Development of pressurised hot water extraction (PHWE) for essential compounds from Moringa oleifera leaf extracts

Flavonoid from Moringa oleifera leaves revisited: A review article on in vitro, in vivo, and in silico studies of antidiabetic insulin-resistant activity

Diabetes mellitus (DM) occurs when the body experiences insulin deficiency or is unable to use insulin appropriately, which increases the blood glucose levels over the threshold. Moringa oleifera leaf is a widely used and scientifically proven herbal medicine to treat DM. The demand for the development of new drugs has prompted in vitro, in vivo, and in silico studies of antidiabetic insulin-resistant activity. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive study of the types of flavonoid and nonflavonoid compounds that have antidiabetic activity in insulin resistance mellitus using in vitro, in vivo, and in silico approaches. The literature review was conducted in accordance with the offered reporting items for systematic review. Major bibliographic databases, i.e. Scopus, PubMed, and DOAJ, covering original articles about the aforementioned issues between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2021 were used. In this study, 274 articles were retrieved, of which 4 were duplicates, and after the titles were read, only 108 were left for analysis. After the abstract screening, 32 articles were eligible for the literature review. The results exhibit that flavonoids, including quercetin and kaempferol, and nonflavonoids, including anthraquinone, cytogluside (glycoside), hemlock tannin, phenolic steroid, and 2-phenylchromenylium (anthocyanins), have potential insulin-resistant antidiabetic activity in vitro, in vivo, and in silico. This has broadened the research into the development of new drugs.

Moringa oleifera Lam Leaf Extract Stimulates NRF2 and Attenuates ARV-Induced Toxicity in Human Liver Cells (HepG2)

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that there are 37 million individuals living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) worldwide, with the majority in South Africa. This chronic disease is managed by the effective use of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. However, with prolonged use, ARV drug-induced toxicity remains a clinically complex problem. This study investigated the toxicity of ARV drugs on mitochondria and the NRF2 antioxidant pathway and its possible amelioration using Moringa oleifera Lam (MO) leaf extracts. This medicinal plant has a range of functional bioactive compounds. Liver (HepG2) cells were treated with individual ARV drugs: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), Emtricitabine (FTC), and Lamivudine (3TC) for 96 h, followed by MO leaf extracts for 24 h. Intracellular ROS, cytotoxicity, lipid peroxidation, total and reduced glutathione (GSH), ATP, and mitochondrial polarisation were determined. Finally, protein (pNRF2, NRF2, SOD2, CAT, and Sirt3) and mRNA (NRF2, CAT, NQO1 SOD2, Sirt3, and PGC1α) expression were measured using Western blot and qPCR, respectively. TDF, FTC, and 3TC significantly increased intracellular ROS and extracellular levels of both MDA and LDH. ARVs also reduced the GSH and ATP levels and altered the mitochondrial polarization. Further, ARVs reduced the expression of NRF2 SOD2, Sirt3, CAT, NQO1, UCP2 and PGC1α mRNA and consequently pNRF2, NRF2, SOD2, Sirt3 and CAT protein. In contrast, there was a significant reduction in the extracellular MDA and LDH levels post-MO treatment. MO significantly reduced intracellular ROS while significantly increasing GSH, ATP, and mitochondrial membrane polarization. The addition of MO to ARV-treated cells significantly upregulated the expression of NRF2, SOD2, Sirt3, CAT, UCP2, PGC1α, and NQO1 mRNA and pNRF2, NRF2, SOD2, Sirt3 proteins. Thus, MO ameliorates ARV-induced hepatotoxicity by scavenging oxidants by inducing the NRF2 antioxidant pathway. MO shows great therapeutic potential and may be considered a potential supplement to ameliorate ARV drug toxicity.

Moringa oleifera leaf attenuate osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats by modulating gut microbiota composition and MAPK signaling pathway

Moringa oleifera leaf (MLP) contains abundant complex nutrients with anti-osteoporosis potential. However, its efficacy and mechanisms against osteoporosis remain unknown. The purpose of this research is to investigate MLP's anti-osteoporotic effects and mechanisms. Animal experiments were used in this work to validate MLP's anti-osteoporotic efficacy. We investigated the mode of action of MLP, analyzed its impact on the gut microbiota, and predicted and validated its anti-osteoporosis-related molecular targets and pathways through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and western blotting. In an ovariectomized osteoporosis rat model, MLP significantly increased bone mineral density and improved bone metabolism-related indicators, bone microstructure, and lipid profile. Moreover, it improved gut microbiota composition and increased the expression of Occludin and Claudin-1 protein in the duodenum. Network pharmacology identified a total of 97 active ingredients and 478 core anti-osteoporosis targets. Of these, MAPK1 (also known as ERK2), MAPK3 (also known as ERK1), and MAPK8 (also known as JNK) were successfully docked with the active constituents of MLP. Interestingly, MLP increased ERK and VAV3 protein expression and decreased p-ERK and JNK protein expression in the femur. These findings confirm MLP's anti-osteoporotic efficacy, which could be mediated via regulation of gut microbiota and MAPK signaling.

