Moringa: Eine mögliche Hochpreiskultur für Industrie und Landwirtschaft in weniger entwickelten Ländern

Prof. Dr. Klaus Becker

• Human food

• Water purification

• Pharmaceutical products

• Animal and fish feed

Multiple uses of Moringa

Nutritious food

Vit A enrichment of fish

High Vit A content

Inhibition of rumen proteolysis

Source of antioxidants,pharmaceuticals

Animal feed Water purification

Moringa tree – general information

• Family - Moringaceae• Genus - Moringa• Common names - horseradish tree, drumstick

tree, West India Ben• Number of species - 14• Most inportant - Moringa oleifera, M.

stenopetala• Origin - Sub-Himalayan tracts of the

Indian subcontinent • Occurrence, cultivation - all over the tropics• Growth and Size - fast growing perennial tree,

grows to 7-12m height

Methods of Moringa culture

•Traditionally cultivated asa backyard plant

• Trials in Nicaragua have shown that it is ideally suited also for more intensive production

Production of nutrients from intensive M. oleifera cultivation in Nicaragua

37.647.4NSP, Ash, Others24.030.2NDF3.54.4Lipid7.910.0Starch

10.012.6Sugar17.021.4Protein

126Dry matter

Concentration (% DM)

Yield (tons/ha/yr)

Nutrient/component

Source: N. Foidl, personal communication; NSP-non-starch polysaccharides

Moringa – a highly valued food in the tropics

• Traditionally used as a vegetable that can be grown in the backyard

• Parts used - Green pods, tender leaves, flowers and oil from seeds traditionally used as human food

M. oleifera leaves have become a recommended food supplement

Spoonful thrice daily (total 25g) along with millet broth

Whole milk powder – 110gSugar – 50gOil – 30gElectrolyte/mineral – 20mlMade up with water to 1000ml

Moringa leaf powder supplementClassical supplement for catch-up growth in malnourished children

Available and affordable to all, spectacular results, improvement from day 10

Problem of availability and affordability in poor far flung areas

Nutritional and energy content of Moringa leaves from three regions (% in dry matter)

2.8

2.1

5.4

ADL

19.7

20.1

18.9

GE

13.128.79.49.628.5Niger

12.123.28.95.226.2Nicaragua

15.131.411.85.733.0India

ADFNDFAshCLCP

CP-crude protein, CL-crude lipid, NDF-neutral detergent fibre, ADF-acid detergent fibre, ADL-acid detergent lignin, GE-gross energy (MJ/kg)

Mineral Composition of M. oleifera leaves from different origins

347582175Iron24.213.513.7Zinc113.947.151.8Manganese10.611.27.1Copper

Microelements (mg/kg DM)1.221.161.36Phosphorus2.611.162.73Sodium0.110.110.11Magnesium13.917.526.4Calcium18.419.121.7Potassium

Macroelements (g/kg DM)NigerNicaraguaIndia

1.12.71.92.3Tryptophan

3.43.23.13.5Threonine

5.84.34.74.8Lysine

1.92.62.53.1Histidine

4.94.15.8Phenylalanine

6.3b2.72.62.9Tyrosine

6.67.07.27.5Leucine

2.83.73.63.8Isoleucine

3.54.23.94.4Valine

1.11.31.2Methionine

2.5a1.01.01.2CystineFAO/WHO ref.NigerNicaraguaIndiaAmino acid

Essential amino acid composition of M. oleifera leaves from different regions (g/16gN)

FAO/WHO (1990) reference pattern suggested for pre-school children (2-5 years old); acystine + methionine; btyrosine + phenylalanine

Moringa – a nutritious vegetable to a “functional food”

• Leaf powder now recommended in Africa and Asia as a nutritional supplement for

– Lactating mothers

– Infants and children

Photo: Lowell J. Fuglie, Church World Service

ndnd15/66.5/50015/66.5/250

ndLectins*

25.066.941.326.021.0Phytates (g/kg)

5.031.231.15.2ndCyanogenic glycosides (mg/kg)

3.9ndndnd12.0Tannins (g/kg)

11.36.60.410.2444.3Total phenols (g/kg)

29.96.413.910.681.0Saponins (g/kg)

5.0nd65.546.4ndGlucosinolates (µmol/g)

