Microbiological Assessment of Moringa Oleifera Extracts and Its Incorporation in Novel Dental Remedies against Some Oral Pathogens

AIM: To assess the antibacterial and antifungal potentials of different parts of Moringa oleifera plant using different extraction methods in attempts to formulate natural dental remedies from this plant.MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three solvents extracts (Ethanol, acetone, and ethyl acetate) of different parts of Egyptian Moringa tree were prepared and tested against oral pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, and Candida albicans using disc diffusion method; As well as to incorporate the plant extract to formulate experimental toothpaste and mouthwash.  The two dental remedies  were assessed against the same microbial strains. Statistical analysis was performed using One-Way ANOVA test to compare the inhibition zone diameter and t-test.RESULTS: Ethanol  extracts  as well as leaves extracts demonstrated the highest significant mean inhibition zone values (P ≤ 0.05) against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans growth. However, all extracts revealed no inhibition zone against Candida albicans. For dental remedies, experimental toothpaste exhibited higher mean inhibition than the mouthwash against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans and only the toothpaste revealed antifungal effect against Candida albicans.CONCLUSION: The different extracts of different parts of Moringa showed an antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans growth. The novel toothpaste of ethanolic leaves extract has antimicrobial and antifungal potential effects all selected strains

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS, IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, ORAL ACUTE TOXICITY AND LD50 DETERMINATION OF MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAVES

Objective: The objective of this study was undertaken to estimate the total phenolic contents (TPCs), in vitro antioxidant of different solvent extracts of M. oleifera leaves, oral acute toxicity and LD50 determination of the 85% methanolic extract as well as the chromatographic isolation and identification of the extract constituents.Methods: The antioxidant activity of different solvent extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves were estimated using three antioxidant assays and the total phenolic contents (TPCs) were also evaluated using Folin-Ciocalteu's assay. The n-BuOH extract undergoes further chromatographic isolation owing to the high antioxidant activity using 2, 2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) method, which resulted in the isolation of seven compounds.Results: The results showed that the TPCs values of the tested extracts were varied from 309.52 to 43.28 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry extract. The reducing power antioxidant activities (RPAA) were 0.434, 0.402, 0.395, 0.149, 0.143 and 0.124, while the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) values were 316.43, 203.35, 181.56, 86.70, 76.62 and 50.83 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g dry extract; for n-BuOH, EtOAc, 85% MeOH, H2O, CH2Cl2, and pet. ether extracts, respectively. The oral acute toxicity study of the 85% methanol extracts of M. oleifera and M. peregrina revealed that; their LD50 values were 3458.3 and 4125 mg/kg respectively, thus the two plants could be classified as slightly toxic in the scale of Hodge and Sterner which reflected their nutrient values as edible plants. The isolated compounds were identified on the basis of their 1H and 13C-NMR spectra as; cis-p-coumaric acid 4-O-(2'-O-β-D-apiofuranosyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), chlorogenic acid (2), niazirin (3), 3,4-dihydroxy-β-phenylethoxy-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(l→2)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-4-O-caffeoyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), gallic acid (5), taxifolin (6), and benzyl-carbamo-thioethionate (7).Conclusion: The M. oleifera leaves showed promising antioxidant activities and slightly toxic behavior

Molecular mechanisms of the anti-obesity potential effect of Moringa oleifera in the experimental model

Objective: To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the potent anti-obesity effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. (M. oleifera) ethanolic extract and to clarify the link between these mechanisms and the associated metabolic and vascular risks in the experimental model of visceral obesity. Methods: M. oleifera ethanolic extract was orally administered at 600 mg/kg body weight in obese female rats daily for 12 weeks. At the end of treatment, body weight was determined, and the atherogenic index, coronary artery index, glucose level, insulin resistance status, liver and kidney functions were assessed. Also, the mRNA of leptin, adiponectin and resistin in visceral adipose tissue was determined by quantitative real time-PCR. Results: The results showed that M. oleifera extract down-regulated mRNA expression of leptin and resistin, while it up-regulated adiponectin gene expression in obese rats relative to untreated obese control counterparts. This amelioration of genes expression was paralleled by a reduction in body weight and improvement of the atherogenic index and coronary artery index, as well as glucose level and insulin resistance value without adverse effects on liver or kidney functions, versus the untreated obese control ones. Conclusions: It is reasonable to assume that the anti-obesity, anti-atherogenic and anti-diabetic properties of M. oleifera are mechanistically achieved via working directly on the adipokines of the visceral adipose tissue. Therefore, M. oleifera may be a good therapeutic candidate for the symptoms of metabolic syndrome