Project Materials

A COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION INTO THE LIPID PROFILE OF MORINGA OLEIFERA SEEDS AND LEAVES

ABSTRACT

Moringa Oleifera seed and leaves are widely utilised in Eastern Nigeria for a variety of medical purposes with excellent nutritional value. However, more scientific data is required before it may be employed in therapeutic settings. The present work seeks to extract and characterise the oil content of Moringa Oleifera seeds and leaves. The powdered seeds and leaves were extracted using n-hexane as a solvent using a soxhlet extractor. Moringa Oleifera seed oil was tested for iodine levels, pH, viscosity, free fatty acid value, peroxide value, saponification value, and density using standard methods. Seed and leaves had the highest percentage extractive output of oil (20.634% and 0.00%, respectively). The characterisation examination of the seed oil gave the following values: specific gravity (0.903), pH (5.60), saponification values (13.99), peroxide values (0.00), viscosity (580.24), free fatty acid value (49.37), and iodine values (0.33). As a result of its high oil yield, Moringa Oleifera seed oil was found to be a valuable raw material for industries.

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

Moringa Oleifera (synonym: Moringa pterygosperma) is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Moringa, which is the only genus in the family Moringacae. English common names include Moringa, Benzolive tree, (^ab “USDA GRIN Taxonmy”) and West Indian ben.

\It is also known as the drumstick tree because of the long, slender, triangular seed pods, the horseradish tree because the roots taste similar to horseradish, and the Ben oil tree because of the oil derived from the seeds.

The tree is quite slender, with drooping limbs that develop to about 10 meters in height. In cultivation, it is frequently cut back to 1-2 meters each year and left to sprout, keeping the pods and leaves within arm’s reach. (^ab “USDA GRIN Taxonomy“).

Moringa Oleifera lam (syn. Moringa pterygosperma; commonly known as “Miracle Tree,” Horseradish tree,” or “Ben oil tree”) is the best-known and most widely distributed species of the Morignaceae family, with a remarkable range of medicinal benefits and great nutritional value all around the world.

This plant is native to the western and sub-himalayan tracts of India, Pakistan, Asia, and Africa (Somali et al 1999, and Mughal et al 1999), and it is also widely dispersed in the Philippines, Cambodia, America, and the Caribbean Islands (Morton, 1991).

Moringa oleifera is known as the “drumstick tree” or the “horseradish tree” in some regions of the world, and as the “kelor tree” in others. In the Nile Valley, the tree is known as’shagara al’ Rauwaq

which means ‘purifying tree’ (Von, 1996). Moringa Oleifera, also known as “Sohanjna” in Pakistan, is grown and cultivated throughout the country (Qaiser, 1993; Anwar et al, 2005).

It can tolerate a wide range of rainfall, with a minimum annual rainfall requirement of 250mm and a maximum of over 3000mm at pH levels ranging from 5.0 to 9.0 (Palada and Changl, 2003). Moringa Oleifera is a major food product that has received a lot of attention as the “natural nutrition of the tropics”.

This plant’s parts include roots, bark, gum, leaves, fruits (pods), flowers, seeds, and oil. This plant tree’s leaves, fruits, blossoms, and immature pods are utilised as a highly nutritious vegetable in many countries, including India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Hawaii, and many parts of Africa (D’ Souza and Kulkarni 1993) (Awar and Bhanger, 2003; Anwar et al., 2005).

A multitude of therapeutic virtues have been attributed to various portions of this highly respected tree (Fuglie, 2001; Faizi et al., 1998; Lalas and Tsaknis, 2002; Bhatnargar et al., 1991; Siddhuraju and Becker, 2003; Dahot, 1988; Makonne et al., 1997; and the Nealth of India, 1962).

The word lipid profile refers to the estimation of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triacyl glycerides.

Lipid profile can also be referred to as a “lipid panel”. A comprehensive lipid profile may contain VLDL cholesterol. This is used to detect hyperlipidaemia (different changes in cholesterol and triglyceride levels). Wikipedia is a free encyclopaedia.

1.2 Statement of The Problem

Many studies have been conducted on the medicinal and therapeutic benefits of Moringa Oleifera, prompting the need for a project to investigate the lipid profile of Moringa Oleifera seeds and leaves.