A Comprehensive Review of Moringa oleifera Bioactive Compounds-Cytotoxicity Evaluation and Their Encapsulation

Moringa oleifera Lam. has gained a lot of attention due to its potential use as a functional food not only for human health but also for animal health. Its bioactive molecules include carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, carotenoids, fatty acids, essential amino acids, and functional peptides. Despite significant efforts to isolate and characterize bioactive metabolites with health functions, few effective metabolites are accessible. The current review aims to describe the main processes for extracting and encapsulating bioactive compounds from Moringa oleifera for potential impact on food science and public health. Researchers have shown that different extraction techniques significantly impact the Moringa polysaccharides' molecular structure and biological activity. Encapsulation has been proposed to reduce oxidative stability and entrap active agents within a carrier material to deliver bioactive molecules into foods. Currently, polysaccharides and proteins, followed by lipids, are used for material encapsulation. Recent techniques include spray drying, cross-linking gelation, freeze-drying, nanoencapsulation, electrospinning, and electrospraying. Moreover, these encapsulations can overlap concerns regarding the Moringa oleifera compounds' cytotoxicity. Future studies should prioritize the effect of new encapsulation materials on Moringa extract and develop new techniques that consider both encapsulation cost and efficiency.

Assessing the Usefulness of Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract as a Biostimulant to Supplement Synthetic Fertilizers: A Review

The extensive use of synthetic chemical fertilizers is associated with environmental pollution and soil degradation. In addition, the high costs of these fertilizers necessitate the search for alternative, eco-friendly and safe natural sources of phytonutrients. The liquid extracted from moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) leaves has been used in agriculture to improve the growth and productivity of several crops. The efficacy of moringa leaf extract (MLE) is attributed to its high content of mineral nutrients, protein, vitamins, sugars, fiber, phenolics and free proline. In addition, MLE contains significant amounts of phytohormones, such as auxins, cytokinins and gibberellins. Furthermore, MLE is a valuable product promoting seed germination, plant growth and deeper root development, delaying fruit senescence and increasing the yield and quality of crops grown under normal or stressful conditions. Here, we review the research on MLE as a biostimulant to enhance crop growth and productivity. Moreover, we emphasize its possible introduction to smallholder farming systems to provide phytonutrients, and we further highlight research gaps in the existing knowledge regarding MLE application. Generally, MLE is an inexpensive, sustainable, eco-friendly and natural biostimulant that can be used to improve the growth and productivity attributes of various crops under non-stressful and stressful conditions.

Recent Advances in Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) Leaves Bioactive Compounds: Composition, Health Benefits, Bioaccessibility, and Dietary Applications

Based on the availability of many nutrients, Moringa oleifera tree leaves have been widely employed as nutrients and nutraceuticals in recent years. The leaves contain a small amount of anti-nutritional factors and are abundant in innumerable bioactive compounds. Recently, in several in vivo and in vitro investigations, moringa leaves’ bioactive components and functionality are highlighted. Moringa leaves provide several health advantages, including anti-diabetic, antibacterial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. The high content of phytochemicals, carotenoids, and glucosinolates is responsible for the majority of these activities as reported in the literature. Furthermore, there is growing interest in using moringa as a value-added ingredient in the development of functional foods. Despite substantial study into identifying and measuring these beneficial components from moringa leaves, bioaccessibility and bioavailability studies are lacking. This review emphasizes recent scientific evidence on the dietary and bioactive profiles of moringa leaves, bioavailability, health benefits, and applications in various food products. This study highlights new scientific data on the moringa leaves containing nutrient and bioactive profiles, bioavailability, health benefits, and uses in various food items. Moringa has been extensively used as a health-promoting food additive because of its potent protection against various diseases and the widespread presence of environmental toxins. More research is needed for utilization as well as to study medicinal effects and bioaccesibility of these leaves for development of various drugs and functional foods.

