Original Research Article DOI: 10.18231/2394-2126.2018.

0081

Effect of Moringa oliefera leaves on blood pressure in hypertensive patients

Kumar Sai Sailesh1, Jabir P K2,*, Madhusudhan U3, Archana R4, Mukkadan J K5
1AssistantProfessor, Dept. of Physiology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, 2,3Assistant Professor, Dept. of
Physiology, DMWIMS Medical College, Wayanad, Kerala, 4Professor, Dept. of Physiology, Saveetha Medical College,
SIMATS, Thandalam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 5Research Director, Little Flower Medical Research Centre, Angamaly,
Kerala, India

*Corresponding Author:
Email: [email protected]

Received: 27th March, 2018 Accepted: 3rd May, 2018

Abstract
Introduction: Moringa oleifera is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Moringa, which is the only genus in the family
Moringaceae. Most nutritious part of the plant is its leaves, and is a good source of vitamin B vitamins and C. It has been
reported Moringa oleifera shows antidiabetic effect. The leaf extract contains flavonoids, polyphenols, lycopene, and ß-carotene,
and possessed 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities.
Objective: The present study is designed to conduct effect of Moringa oleifera leaves on blood pressure among human subjects.
Materials and Methods: A total of 20 males who are diagnosed with stage -1 hypertension patients with in the age group of 35-
50 years were selected in the study as cases. The participants served as self-controls. Moringa oleifera leaves juices were
prepared and provided to the subjects two times in a day (15 leaves extract one time) for the period of 30 days. Diamond digital
sphygmomanometer is used to take the blood pressure.
Results: There was a significant decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure followed by the intervention (P<0.0001*).
Conclusion: Thus the Moringa leaf can provide desired effect as a natural control measure for high blood pressure and can be
regarded as an alternative medicine.

Keywords: Moringa oleifera, Blood pressure.

Introduction heart rate in anaesthetized rats.6 In another study it was

Moringa oleifera is the most widely cultivated shown that the extracts like thiocarbamate glycosides
species of the genus Moringa, which is the only genus from Moringa oleifera have hypotensive effects.7
in the family Moringaceae. English common names Similarly hypotensive effects of Constituents like
include: Moringa, drumstick tree. Most nutritious part thiocarbamate and isothiocyanate glycosides from the
of the plant is its leaves, and is a good source of vitamin Pods of Moringa oleifera were also demonstrated.7
B vitamins and C. It also contains provitamin A as beta- Most of the studies conducted are on animal models
carotene, vitamin K, manganese, and protein, among and there are fewer studies conducted on humans.
other essential nutrients.1 Calcium present in Moringa Hence, Present study is designed to conduct effect of
leaves is bound as crystals of calcium oxalate.2 It has Moringa oleifera leaves on blood pressure among
been reported Moringa oleifera shows antidiabetic human subjects.
effect. The leaf extract contains flavonoids,
polyphenols, lycopene, and ß-carotene, and possessed Materials and Methods
2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, hydrogen peroxide, and Participants: A total of 20 males who are newly
hydroxyl radical scavenging activities. A Study on diagnosed with stage-1 hypertension and not yet under
Db/db mice with M. oleifera significantly reduced the the medication patients with in the age group of 35-50
altered fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, and low- years were selected in the study as cases. The
density lipoprotein cholesterol. The same study showed participants served as self-controls. The participants
histopathological damage and expression levels of with any other systemic illness and those under the
tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, medications or following any other therapy and those
cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase not willing to provide informed consent were excluded
in renal tissue decreased.3 from the study.
It has been shown that water extract of leaves of Study Setting: The present experimental study was
Moringa reduced the chronotropic and inotropic effects performed at Little Flower Hospital and Research
on the isolated frog heart.4 Bio assay- guided analysis Centre, Angamaly, Kerala. The study was approved by
of extract of Moringa oleifera leaves shown institutional ethical committee. Informed consent was
hypotensive activity which is attributed to nitrite obtained from all the participants.
glycosides like niazirin and niazirinin.5 Intravenous Intervention: 150 ml of Moringa oleifera leaves juices
administration of either one of these compounds were prepared and provided to the subjects two times in
produced reduction in blood pressure and lowering of a day for the period of 30 days.

Indian Journal of Clinical Anatomy and Physiology, July-September, 2018;5(3):350-352 350

Kumar Sai Sailesh et al. Effect of Moringa oliefera leaves on blood…..

