Moringa oleifera Lam. is known in vernacular as Sahjna belongs to a single genus family Moringaceae which has fourteen species. It is a beautiful ornamental tree which is native of the sub-Himalayan tract of Indo-Pakistan subcontinent and is now widely cultivated in Asia, Africa and tropical parts of the world (Jahn and Am, 1988). M. oleifera is highly reputed in folklore and traditional system of medicine as a remedy for a variety of ailments and different parts of the plant are stimulant, diuretic and antilithic. This plant is widely used in the treatment of cardiac diseases, acts as a circulatory tonic and are also used in the treatment of enlarged liver, spleen, tetanus, debility of nerves, rheumatism, paralysis, pustules, leprosy and also acts as antiseptic (Ramachandran et al., 1980). M. oleifera is one of those rare plants, all parts of which are not only considered as medicinally potent but also used as vegetable (Chopra et al., 1956). In many rural areas of Asia, seeds of M. oleifera are traditionally utilized for drinking water purification as they possess strong coagulation properties for sedimentation of suspended mud and turbidity and disinfecting effect on pathogens (Oslen and Wat 1987) hence, also called as a clarifier tree. It is a multipurpose tree as its various parts are used as fodder, herbal medicine, spices, food, natural coagulants, nector for bees, fuel and fertilizer (Jahn et al., 1986). The plant has been suggested as a raw material for paper industry and reported to produce rayan grade pulp (Mahajan and Sharma, 1984).
Author(s) Details:
Dr. Koteswara Rao Pagolu,
Department of Biochemistry, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-53003, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Dr. Vijayakumar Poondla,
Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy -502284, Telangana, India.
Prof. Raghava Rao Tamanam,
Department of Biochemistry, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-53003, Andhra Pradesh, India.
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