Review on Anti- Inflammatory Activity of Moringa Granules

Abstract

Moringa oleifera commonly referred to as the “tree of life” or “miracle tree” is widely recognized as a valuable medicinal plant because of its broad range of therapeutic and practical benefits. In traditional medicine, various parts of the plant have been used to manage conditions such as wounds, pain, ulcers, liver & heart disorders, cancer and inflammatory diseases. This review focuses on summarizing global research findings related to Moringa oleifera including its pharmacological properties, phytochemical composition, toxicological profile and ethnomedicinal significance. Additionally, it highlights the plant’s commercial potential and phytopharmaceutical applications to support future scientific investigations. The review discusses both traditional and modern uses of Moringa as well as it’s documented biological activities, formulation approaches, clinical evidence, safety considerations and other applications. Despite extensive research, many traditional claims remain scientifically unverified. Consequently, further studies are necessary to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action and to identify or isolate the bioactive or synergistic compounds responsible for the plant’s therapeutic effects.

Keywords

Moringa oleifera, Traditional medicinal uses, Pharmacological activity, Phytochemistry, Phytopharmaceutical formulation, Toxicity, Anti-Inflammatory activity, Granulation.

Introduction

Excipients Used In Moringa Granules : 

To obtain Moringa granules the following pharmaceuticals ingredients were used :

1. Diluent:- Diluent are the fillers added to make up the required bulk of the tablet when the drug dosage itself is inadequate to produce this bulk. It helps to increase weight and improve content uniformity.  Example - Lactose, Sorbitol, Mannitol, Starch, Cellulose, Dextrose, Fructose, etc. 
2. Disintegrants:-  A Disintegrant is added to most tablet formulations to facilitate a breakup or disintegration of the tablet when it comes in contact with water in the gastrointestinal tract. Examples - Starch, Cellulose, guar gum, povidone, Sodium Alginate, ETC. 
3. Lubricant:-  Lubricants are added to reduce the friction during tablet ejection between the walls of the tablet and the walls of the die cavity in which the tablet was formed. Example - Magnesium stearate, Stearic Acid, Calcium Stearate, Talc, Starch, ETC. 
4. Sweetener:- Sweetening agent are excipients often added to pharmaceutical dosage forms to mask the bitter taste of the partially dissolved drug and to improve palatability. Examples - Mannitol, Saccharin, Aspartame, Glucose, Lactose, Erythritol, Dextrose.^[8]  

• Active Constituents^[12] :

1. Vitamins: 

• Fresh leaves of MO are a good source of vitamin A. 
• Leaves are a good source of carotenoids with pro-vitamin A potential MO leaves also contain 200 mg/100 g of vitamin C. 
• Fresh leaves are a good source of vitamin E. 

Sr. No	Test
1	Tillmans-Harris test for ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
2	Antimony trichloride test for vitamin A.

2. Polyphenols : 

• The dried leaves of MO are a great source of polyphenol compounds, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. 

Sr. No	Test	Observations
1	Shinoda test: To test solution, add 5 ml of 95% ethanol, add few drops of concentrated HCl and 0.5g magnesium turning.	Pink, red to purple color appears.
2	Lead acetate test: To small quantity of test, add lead acetate solution	Yellow  colored precipitate
3	Sodium Hydroxide test: Addition of increasing amount of sodium hydroxide to the test solution.	Show yellow color, which decolorizes after addition of acid.

3. Alkaloids: 

• Alkaloids are a group of chemical compounds, which contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. 

Sr. No	Test	Observation
1 .	Dragendorff's test: Add few drops of Dragendorff's reagent to the filtrate	Orange  brown colour precipitate
2 .	Mayer's test: Add few drops of Mayer's reagent to the 3ml of test solution.	Cream colour precipitate
3.	Hager's test: Add small quantity of Hager's reagent in a filtrate.	Yellow colour precipitate

4. Tannins: 

• Tannins are water-soluble phenolic compounds that precipitate alkaloids, gelatin and other proteins. 
• Tannins shows the anti-inflammatory activity. 

Sr. No	Test	Observations
1	Ferric chloride solution : To 1ml of the extract, add ferric chloride solution.	Dark blue or greenish black color.
2	Gelatin test: To the test solution add a few ml of 1% gelatin solution containing 10% sodium chloride.	white precipitate.
3	Lead acetate test: To the test solution add10% lead acetate.	voluminous white precipitate.

5. Saponins : 

• MO leaves are also a good source of saponins, natural compounds made of an isoprenoid-derived aglycone. 

Sr. No	Test	Observations
1	Foam test: Shake the drug extract or dry powder vigorously with water.	Persistent foam formation.
2	Lieberman Burchard's test: To drug extract few drops of glacial acetic acid and add 2 drops of Conc.H2SO4.	Color change from rose red, violet, blue to green.

