Standardization of Moringa Oleifera Lam. Leaves : Pharmacognostic and Phytochemical Evaluation of Leaves as Nutrition Suppliment

The Present piece of scientific work focused on the detailed study of Moringa oleifera leaves. This includes pharmacognostical standardization covering the botanical and physicochemical parameters along with phytochemical standardization and HPTLC analysis. Motive behind the study is to establish the nutritional and phytochemical value of this folk medicinal plant, so as to increase its socio-economic & medicinal uses in rural as well as in urban part of world. Pharmacognostic study of fresh leaf, powder and anatomical sections were carried out to determine its macroscopical and microscopical characters. Various physicochemical parameters viz. Loss on drying, Ash values, Extractive values, Crude fiber content, Foaming Index and Swelling index, were studied. Phytochemical standardization includes estimation of various secondary metabolites and HPTLC analysis of biomarker kaempferol. The results obtained from the ongoing work reveals the utility of herb as a nutritional supplement and an important medicinal plant for further elaborated study.