Moringa Oleifera

Journal of Immunotoxicology, 4:287–294, 2007
Copyright c Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.
ISSN: 1547-691X print / 1547-6901 online
DOI: 10.1080/15476910701680137

Inhibitory Action of Ethanolic Extract of Seeds of Moringa
oleifera Lam. On Systemic and Local Anaphylaxis
Shailaja G. Mahajan and Anita A. Mehta
Department of Pharmacology, L.M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, India

The currentstudy characterizes the mechanism by which the
seed extract of Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) decreases the
mast cell-mediated immediate type hypersensitivity reaction. The
immediate type hypersensitivity reaction is involved in many allergic diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. Moringa oleifera,
a shrub widely used in the traditional medicine in India, has been
reported topossess anti-cancer, hypotensive, anti-arthritic, and
anti-inflammatory activities. In the present study, the effects of
the ethanolic extract of seeds of Moringa oleifera (MOEE-herbal
remedy) on systemic and local anaphylaxis were investigated. The
potential anti-anaphylactic effect of MOEE was studied in a mouse
model of Compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylactic shock.
Passive cutaneousanaphylaxis activated by anti IgE-antibody was
also used to assess the effect of MOEE. In addition, rat peritoneal
mast cells (RPMC) were used to investigate the effect of MOEE on
histamine release induced by compound 48/80. When administered
1 hr before 48/80 injection, MOEE at doses of 0.001–1.000 g/kg completely inhibited the inducible induced anaphylactic shock. MOEE
significantly inhibitedpassive cutaneous anaphylaxis activated by
anti-IgE antibody at a dose of 1 g/kg. When MOEE extract was
given as pretreatment at concentrations ranging 0.1–100 mg/ml,
the histamine release from the mast cells that was induced by the
48/80 was reduced in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest a potential role for MOEE as a source of anti-anaphylactic
agents for use in allergic disorders.Keywords

Moringa oleifera, compound 48/80, histamine,
immunoglobulin-E, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, rat
peritoneal mast cells

INTRODUCTION
Moringa oleifera Lam (synonym: Moringa pterygosperma),
a small tree (7–12 m high) with thick grey bark, fragrant white
flowers, and long green pods, is commonly referred to as the
‘drumstick tree’ or ‘horseradish tree’ (Makkar and Becker,1997). It is a member of the Moringaceae family that grows

Received 2 April 2007; accepted 21 May 2007.
The authors acknowledge the financial support given by Department
of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi, India.
Address correspondence to Dr. Anita A. Mehta, Department of Pharmacology, L.M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad 380 009, Gujarat,
India; e-mail: dranitalmcp@rediffmail.comthroughout most of the tropics, including Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Afghanistan, and northwest India (Makkar and Becker, 1996).
As a traditionally important food commodity, M. oleifera has received attention as “natural nutritient of the tropics”; the leaves,
flowers, fruits, and roots of this multipurpose tree are locally
esteemed as a vegetable (Anwar and Bhanger, 2003).
In the Indian traditionalsystem of folk medicine and in
Ayurveda, various plant based preparations, like that of the M.
oleifera, have been and still are given to patients without clinical trials, based upon the suggestive potential or possible efficacy of these extracts. With time, it has come to be shown
that some of these potential or possible efficacies were, in fact,
supported by animal data using experimental modelsto help
discern particular pharmacological activities and mechanisms.
Based on these types of observations, the plant has become well
positioned in Ayurvedic, Unani, and even allopathic systems
of medicine (Mughal et al., 1999). The findings from both the
folk medicine/non-clinical and laboratory settings (i.e., in the
animal models) have allowed the conclusion to be reached that
M....