Hepato and Kidney Protective Properties
Controversial
results about the effects of Moringa oleifera leaves on liver and
kidney health are reported. Oyagbemi et al. (2013) and Asiedu-Gyekye et
al. (2014) observed an increment in serum alanine aminotransferase
(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP),
blood urea nitrose (BUN) and creatinine following an administration of
the extract of Moringa oleifera leaves in mice. Being biomarkers of
liver and kidney injury, the authors speculated that leaves might
predispose to hepatic and kidney damage. However, histopathological
examinations did not reveal any histological lesions in the sinusoids or
central vein (Asiedu-Gyekye et al., 2014). On the other hand, other
studies (Pari and Kumar, 2002; Fakurazi et al., 2008; Sharifudin et al.,
2013) reported hepatic and kidney protective properties against several
drugs, such as isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, acetaminophen and
gentamicin, attributable to Moringa oleifera leaves. The authors
observed a reduction of serum ALT, AST, ALP [(Pari and Kumar, 2002;
Fakurazi et al., 2008; Sharifudin et al., 2013) and BUN and creatinine
(Ouedraogo et al., 2013) in animals treated with the extract of Moringa
oleifera leaves. These findings were confirmed by histological
examinations, which revealed an amelioration of the hepatic and kidney
damages induced by drugs, in animals treated with Moringa oleifera
leaves. Similar results were obtained by Adeyemi and Elebiyo (2014) in
rats co-treated with Moringa oleifera leaves and NiSO4 in order to
induce nephrotoxicity. Finally, Das et al. (2012) observed a reduction
of ALT, AST and ALP and a lower liver damage in rats fed with high fat
diet and co-treated with Moringa oleifera leaves, suggesting a potential
role of the leaves in the prevention of nonalcoholic fatty liver
disease (NAFLD).
In conclusion, scientific evidences suggest a
potential role of Moringa oleifera leaves in the amelioration of the
hepatic and kidney damages induced by drugs in animals. However, further
studies on human beings are required before using Moringa as herbal
medication.
2.4.5.7 Anticancer Properties
Experimental evidences
showed the capacity of Moringa oleifera leaves to protect organism and
cell from oxidative DNA damage associated with cancer and degenerative
diseases (Sreelatha et al., 2011; Sikder et al., 2013). Many in Vitro
studies evaluated the anticancer properties of both water and alcoholic
extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves on different types of tumor cells
lines. Sreelatha et al. (2011) found that the aqueous extract of Moringa
oleifera leaves exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of cell
proliferation of KB human tumor (KB) cells line. This antiproliferative
effect was also associated with an induction of apoptosis, morphological
changes and DNA fragmentation. Tiloke et al. (2013) observed a
significant increment in reactive oxygen species (ROS) with a
concomitant decrease in intracellular GSH levels caused by a reduction
in Nrf2 protein (1.89-fold) and mRNA expression (1.44-fold) in human
lung cancer cells treated with Moringa oleifera leaves extract compared
to untreated cells.
These oxidants can react with DNA in the cell
determining a DNA fragmentation with consequent death of cell itself.
The pro-apoptotic properties of Moringa oleifera leaves extract were
also confirmed by the significant increase in p53 protein (1.02-fold)
and mRNA expression (1.59-fold), in caspase-9 (1.28-fold) and
caspase-3/7 (1.52-fold) activities and an enhanced expression of
Smac/DIABLO in cells treated with the extract. Moringa oleifera leaves
extract also caused the cleavage and activation of PARP-1 into 89 and 24
KDa fragments (Tiloke et al., 2013). The apoptosis induction and tumor
cell growth inhibition activities of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera
leaves on human lung cancer cells were also studied by Jung (Jung,,
2014). This study confirmed previous results and found that Moringa
oleifera leaves extract showed greater cytotoxicity for tumor cells than
for normal cells, strongly suggesting that it could be an ideal
anticancer therapeutic candidate specific to cancer cells.
In the
study of Berkovich et al. (2013), concentration ≥0.75 mg/mL of Moringa
oleifera leaves extract determined a significant inhibition of
pancreatic cancer cells (Panc-1) survival as a result of progressive
cell apoptosis. In particular, the treatment with 2 mg/mL Moringa
oleifera leaves extract resulted in a reduction of 98% of Panc-1 cells
survival, attributable, at least in part, by a down-regulation of the
expression of key NF-κB signaling pathway proteins. Parvathy and
Umamaheshwari (2007) found that mpetroleum etheric extract of Moringa
oleifera leaves exhibited less viability on myeloma cells both at
highest dose (2% at 200 μg/mL) and at lowest dose (12% at 0.5 μg/mL).
Khalafalla
et al. (2010) found that both hot water and petroleum etheric Moringa
oleifera leaves extracts inhibited the viability of acute myeloid
leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and hepatocellular carcinoma
cells. On the other hand, all the tested extracts did not exhibit toxic
effects against normal mononuclear cells. Charoensin (2014) found that
dichloromethane extract of Moringa oleifera leaves was more cytotoxic
against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2; IC50 = 120.37 μg/mL),
colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2; IC50 = 112.46 μg/mL) and breast
adenocarcinoma (MCF-7; IC50 = 133.58 μg/mL) than mpetroleum etheric
extract (IC50 > 250 μg/mL). Both extracts had no toxicity on human
fibroblast. Finally, Pamok et al. (2011) observed that both aqueous and
petroleum etheric extract inhibited cell proliferation of three
different types of colon cancer cells lines, with better results using
petroleum etheric extract.
Only one in vivo study is available in literature about anticancer properties of the extract of
Moringa
oleifera leaves. Purwal et al. (2010) studied the effects of oral
administration of hydrompetroleum etheric and mpetroleum etheric
extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves in murine melanoma tumor model. The
authors observed that an oral administration of 500 mg/kg for 15 days of
the extracts determined a delay in the growth of tumors and a
significant increase of life span of 48% and 32% for mpetroleum etheric
and hydrometanolic extracts respectively.
In conclusion, in vitro
studies suggest potential anti-cancer properties of Moringa oleifera
leaves. These properties may be explained by the presence of several
bioactive compounds, such as 4-(α-L-rhamnosyloxy) benzyl isothiocyanate,
niazimicin and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (Guevara et al.,
2009; Abdull Razis et al., 2014). However, further animal studies are
needed to confirm these effects. Finally, no studies on human are
available in literature.