TwigsExtracted meal

MealKernelLeaves

Major secondary compounds in Moringa parts (DM basis)

*inverse of wt. of sample in g per ml of assay solution that caused agglutinationnd: not detectable

Level of two bioactive flavonoids in Moringa leaves and extracts

Quercetin Kaempferol

g / 1

00g

DM

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

raw water 80%methanol

70% ethanol

IndiaNicaraguaNiger

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

raw water 80%methanol

70% ethanol

IndiaNicaraguaNiger

Comparative evaluation of antioxidant activity of Moringa leaf extracts and synthetic

antioxidants

0

20

40

60

80

100

BHT BHA AA WE ME

Inhi

bitio

n of

per

oxid

atio

n (%

)

BHT: Butylhydroxytoluol BHA: ButylhydroxyanisolAA: Vitamin CWE: Water extractME: Methanol extract

Content of carotenoids and ascorbic acid in Moringa leaves from different regions (mg / kg DM)

6.89.28.4Ascorbic acid (g/kg)

308268225Total β-carotene

454410396Lutein

50.041.542.5Violaxanthin

35

190

India

4640cis-β-carotene

262228trans-β-carotene

NigerNicaraguaComponent

Use of Moringa as water purifiers in rural tropics

• An easily applicable method in rural areas

• Satisfactory cleaning of water

• Minimal capital inputs

Coliform removal by M. oleifera extracts compared to effect of alums on muncipal wastewater

<500<500Moringa extract

<500<500Alum (Al2.(SO4)3 . 18H2O)

1.8 x 1053.0 x 105Sedimentation

2.1 x 1053.5 x 105Untreated

Fecal coliforms (per 100 ml)

Total coliforms (per 100 ml)

From: Ndabigengesere and Narasiah, 1998

Use of Moringa as animal feed

• Increased culture may result in higher yield of residues that could be used as animal feed

• High quality feed supplement

• Evaluation of pharmaco-toxicological consequences of high inclusion in feeds

Effect of Moringa forage supplementation on body mass development in cattle*

1.10+2.25Hay (ad lib) + 0.25 kg dried moringaforage

Moringa supplement (n=6)

--18Hay (ad lib)Control (n=6)

Partial feed conversion efficiency(feed/gain)

Body mass balance (90 days; kg per animal)

Feed sourceTreatment

* From N. Foidl; Nicaragua, dry season

Moringa seed extract (MSE) influences protein digestion by rumen microbes

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

A

B

C

D

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

Soy protein Leaf protein

+ MSE

− MSE

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

A

B

C

D

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

A

B

C

D

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

Soy protein Leaf protein

+ MSE

− MSE

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

A

B

C

D

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

Soy protein Leaf protein

+ MSE

− MSE

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

A

B

C

D

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

A

B

C

D

Incubation time (h)0 2 4 6 8 10 12 S M

Soy protein Leaf protein

+ MSE

− MSE

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

0 6 12 18 24Inkubationszeit (h)

Pro

tein

(mg/

ml)

Kontrolle

Moringa Extrakt

Control

Moringa extract

Incubation time

Decrease of in vitro protein digestion on addition of 1 mg/ml MSE

In vitro digestion of soy protein (A & B) and leaf protein (C & D) with and without MSE

Growth performance of tilapia fed diets containing Moringa leaves

17.317.2

27.122.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 10 20 30

Bod

y m

ass

gain

(g fi

sh-1

) 39.336.3 35.1

34.53

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 10 20 30

aab

b b

aa a

a

Dietary protein replaced by raw leaf meal (%) Dietary protein replaced by methanol extracted leaf meal (%)

105.3104.8

64.7

20.3

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0 10 20 30Percentage of total dietary protein replaced by Moringa

raw leaf samples

Ret

inol

con

cent

ratio

n (µ

g liv

er-1

)

b

a

aa

Liver retinol (vitamin A) enrichment in tilapia fed Moringa leaves

Multiple uses and future perspectives• Ideally suited for largescale cultivation in rural areas in

the tropics – more information on agronomy required

• Directly beneficial as food and feed ingredients locally

• Potential for production of antioxidants and pharmaceutical products for international markets

• Need for further in vivo tests for various effects