Family: Moringaceae
Genus: Moringa
Common name: Miracle Tree, Horseradish-tree, Ben oil tree, Drumstick tree
The Moringa tree has great use medicinally both as preventative and treatment. .Sonjna (Moringa oleifera) bark, sap, roots, leaves, seeds, oil, and flowers are used in traditional medicine in several countries. A folk remedy for stomach complaints, catarrh, cancer, gastric ulcers, skin diseases, lowering blood sugar, increasing bone density, nervous conditions, diabetes, fatigue, increase lactation, hay fever, impotence, edema, cramps, hemorrhoids, headaches, sore gums; to strengthen the eyes and the brain, liver, gall, digestive, respiratory and immune system, and as a blood cleanser and blood builder. A traditional folk remedy was to use the leaves as a poultice on the abdomen to expel intestinal worms. An infusion of leaves is used as an eye wash for treating conjunctivitis.
The anti-inflammatory properties of Moringa Oleifera reduce different body pains. It proved effective for treating arthritis, rheumatism, joint pain, migraine and other headaches. Moringa seeds are roasted, pounded, mixed with coconut oil and applied to the problem area.
Drumstick leaf-extract treated by lime juice is helpful for the treatment for pimples, black head, and age spots. On regular use it adds natural radiance on skin tone.
Moringa leaves are low in fat and highly nutritional, providing 42 percent of the recommended daily minimum requirement for protein, and 125 percent for calcium. Moringa leaves can be eaten raw, cooked or taken as a tea.
Indian scientists have discovered an even more tantalising application of Moringa oleifera, the drumstick plant “murunga”, liquid extracted from its leaves can prevent lethal radiation damage to living tissues. The discovery by radiobiologists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bhopal, raises fresh hopes that compounds from medicinal plants might emerge a major source of natural drugs that could prevent the harmful effects of radiation damage to living tissues.
The drumstick might one day find use in improving the efficiency of cancer treatment with radiation because it can reduce the severe side-effects of radiotherapy. Radiation damage to normal tissues in the body lead to the adverse effects associated with radiotherapy.
Researchers in Japan and elsewhere had shown that Moringa Oleffera extracts had antitumour and anti- inflammatory agents.