Moringa oleifera Hot Water Extract Protects Vero Cells from Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Oxidative Stress by Regulating Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptotic Pathway and Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling

The present study discloses the identification of phenolic compounds in Moringa oleifera hot water extract (MOH) and the evaluation of its antioxidant activity on H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress in Vero cells. Upon analysis, MOH was found to contain phenolic compounds and indicated 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS⁺) radical scavenging with IC₅₀ values of 102.52 and 122.55 µg/mL, respectively. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of MOH indicated a dose-dependent increase with a maximum absorbance at 125 μg/mL and the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of MOH was 1004.95 µmol TE/mg. Results showed that MOH dose-dependently reduced intracellular ROS generation in H₂O₂-stimulated Vero cells while increasing the cell viability. Fluorescence microscopy and flowcytometric analyses have supported the above findings. MOH markedly suppressed the H₂O₂-induced mitochondrial depolarization and apoptosis through suppression of the mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis pathway and activated the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway by possibly involving H₂O₂ generation in cell media. Findings of western blot were supported by immunocytochemistry of Nrf2 nuclear translocation. Thus, MOH bioactivity would potentiate its applications in manufacturing functional food.

Effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. Leaf Tea on Sexual Behavior and Reproductive Function in Male Rats

Moringa oleifera Lam. (M. oleifera) has been called the "miracle tree" due to its attributes for therapy in various diseases. However, M. oleifera studies on the male reproductive system have been limited. The aim of this study was a phytochemical screening and investigation of the effects of M. oleifera leaf tea on sexual behavior, reproductive function and antioxidant activities. Male rats were fed with M. oleifera leaf tea extract at doses of 0.55, 1.10 and 2.20 mg/kg or distilled water for 30 days. The result showed that M. oleifera leaf tea contained rich total phenols and flavonoids. The courtship behavior, seminiferous tubule diameter, epithelium height, epithelium area, type A spermatogonia, and spermatogonia efficiency were significantly increased in all treatment groups. The groups treated with 1.10 and 2.20 mg/kg increased the number of Sertoli cells. The total of spermatogenic cells increased in the group treated with 0.55 mg/kg. M. oleifera leaf tea scavenged DPPH radical, ABTS radical and H₂O₂, and inhibited LPO and AGEs formation. Due to M. oleifera leaf tea containing rich total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants, it could enhance sexual function and the male reproductive system.

Effect of Solid-State Fermentation on Nutritional Quality of Leaf Flour of the Drumstick Tree (Moringa oleifera Lam.)

The drumstick tree is a fast-growing multipurpose tree with a large biomass and high nutritional value. However, it has rarely been exploited as a protein source. This study investigated solid-state fermentation induced by Aspergillus niger, Candida utilis and Bacillus subtilis to obtain high-quality protein feed from drumstick leaf flour. The results showed that fermentation induced significant changes in the nutritional composition of drumstick leaf flour. The concentrations of crude protein, small peptides and amino acids increased significantly after fermentation. The protein profile was also affected by the fermentation process. Macromolecular proteins in drumstick leaf flour were degraded, whereas other high molecular weight proteins were increased. However, the concentrations of crude fat, fiber, total sugar and reducing sugar were decreased, as were the anti-nutritional factors tannins, phytic acid and glucosinolates. After 24 h fermentation, the concentrations of total phenolics and flavonoids were increased. The antioxidant capacity was also significantly enhanced.

Selective pressurized hot water extraction of nutritious macro-nutrients vs. micro-nutrients in Moringa oleifera leaves-a chemometric approach

Moringa oleifera leaves are widely used in traditional medicine as a food supplement because they are high in essential and nutritious content. Pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE), which is a green approach, was used for the recovery of the macro-nutrient and micro-nutrient elements from dried leaf powder of Moringa oleifera. In this study, response surface methodology was applied to assess the influence of temperature (50-200 °C) and time (5-60 min) on the extractability pattern of macro-nutrient and micro-nutrient elements from the leaves of Moringa oleifera when processed by PHWE. The quantification of macro-nutrient elements such as Ca, K and Mg and micro-nutrient elements like Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni and Zn from the leaves was determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Obtained results revealed that the extraction of macro-nutrient elements from the Moringa oleifera leaves was enhanced by increasing the extraction time more than the extraction temperature. On the contrary, the amounts of extractable micro-nutrient elements were increased by increasing the extraction temperature. Hence, the recovery for macro-nutrient elements ranged from 88 to 98% while for micro-nutrients it ranged from 21 to 46%. This implies that macro-nutrient elements are extracted with relatively high selectivity in relation to micro-nutrient elements in Moringa dried leaf powder using the PHWE technique.

Comprehensive Investigation of Moringa oleifera from Different Regions by Simultaneous Determination of 11 Polyphenols Using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS

In this study, we develop and validate a simultaneous quantification of polyphenols method based on an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) to adequately understand how different habitats influence the quality and profile of Moringa oleifera polyphenol. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were used to compare and discriminate 25 samples collected from different areas. A significant correlation was found between the polyphenol profile and the collection area. Significant differences in the polyphenol content of Moringa oleifera from different regions indicate that the genetic diversity of Moringa oleifera was relatively rich, possibly due to differences in cultivation conditions, climate, or soil environment resulting in the accumulation of different polyphenols. These observations provide a theoretical basis for subsequent Moringa oleifera germplasm selection and development research. Furthermore, the quantitative analysis methodology used to characterize the polyphenols may be used toward developing quality assessment and future pharmacodynamic investigations of Moringa oleifera.

