Moringa oleifera: its industrial and pharmaceutical applications. A review

Natural products began to receive considerable attention because of their numerous benefits. Moringa oleifera also known as the ‘drumstick tree,’ been a highly potent and affordable source of phytochemicals is named among these essential natural products. The plant has thus been utilized in several industries of the world including; pharmaceutical, cosmetic, water treatment, food and biodiesel. The presence of bioactive compounds like flavonoids, carotenoids, phenolic acids, natural sugars, tannins, organic acids, sterols, alkaloids, phytosterols, tocopherols, vitamins and minerals make its medicinal applications as an antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, antiatherosclerotic, antinociceptive, hepatoprotecting, cardioprotective, antiperoxidative agent worthwhile. Furthermore, the high antimicrobial activities and high nutritional value of the different parts of the Moringa plant also make it suitable for use in the development of functional food, water treatment and skin care products. Additionally, the seed oil of Moringa meets the major stipulations of biodiesel standard for Europe, Germany and the United States since the biodiesel obtained from it exhibits peak cloud point plus a high cetane rating thus its suitability for the biodiesel industry. Finally, the low molecular weight cationic proteins (MOCP) obtained from the seeds of Moringa make it suitable for use in the purification of water. This paper intends to review the industrial applications of Moringa. © The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Society for Plant Research 2024.