Physicochemical Properties and Nutrition of Moringa Oleifera Lam. Leaf Extract: A Preliminary Study on Preparation Phytosomes as Herbal Supplement for Children

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties and nutrition of Moringa leaf extract. In addition, the preliminary study for the preparation of Moringa leaf extract-loaded phytosomes for a supplement. Methods: Extraction of Moringa leaf made using microwave-assisted extraction, followed by evaluation of proximate analysis (water, total ash, acid-insoluble of ash contents, and residual n-hexane), phytochemical screening, and nutrition such as crude protein, amino acids, and minerals (iron, zinc, and calcium). The phytosomes were prepared by the anti-solvent precipitation method and assessed for the morphology, particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index (PDI), entrapment efficiency (EE), and Fourier-transform infrared spectra. Results: The nutrition contents of crude protein, iron, zinc, and calcium were 19.61±0.07%, 3.47±0.00 mg/100g, 5.46±0.05 mg/100g, and 747.40±4.89 mg/100g, respectively. The amino acids with the highest concentrations were glutamic acid, phenylalanine, aspartic acid, alanine, and arginine in the extract. The best preparation using sonication 10 min by morphology was a spherical included particle size, PDI, zeta potential, and EE of arginine was 87.16±1.73 nm, 0.22±0.04, −23.07±0.76 mV, and 108.94±0.52%, respectively. Conclusion: These preliminary results provide evidence of the nutritional benefit of Moringa leaf extract-loaded phytosomes as a promising supplement to prevent stunting in children.

Polarimetry and Dynamic Light Scattering in Quality Control of Cardiotonic and Hypotensive Tinctures

“…Tinctures with optical activity above the upper value (|α°|≥2.21°) of the interval were unstable dispersed systems with low values of the electrokinetic potential (|ξ|≪25mV), because of the presence of large unstable particles of the dispersed phase with sizes matching the micrometer range [10,16]. These particles interfered with polarimetric measurements, and they were also excluded from consideration.…”

“…The study of alcohol and water dilutions showed that the latter had greater stability. Water dilutions had electro kinetic potentials higher than the limiting values of the stability of the colloidal system (25 mV) [10,16] and reached-34 mV. It was reasonable to assume that stable nanoparticles in aqueous dilutions would freely penetrate cells (for example, due to pinocytosis) and transport biologically active substances.…”

“…From the available scientific literature of the last decade, attention is drawn to the quality control of propolis tincture [7], where the total amount of flavonoids was determined by UV/Vis spectrophotometry and 14 of them were identified using HPLC coupled to a Dioderray Detector (HPLC/DAD). As can be seen, physicochemical methods must be used to improve the quality control of tinctures and other herbal extracts [8][9][10][11][12]. Polarimetry has never been used in these studies.…”

Impact of Ultrasonic Assisted Extraction on the Protein Yield from Moringa Oleifera Lam Leaves and Its Functional Characterization

“…16,23 WHO had recommended MO leaves to be used as a nutritional supplement for children. Various studies in Indonesia has reported the ability of MO leaves to improve nutrition in stunting children 24,25 , to improve the diet pattern of teenage girls 26 , to complete the composition of weaning foods 27,28 , to increase the amount of breast milk and to reduce the malnutrition cases. 27,29 In our study, the fresh MO leaves were harvested at different seasons, summer and rainy seasons, from several regions in NTT province, Indonesia; Kupang Regency, Timor Island; Kupang City, Timor Island; and Ende Regency, Flores Island.…”