It is cultivated throughout India with occurrence in wild in sub-himalayan range. It is cultivated all over India for its fruits and leaves and occasionally as a support for the betel vine. (Nadkarni, 1978)

Global Distribution	Native to India, Arabia, and possibly Africa and the East Indies; widely cultivated and naturalized in tropical Africa, tropical America, Sri Lanka, India, Mexico, Malabar, Malaysia and the Philippine Islands. (Duke, 1983)

Harvest	As such, the fruits as well as other parts can eb harvested anytime during the year. In India, maximum fruiting can be seen during March to April and second season comes in the months of September and October. For oil extraction, seeds are collected in March-April from the matured pods (Duke, 1983).

Pests / Diseases	It is considered as a potent tolerant to bacteria, drought, fungus, laterite, mycobacteria, and sand though fruitflies (Gitona spp.) attacks it, young plants can be attacked by Myllocerus discolor var. variegatus, M. 11-pustulatus, M. tenuiclavis, M. viridanus and Ptochus ovulum, etc. Dendrophthoe flacata, a parasitic flowering plant also prefers this as a host. Leaf-spot (Cercospora moringicola), spot anthracnose (Sphaceloma morindae), rust (Puccinia moringae), Oidium sp., Polyporus gilvus are some of the fungal diseases and/or pathogens (Duke, 1978). A foot-rot (Dilodia spp.) is reported in Madras.

Chemical composition	The pod contains protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, ash, Ca, P, Fe, vitamin A, niacin, ascorbic acid, Cu and I apart from water. In addition to these, leaves contain vitamin B, nicotinic acid, and tocopherol. Estrogenic substances, like anti-tumor compound, -sitosterol, and a pectinesterase are also reported. Amino acids found in leaves include arginine, histidine, lysine, tryptophane, phenylalanine, methionine, threonine, lucine, isoleucine and valine. Pods also contain all these amino acids in almost half of the quantity. Seed kernel contains nearly 35% fatty oil, 16.4 g N free extract per 100 gram. The seed oil contains 9.3% palmitic, 7.4% stearic, 8.6% behenic, and 65.7% oleic acids among the fatty acids. Myristic and lignoceric acids have also been reported. An antimicrobial compound, pterygospermin, isolated from it and injected subcutaneously in mice and rats (350-400 mg/kg body weight) has an LD50. Root-bark yields two alkaloids, viz. moringine and moringinine. Moringinine is a cardiac stimulant, raises blood-pressure, acts on sympathetic nerve-endings and smooth muscles in the body, and depresses the sympathetic motor fibers of vessels in large doses only. (Duke, 1983).

Herbarium No	0

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