Bioactive Compounds of Drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam.)

Abstract

Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) is a highly valuable medicinal plant due to its nutritional and pharmaceutical properties. Being an Indian native plant, it is generally grown in the Indian subcontinent and Africa regions. All the plant parts have different bioactive chemical compounds such as phenolics, tannins, flavonoids, isothiocyanates, saponins, alkaloids, glucosinolates, vitamins, and carotenoids. Leaves and pods of this plant are used as vegetables all over India and in other growing countries. Apart from the nutritional values, these plant parts are rich sources of bioactive compounds which are having numerous nutritional and pharmacological potentials. Though the plant is having many applicable values for human benefits, the plant is underused and not much studied in details. Considering the nutritional, medicinal, and socio-ecological aspect of the Moringa, more attention in terms of research point of view is needed.