Abstract
Research has demonstrated the importance of dietary plants in daily life. Moringa oleifera a multipurpose green leafy vegetable plays an important role in sustainable communities due to its high nutritional quality and adaptability to diverse environment. Moringa oleifera plays a crucial role in the prevention of chronic diseases, as most of them find use in a number of pharmaceutical compounds. The present study was designed to study the therapeutic potential of the flower extracts by screening its biological activity under oxidative stress conditions in vitro and to understand the molecular insights taking place. To understand the assault and its protection, three different membrane systems like RBC ghosts, liver homogenate and liver slices were used and the oxidant induced cell injury was quantified as the extent of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formed. In order to investigate its role in immune response the activity of the flower extracts were studied against the cyclophosphamide stress in mice and the level of hematological parameters like RBC, WBC count and differential count were recorded. Neutrophil adhesion test, haemagglutinating antibody (HA) titre, delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response were also determined. The extract showed significant dose dependent increase in WBC, percent neutrophils and substantially enhanced cellular immune response, humoral immune response, neutrophil index in doses of 200 and 400mg/kg body weight. Phytochemical and TLC analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids and further showed a significant DPPH free radical scavenging activity.Quercetin and kaempferol were identified as the major components by HPTLC in the extract. Additionally high levels of minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc and trace amounts of selenium were quantified in the flower extracts by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results obtained in this study indicate that flower extracts contain active components and minerals that stimulate the immunomodulatory activity by enhancing both cellular and humoral response and have the potential for the maintenance of general immune health and this plant can be exploited for the production of new drugs, industrial products and phytopharmaceuticals.