• Method of Preparation :

1. Preparation of Moringa oleifera Leaves: Fresh Moringa oleifera leaves collected in the month of March are shade-dried for approximately two weeks until a constant weight is achieved. The dried leaves are then finely pulverized using a suitable grinder to obtain a uniform powder. This powder is divided into two portions: one portion intended for granulation is passed through a 150 µm sieve, while the remaining portion is sieved through a 600 µm mesh. The processed powders are finally stored in airtight containers to prevent moisture absorption and maintain quality.
2. Preparation of Moringa oleifera Granules by Wet Granulation: Granules are prepared using the wet granulation technique by initially blending Moringa oleifera leaf powder with corn starch BP, which acts as a disintegrant, in proportions based on the weight of the herbal material. Where required, a suitable binder solution or mucilage is added in minimal quantity to the dry mixture. The blend is then moistened and kneaded thoroughly using a mortar and pestle for approximately ten minutes to obtain a cohesive wet mass. This mass is subsequently passed through an appropriate sieve to form uniform granules. The wet granules are dried in a hot air oven at 50 °C for about two hours and, after drying, are stored in airtight containers with silica gel to protect them from moisture^[9].

• Evaluation Parameter :

1. Angle of Repose : The angle of repose was evaluated using a stainless-steel funnel with an orifice diameter of 10 mm and a length of 111 mm. The funnel was fixed so that the outlet was positioned 4 cm above a horizontal surface. About 5 g of the powder sample was allowed to flow freely through the funnel to form a conical heap. The height (h) and the radius (r) or width (w) of the powder pile were measured. The experiment was conducted three times to ensure consistency. The angle of repose (θ) was calculated using the following equation:

2. Bulk Density And Tapped Density : Bulk density was determined by accurately weighing 10 g of the sample and transferring it into a 25 mL graduated cylinder with 0.5 mL graduations. The cylinder was gently tapped twice on a flat surface to allow uniform settling of the powder, and the initial volume occupied by the sample was noted. Bulk density was calculated using the following formula:

were,

M = mass of the powder (g)

Vb = bulk volume of the powder (ml)

For the determination of tapped density, the graduated cylinder containing the accurately weighed powder sample was secured to a tap density tester. The cylinder was subjected sequentially to 500, 750, and 1250 taps at a constant rate of 250 taps per minute. After each specified number of taps, the volume occupied by the powder was recorded. Tapped density was calculated using the standard equation, where w represents the weight of the sample and V? denotes the final volume of the powder after tapping.

where,

w = weight of the powder sample (g)

V₂  = volume of the powder after tapping (mL)

3. Hausner’s Ratio : Hausner’s ratio was used to assess the flow characteristics of the powder sample. It was calculated as the ratio of tapped density to bulk density using the following equation:

Or

where,

V_b = bulk volume of the powder

V_t = tapped volume of the powder

4. Carr’s Compressibility Index: Carr’s compressibility index was determined to evaluate the compressibility and flow behavior of the powder sample. It was calculated from the bulk density and tapped density values using the following equation:

Alternatively, when volumes are considered:

where,

V_b? = bulk volume of the powder

V_t = tapped volume of the powder

5. Moisture content: The moisture content of the granules was determined using a moisture content analyzer. A 5 gm sample of granules was accurately weighed and placed in the analyzer. The drying temperature was set to 100 °C, and the sample was heated for 15 minutes under oven-drying conditions. Preliminary validation studies confirmed that the granules attained a constant weight within this duration. The instrument directly displayed the moisture content as a percentage^[10].
6. Loss on Drying: The moisture content of Moringa oleifera leaf powder was determined by the loss on drying method. Accurately, 1 g of the powdered sample was weighed in a pre-weighed (tarred) Petri dish and placed in a hot air oven maintained at 105 °C for 3 hours. After drying, the Petri dish containing the sample was removed and allowed to cool in a desiccator containing anhydrous silica gel, following which it was reweighed. The moisture content was calculated as the percentage ratio of weight loss to the initial weight of the sample. The experiment was carried out in triplicate to ensure reproducibility.

where,

W₁ = initial weight of the sample before drying (g)

W₂ = final weight of the sample after drying (g)

• Uses of Moringa oliefera Granules :

1. It is used as Anti-inflammatory.
2. It is used as Anti arithmetic.
3. Diet high in magnesium, benefits those with hypertension mostly by contributing to the relaxation of the smooth muscles of the blood vessels.
4. Moringa is used for treating Diabetes.
5. Moringa as a rich source of ascorbic acid helps in insulin secretion. 
6. MO helps to remove toxins from the body.
7. Removes heavy metals pollutants.
8. Helps to strengthen the immune system.
9. Helps in building RBCs ^[11]

CONCLUSION :  

In the present study, granules of Moringa oleifera were prepared using the wet granulation technique. Although Moringa oleifera granules can be formulated by various approaches such as direct compression, dry granulation, wet granulation, and granulation by crystallization, the wet granulation method was selected as it proved to be the most appropriate and practical for this formulation. Additionally, the evaluation parameters related to the active chemical constituents of Moringa oleifera leaves and the prepared granules were investigated and reported.

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