Physico-Chemical Properties of Moringa oleifera Lam. Dried Leaves

Abstract

Ma-Rum (Horseradish Tree, Drumstick Tree) has the scientific name as Moringa oleifera Lam., belonging to Family Moringaceae.  This plant is native to India and cultivated in Asia, Central and South America, Africa, and Pacific. In Thailand, it was cultivated in almost every region. For Thai traditional medicine, the leaves have been used as bleeding-stopped, lactagogue, hypnotic, and anti-scurvy.  Since the chemical standardization of the Horseradish Tree’s dried leaves in Thailand has not yet been studied, therefore it is worthwhile to study its physico-chemical properties.  Twenty-three samples were collected from natural areas and Thai drugstores.  As a result, the properties were shown as the followings (mean + SD):  the moisture, the total ash, the acid-insoluble ash, the water-soluble extractive, the 95% ethanol-soluble extractive, and the total polyphenol contents (calculated on the dried-basis as gallic acid), using Folin-Ciocalteu’s method, were equal to 7.47 ± 1.14, 11.13 ± 1.12, 0.23 ± 0.18, 35.69 ± 2.94, 17.89 ± 2.74, and 16.95 ± 2.67 %w/w, respectively.  The thin-layer chromatographic identification showed all samples were positive to flavonoids and contained astragalin. Thus, it will be helpful to set up the standardization in Thai Herbal Pharmacopoeia which will be useful for consumers’ protection and commercial support.