A Review on the Antidiabetic Properties of Moringa oleifera Extracts: Focusing on Oxidative Stress and Inflammation as Main Therapeutic Targets

Abstract

Moringa oleifera is one of the popular plants that have shown significant health benefits. Certainly, preclinical evidence (predominantly from animal models) summarized in the current review supports the beneficial effects of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts in combating the prominent characteristic features of diabetes mellitus. This includes effective control of blood glucose or insulin levels, enhancement of insulin tissue sensitivity, improvement of blood lipid profiles, and protecting against organ damage under sustained conditions of hyperglycemia. Interestingly, as major complications implicated in the progression of diabetes, including organ damage, Moringa oleifera leaf and seed extracts could efficiently block the detrimental effects of oxidative stress and inflammation in these preclinical models. Notably, these extracts (especially leaf extracts) showed enhanced effects in strengthening intracellular antioxidant defences like catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione to lower lipid peroxidation products and reduce prominent pro-inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (1L)-β, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and nitric oxide synthase. From animal models of diabetes, the common and effective dose of leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera was 100–300 mg/kg, within the treatment duration of 2–8 weeks. Whereas supplementation with approximately 20 g leaf powder of Moringa oleifera for at least 2 weeks could improve postprandial blood glucose in subjects with prediabetes or diabetes. Although limited clinical studies have been conducted on the antidiabetic properties of Moringa oleifera, current findings provide an important platform for future research directed at developing this plant as a functional food to manage diabetic complications.

Reversal of Valproate‐Induced Major Salivary Gland Changes By Moringa Oleifera Extract in Rats

“…The dose of M. oleifera extract (0.3 g/kg/day) and the treatment period (2 weeks) used in the present study have been previously shown to be safe and effective [11,12] . The use of a 70 % ethanolic extract is supported by previous research, indicating its strong antioxidant activity [13–15] …”

Moringa oleifera: a valuable insight into recent advances in medicinal uses and pharmacological activities

“…Popularly called ‘the miracle tree’, M. oleifera , or moringa, is the most nutrient dense tree known 6 . It is highly nutritional and packed full of iron, vitamins C, A, D, B, E, carotene, a host of essential and fatty oils, beta‐carotene, potassium, fats and proteins, phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, glucosinolates, terpenes, and so forth, 7 Because of these so many constituents, M. oleifera has been examined for its biological usefulness as an immune booster, a concentration enhancer, an anti‐cardiovascular disease agent, an antioxidant, an antiviral, an antimicrobial agent, an antiulcer agent, an antiasthma agent, an anti‐atherosclerotic agent, an anti‐diabetic agent, an anti‐obesity agent, a hepato‐protective agent, a wound‐healing aid, an aphrodisiac, a nephroprotective agent, in dental remineralization, in bone health, in scurvy, in Crohn's disease, and more 8 . There is even a claim that the plant has been used to treat 300 different illnesses.…”

“…6 It is highly nutritional and packed full of iron, vitamins C, A, D, B, E, carotene, a host of essential and fatty oils, beta-carotene, potassium, fats and proteins, phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, glucosinolates, terpenes, and so forth, 7 Because of these so many constituents, M. oleifera has been examined for its biological usefulness as an immune booster, a concentration enhancer, an anti-cardiovascular disease agent, an antioxidant, an antiviral, an antimicrobial agent, an antiulcer agent, an antiasthma agent, an anti-atherosclerotic agent, an anti-diabetic agent, an anti-obesity agent, a hepato-protective agent, a wound-healing aid, an aphrodisiac, a nephroprotective agent, in dental remineralization, in bone health, in scurvy, in Crohn's disease, and more. 8 There is even a claim that the plant has been used to treat 300 different illnesses. The extract from the leaves of M. oleifera was also found to regulate the status and levels of thyroid and cholesterol respectively in rats, 6 and these extracts have been found to contain glycine, alanine, leucine, valine, aspartic acid, histidine, glutamic acid, threonine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and cysteine.…”

Antioxidant and antidiabetic activity and phytoconstituents of lichen extracts with temperate and polar distribution

“…It is characterized by the insufficient production of insulin by the pancreas or the ineffective degradation of the insulin produced (WHO, 2023). One of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the progression of diabetes is oxidative stress with the unbalanced generation of reactive oxygen species such as hydroxyl radical and superoxide anion and reduced activity of antioxidant mechanisms such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase (Mthiyane et al, 2022). Since ancient times and nowadays, natural products (plant, fungal, animal, microbial, or mineral) are being increasingly used compared to therapeutic alternatives due to the presence of active compounds with pharmacological properties (Cortes-Gallardo et al, 2004).…”