MORINGA MARVELS

First Words

There is hardly a day that goes by that I don’t have to answer, either on social media or in a consulting room, at least one question that somehow has the word moringa in it. 

Can I use moringa for my arthritis? Is moringa good for my high blood pressure? My mother is diabetic and I want to give her moringa, is that OK? We are four months pregnant and my wife wants to use moringa products, what do you think? Can I drink moringa tea while breastfeeding my baby? My girlfriend says moringa will boost my performance in bed, and I was wondering if that is true. 

About the only thing I have not been asked concerning moringa is whether it can be used to embalm the dead. I have not been asked that. Yet.

There appears at least as much interest in these leaves as there is in aloe vera, and quite arguably more, and this interest seems to cut across religious lines, political party walls, and racial divides. This evening therefore, when I received a phone call from my not-very-Indian choirmaster emeritus in which he wanted to discuss, not the wonders of music but the marvels of moringa, I decided maybe I should talk about it some.

Introduction

Moringa, also known as moringa oleifera or horseradish tree, is a plant which, though native to parts of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, grows in several tropical areas including West Africa. Almost every part of this plant is thought to be useful because everything from it is used in the production of items that lay claim to possession of medicinal uses. By everything, I mean moringa’s bark, its leaves, flowers, fruit, and seeds. Every moringa thing except moringa roots.

Moringa leaves may be squeezed to have their juice extracted from them, or they may be cooked, or they may be dried and powdered, especially when the user intends it as a spice for their food. Seeds removed from mature pods of the moringa tree may be cooked or roasted. Immature pods of the moringa tree are also useful. They are shaped like drumsticks, which may be the reason why some people call the plant the drumstick tree. Oil can be extracted from moringa seeds and used in cooking. The oil from moringa is also used in cosmetics and some people have even claimed that it is useful as a lubricant in machinery. When oil has been extracted from moringa seeds, the seed cake that is left is also said to be useful in purifying well water, in removing salt from seawater, in increasing milk production in cows, and as a fertilizer.

Two facts, viz, 1) that moringa can be grown both cheaply and easily, and 2) that moringa leaves still retain large amounts of their vitamins and minerals even when dried; those two facts add several pluses to the already impressive catalog of moringa’s uses. Now, let us highlight some of those uses.

Uses

The first thing to say here is that as at the time of writing, there is not in circulation enough scientific information to fully guarantee the safety or even efficaciousness of moringa. What exists is at best informed gossip. It is important to note that moringa and other natural products are not necessarily completely safe and that dosages may be important.

The second thing to say here is that moringa, as far as we know, is taken only by mouth or applied to the skin (or topically). It is not injected, inhaled, smoked, or otherwise ingested.

If these caveats are firmly borne in mind, then we can proceed to discuss the uses that have been attributed to moringa.

FACILITATING BREAST MILK PRODUCTION

When moringa leaves are eaten after childbirth, they are thought to increase breast milk production. While this is a good thing, we have not been explicitly told whether moringa taken by the mother can be passed to the child in breast milk and, importantly, whether moringa is safe for infants.

ROLE IN ARTHRITIS

Moringa is thought to reduce the pains and inflammation of arthritis.

ROLE IN DIABETES MELLITUS

Moringa juice is thought to be helpful in glucose control. While it is thought to be effective in reducing blood glucose levels in diabetics, to what extent this happens is quite unknown.

ROLE IN HYPERTENSION

The juice from moringa leaves is thought to be helpful in stabilizing blood pressure as well as in aiding sleep. Good sleep is an important factor in blood pressure control.

ROLES IN CONSTIPATION, DIARRHEA AND GASTROINTESTINAL CONCERNS

Moringa leaves may be used as a purgative in cases of constipation. Where the problem is diarrhea, the leaves are mixed with honey and then ingested, followed by a drink of coconut milk. This same preparation is said to be helpful in dysentery as well. Moringa is also said to be useful in the treatment of stomach ulcers and intestinal ulcers.

ROLE IN ASTHMA

Used in adults, moringa is said to reduce asthma symptoms and the severity of asthmatic attacks when taken over three weeks.

ROLE IN HEADACHE

It appears that when one has a headache, and applies the leaves to their temple, the headache resolves about ten minutes later. This is the one that confuses me the most, but which I have tried, and which I think works. It worked for me.

ROLE IN EPILEPSY

Moringa is thought to have a role in reducing the episodes of seizures (or convulsions) in those with epilepsy.

ROLE IN KIDNEY STONES

Moringa is thought to be helpful in resolving kidney stones, but I am yet to come across credible literature that convincingly tells how.

ROLE IN SWELLINGS, INCLUDING GLANDULAR SWELLINGS, INFECTIONS AND INFLAMMATIONS

It is thought a poultice made from a base of fresh moringa leaves is helpful in reducing body swellings, including swellings of glands in the body. Moringa leaves are also used to treat infections of the eyes and ears, as well as fevers and inflammations of the airways through which we breathe. In general, moringa is thought to be effective against a wide range of infections, whether they are caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, or parasites. However, please note that, to my knowledge, there has been no mention of moringa being effective against malaria.

ROLE IN SEX AND CONTRACEPTION (ANTI-FERTILITY)

Moringa is said to increase sexual drive and is in other words an aphrodisiac. Interestingly, it is also said to be effective as a contraceptive, thereby reducing fertility.

ROLE IN SKIN CARE

Moringa is said to be effective in the treatment of sundry skin infections, dandruff, athlete’s foot, warts, skin abscesses, skin wounds, and even in treatment of snake bites.

ROLE IN IMMUNITY

Perhaps because of its antioxidant properties and because of the several useful compounds it is said to contain, it is seen as being of great value in boosting the immune system.

OTHER USES

Moringa is used by some people whose skins produce a lot of sebum (oil) or other fluid as a skin-drying agent. Oil gotten from moringa is used in foods, hair creams, and even perfumes.

Side Effects And Warnings

By now, it is probably well known that the side effects of moringa, if any, are not well known. Please note that this statement is not the same as the presumption in certain quarters that moringa has no side effects. 

It is possible that moringa is safe when its leaves, fruit, and seeds are eaten as food. But the root of the moringa plant is thought to contain a substance that cause paralysis and death in a human who ingests it.

Pregnant women should not eat the root, bark, or flowers of moringa. This is because chemicals in the root, bark, and flowers of moringa can make the womb squeeze out the still-growing baby before i the appropriate time, leading therefore to a miscarriage. We are not sure if the leaves or other parts of the plant are safe in pregnancy. So moringa is best avoided when the human is pregnant.

Final Words

Moringamycin may well be the next big thing. Or moringacillin may not. It is claimed that moringa has several vitamins and minerals, in many cases, in more quantities than are available in readily available fruits. It is said to be a very helpful natural remedy for several conditions that currently afflict humans. All that may be correct.

Not enough is known about its possible side effects, especially the long-term ones if any. Not much is known about what doses are appropriate for which conditions. There is a lot that relies on the flimsy wisps of the smoke that is conjecture rather than on hard, scientific fact. But they say that there is no smoke without fire. We hope that there will come that day in the near future when the fire is discovered that is responsible for all the smoke of the good moringa stories we have heard.