Skip to content

Moringa

The horseradish tree is a plant that is native to the sub-Himalayan regions of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and also grows in the tropics. The leaves, bark, flowers, fruits, seeds and roots of the horseradish tree are used to make medicine. Horseradish tree is used for anemia, arthritis and other joint pains, asthma, cancer, constipation, diabetes, diarrhea, epilepsy, stomach pain, stomach and intestinal ulcers, intestinal cramps, headaches, heart problems, high blood pressure, kidney stones, water retention, thyroid disorders and infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Horseradish tree is also used to reduce swelling, as an aphrodisiac to stimulate sex drive, as a contraceptive, to strengthen the immune system and to increase milk flow in breastfeeding women. Some people use horseradish tree as a nutritional supplement or tonic. Horseradish tree is sometimes applied directly to the skin to kill germs or as a drying agent. It is also used to treat abscesses, athlete's foot, dandruff, gum disease, snake bites, warts and wounds on the skin. Oil from the seeds of the horseradish tree is used in food, perfume, hair care products and as a lubricant for machinery. In some parts of the world, horseradish tree products were an important source of food. As the horseradish tree is cheap and easy to grow and the dried leaves contain many vitamins and minerals, horseradish tree products are used in India and Africa as part of nutrition programs to combat malnutrition. The unripe green pods of the horseradish tree are prepared in a similar way to green beans, while the seeds are removed from the ripe pods and boiled like peas or roasted like nuts. The leaves of the horseradish tree are cooked and used like spinach, as well as dried and used in powder form as a spice. The remnants of the seeds that remain after the oil has been extracted are used as fertilizer, to purify well water and to remove salt from seawater.

How do horseradish tree products work?

Horseradish tree contains proteins, vitamins and minerals. As an antioxidant, it appears to help protect cells from damage.

How effective is horseradish tree?

There is not enough scientific data to be able to make a statement about the effectiveness of orally ingested horseradish tree products in the following areas of application:

  • Asthma: In one study, taking 3 grams of horseradish tree twice daily reduced asthma symptoms and the severity of asthma attacks in adults.
  • Increased milk production in breastfeeding women: New research suggests that taking 250 mg of a specific horseradish tree supplement (Natalac) twice daily after giving birth increases milk production. There is also insufficient scientific data on the effectiveness of orally ingested horseradish tree products for anemia, arthritis, cancer, constipation, diabetes, diarrhea, epilepsy, gastritis, stomach and intestinal ulcers, headaches, heart problems, high blood pressure, kidney stones, inflammatory swelling, thyroid disorders and infections, as well as for use in birth control, as a nutritional supplement, to stimulate immune function and to increase sex drive. There is also insufficient information on the effectiveness of horseradish tree products applied to the skin for athlete's foot, dandruff, warts, skin infections, snake bites and gum disease. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of horseradish tree products in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Horseradishtree is potentially safe and harmless when taken orally as directed. Horseradish tree leaves, fruits and seeds may be safe and harmless when used as a food. However, it is important to avoid consuming the root and its extracts. These parts of the plant may contain toxic substances that can cause paralysis and death. Horseradish tree products have been used safely in doses of up to 6 grams per day for up to 3 weeks. There is not enough information on whether horseradish tree products are safe and harmless when used in medicinal quantities.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Horseradish tree root, bark and flowers are probably not safe to use during pregnancy. Chemicals contained in the root, bark and flowers of the horseradish tree may cause contractions of the uterus, which could lead to miscarriage. There is not enough information about the safety of using other parts of the horseradish tree during pregnancy, so pregnant women should avoid horseradish tree products altogether. Horseradish tree products are sometimes used to increase breast milk production. Some research suggests that horseradish tree products may be effective in this regard, but there is not enough information on whether horseradish tree products are safe for breastfed babies, so breastfeeding women should avoid horseradish tree products.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of horseradish tree with medications or supplements.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of horseradish tree products depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for horseradish tree products. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Agrawal B, Mehta A. Antiasthmatic activity of Moringa oleifera Lam: A clinical study. Indian J Pharmacol 2008;40:28-31.
  2. Anwar F, Bhanger MI. Analytical characterization of Moringa oleifera seed oil grown in temperate regions of Pakistan. J Agric Food Chem 2003;51:6558-63.
  3. Bharali R, Tabassum J, Azad MRH. Chemomodulatory effects of Moringa oleifera, Lam, on hepatic carcinogen metabolizing enzymes, antioxidant parameters and skin papillomagenesis in mice. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2003;4:131-9.
  4. Bose CK. Possible role of Moringa oleifera Lam. root in epithelial ovarian cancer. MedGenMed 2007;9:26.
  5. Bour S, Visentin V, Prevot D, et al. Effects of oral administration of benzylamine on glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism in rats. J Physiol Biochem 2005;61:371-9.
  6. Chuang PH, Lee CW, Chou JY, et al. Anti-fungal activity of crude extracts and essential oil of Moringa oleifera Lam. Bioresour Technol 2007;98:232-6.
  7. Estrella M, Mantaring J, David G, Taup M. A double blind, randomized controlled trial on the use of malunggay (Moringa oleifera) for augmentation of the volume of breastmilk among non-nursing mothers of preterm infants. Philipp J Pediatr 2000;49:3-6.
  8. Fahey JW. Moringa oleifera: A review of the medical evidence for its nutritional, therapeutic, and prophylactic properties. Part 1 Trees for Life Journal 2005;1:5.
  9. Faizi S, Siddiqui BS, Saleem R, et al. Isolation and structure elucidation of new nitrile and mustard oil glycosides from Moringa oleifera and their effect on blood pressure. J Nat Prod 1994;57:1256-61.
  10. Faizi S, Siddiqui BS, Saleem R, et al. Hypotensive constituents from the pod of Moringa oleifera. Planta Med 1998;64:225-8.
  11. Ghasi S, Nwobodo E, Ofili JO. Hypocholesterolemic effects of crude extract of leaf of Moringa oleifera Lam in high-fat diet fed wistar rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2000;69:21-5.
  12. Gupta R, Dubey DK, Kannan GM, Flora SJS. Concomitant administration of Moringa oleifera seed powder in the remediation of arsenic-induced oxidative stress in mouse. Cell Biol INt 2007;31:44-56.
  13. Iffiu-Soltesz Z, Wanecq E, Lomba A, et al. Chronic benzylamine administration in the drinking water improves glucose tolerance, reduces body weight gain and circulating cholesterol in high-fat diet-fed mice. Pharmacol Res 2010;61:355-63.
  14. Jaiswal D, Kumar Rai P, Kumar A, et al. Effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves aqueous extract therapy on hyperglycemic rats. J Ethnopharmcol 2009;123:392-6.
  15. Kar A, Choudhary BK, Bandyopadhyay NG. Comparative evaluation of hypoglycaemic activity of some Indian medicinal plants in alloxan diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2003;84:105-8.
  16. Karadi RV, Gadge NB, Alagawadi KR, Savadi RV. Effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. root-wood on ethylene glycol induced urolithiasis in rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2006;105:306-11.
  17. Mehta K, Balaraman R, Amin AH, et al. Effect of fruits of Moringa oleifera on the lipid profile of normal and hypercholesterolaemic rabbits. J Ethnopharmacol 2003;86:191-5.
  18. Monera TG, Wolfe AR, Maponga CC, et al. Moringa oleifera leaf extracts inhibit 6beta-hydroxylation of testosterone by CYP3A4. J Infect Dev Ctries 2008;2:379-83.
  19. Nambiar VS, Bhadalkar K, Daxini M. Drumstick leaves as a source of vitamin A in ICDS-SFP. Indian J Pediatr 2003;70:383-7.
  20. Siddhuraju P, Becker K. Antioxidant properties of various solvent extracts of total phenolic constituents from three different agroclimatic origins of drumstick tree. (Moringa oleifera Lam.) leaves. J Agric Food Chem 2003;51:2144-55.
  21. Tahiliani P, Kar A. Role of Moringa oleifera leaf extract in the regulation of thyroid hormone status in adult male and female rats. Pharmacol Res 2000;41:319-23.