Methods: Take Moringa oleifera leaves & crush them, difference between pre and post values. Data was
filter the mixture with the help of a muslin cloth then presented as Mean and SD. P value less than 0.05 was
add a teaspoon of honey in to the juice. This juice was considered significant.
given to the samples twice a day (in the morning before
meal & after meal at night time). Results
Measurement of Blood Pressure: Quantitative The results were presented in table 1 and 2.
analysis is done by the survey. The readings of persons
with high blood pressure are noted down before and Table 1: Demographic data of the participants
after the intervention. Diamond digital Parameter Value
sphygmomanometer is used to take the readings. Age (years) 42±8
Recording of BP was based on new ACC and American Height (cm) 165.09±2.46
Heart Association (AHA) guidelines. Weight (kg) 122±10
Data Analysis: Data was analyzed by SPSS 20.0. Data was presented as mean and SD
Student t test was used to observe the significance of

Table 2: Blood pressure of the participants before and after Moringa oleifera leaves juices administration
Parameter Pre-intervention Post-intervention P value
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) 140 ± 22 111 ± 12 0.0001*
Diastolic Blood Pressure (mmHg) 97±15 79±10 0.0001*
*P<0.01 is significant. Data was presented as mean and SD
endothelial NO bioavailability and promotes nitrosative
Discussion stress leading to endothelial dysfunction and vascular
In the present study Moringa oleifera (MO) leaves tone increase that also contributes to hypertension.16,17
juice was given to subjects for 30 days. It is clear from Oxidative stress is known to be causally involved
Table 1 that subjects are obese. It is well known the in the endothelial dysfunction associated with
relation between obesity and hypertension. It was found hypertension MO effectively acts as antioxidants and
that systolic blood pressure is drastically reduced in our reduce oxidative stress by relaxing resistant arteries in
present study. The P value is 0.0001 which shows it is hypertension.18
statistically very significant. Similarly diastolic blood Use of Moringa oleifera seeds in diet against
pressure is very much reduced after administration of cardiovascular disorders associated with oxidative
the juice. P value of diastolic blood pressure is also the stress and inflammation such as hypertension has
same as that systolic blood pressure. This shows that shown to attenuate vascular oxidative and nitrosative
both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood stresses. Oral administration of Moringa oleifera seeds
pressure reduced significantly after administration of demonstrates vascular antioxidant, anti-inflammatory,
MO leaves juice. and endothelial protective effects in hypertension.12
Moringa oleifera (MO) leaves contain several The beneficial vascular effects observed in the
bioactive compounds, which have been used for present work are probably due to the presence of
stabilizing blood pressure, including nitrile, mustard oil tocopherols, phenolic acids (gallic and ferulic acids),
glycosides and thiocarbamate glycosides.9 The isolated and flavonoids (such as quercetin, catechin, and
four pure compounds, niazinin A, niazinin B, epicathechin) known for their potential antioxidant
niazimicin and niazinin A + B—from ethanol extract activity.19
of MO leaves showed a blood pressure lowering effect In our study number of subjects was restricted to
in rats, mediated possibly through a calcium antagonist 20. One of the reasons for this was the difficulty for
effect.10,11 A recent study reported that MO reduced getting consent from subjects for conducting the study.
vascular oxidation in spontaneously hypertensive rats.12 Another limitation for the study was subjects were kept
Few studies also shown that Moringa oleifera did as self control. Therefore further studies should be
not modify blood pressure in hypertensive rats but conducted in larger population and with control group.
reduced nocturnal heart rate and improved cardiac
diastolic function. Left ventricular anterior wall Conclusion
thickness, interseptal thickness on diastole, and relative Moringa oleifera, commonly called as Drumstick
wall thickness were reduced after MO treatment.12, 13 plant, is a reservoir of abundant number of
High blood pressure is associated with increased phytochemicals which have protective or disease
reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in vessels and preventive properties. The intake of Moringa leaf, by
target organs such as the brain and kidney.14 ROS boiling with water can effect in the regulation of high
increase vascular dysfunction by promoting blood pressure to a normal rate. This is due to the
inflammation, thus establishing a positive feedback presence of various phytochemicals like, tannins,
mechanism that participates to the development of flavonoids, saponins, anthraquinones, alkaloids and
hypertension.15 O2−, essentially of NOX origin, reduces reducing sugars, triterpanoids and steroids. Among this,
Indian Journal of Clinical Anatomy and Physiology, July-September, 2018;5(3):350-352 351
Kumar Sai Sailesh et al. Effect of Moringa oliefera leaves on blood…..

flavanoids being a strong antioxidant have the 8. Faizi S, Siddiqui BS, Saleem R, Aftab K, Shaheen F,
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that it is effective than the modern medicine. The use of Bioactive Components in Moringa Oleifera Leaves
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