Optimization of Phenolic Compound Extraction from Chinese Moringa oleifera Leaves and Antioxidant Activities

Rich in phenolic compounds, Moringa oleifera leaf extract (ME) exhibits significant antioxidant activity both in vitro and in vivo. ME has already been widely used in fields of medicine, functional food, and cosmetics. Ultrasonic extraction (UE) method has been improved to be one of the most effective ways to extract phenols from M. oleifera leaves. The purpose of this study was to optimize ultrasonic extraction of phenols by response surface methodology (RSM). Four parameters were discussed, such as ethanol concentration, solvent-sample ratio, extraction temperature, and extraction time. Also, purification methods of the crude ME by organic solvent extraction and column chromatography were examined. Antioxidant activities of ME and each fraction were evaluated by DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxy radical-scavenging activities and reducing power. The phenol content of the purified ME reached up to 962.6 mg RE/g, extremely higher than the crude extract 107.22 ± 1.93 mg RE/g. The antioxidant activity of the purified ME was also significantly improved. Furthermore, phenols were identified by using the HPLC-MS method, and the results showed that there were 6 phenolic acids and derivatives and 7 flavonoids in ME. Quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside isolated from ME showed excellent DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging abilities, which were comparable to VC.

Comparative assessment regarding antioxidative and nutrition potential of Moringa oleifera leaves by bacterial fermentation

Moringa is considered as a miraculous plant because of its outstanding health-promoting properties. Moringa leaves are used in various forms for various purposes owing to its potential against that purpose. This experiment was performed to utilize the hidden potential of Moringa leaves. The Moringa leaves were fermented by Bacillus subtilis KCTC 13,241 for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h to identify the best time duration of fermentation. The antioxidant potential of fermented Moringa leaves was estimated by measuring the total phenolic content (TPC), total isoflavones content (TIFC), DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activity and SOD-like activity. In addition to these parameters, the concentration of various total amino acids (TAA) and fatty acids were also determined. The best treatment was 48 h fermented Moringa leaves because of the best results in all measured parameters except in fatty acids concentration. The highest fatty acids concentration was recorded in 24 h fermented leaves. The results of 48 h fermented Moringa leaves regarding TAA, TPC, TIFC, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging potential and SOD-like activity were 121.95 ± 3.74 mg/g, 310.25 ± 3.77 μg GAE/g, 1083.38 ± 5.92 µg/g, 63.12 ± 2.38%, 78.45 ± 3.32%, and 34.55 ± 1.05% respectively. The palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acid concentration in 24 h fermented Moringa leaves was 55.32 ± 1.93, 56.02 ± 2.12, 53.82 ± 2.54, 55.95 ± 1.62 and 56.41 ± 1.43% respectively. In conclusion, the present results disclose that fermented Moringa leaves are the source of natural antioxidants and nutrients.

Scribbling the Cat: A Case of the "Miracle" Plant, Moringa oleifera

This paper reviews the properties of the most cultivated species of the Moringaceae family, Moringa oleifera Lam. The paper takes a critical look at the positive and the associated negative properties of the plant, with particular emphasis on its chemistry, selected medicinal and nutritional properties, as well as some ecological implications of the plant. The review highlights the importance of glucosinolates (GS) compounds which are relatively unique to the Moringa species family, with glucomoriginin and its acylated derivative being the most abundant. We highlight some new research findings revealing that not all M. oleifera cultivars contain an important flavonoid, rutin. The review also focuses on phenolic acids, tannin, minerals and vitamins, which are in high amounts when compared to most vegetables and fruits. Although there are numerous benefits of using M. oleifera for medicinal purposes, there are reports of contraindications. Nonetheless, we note that there are no major harmful effects of M. oleifera that have been reported by the scientific community. M. oleifera is suspected to be potentially invasive and moderately invasive in some regions of the world because of its ability to grow in a wide range of environmental conditions. However, the plant is currently classified as a low potential invasive species and thus there is a need to constantly monitor the species. Despite the numerous benefits associated with the plant, there is still a paucity of data on clinical trials proving both the positive and negative effects of the plant. We recommend further clinical trials to ascertain the properties associated with the plant, especially regarding long term use.

Antibacterial efficacy of Moringa oleifera leaf extract against pyogenic bacteria isolated from a dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) abscess

Background:

Abscess in camel is one of the most important bacterial infections. It causes anemia and emaciation, resulting in an economic loss due to carcass condemnation and a decrease in reproductive and production efficiency.

Aim:

This investigation aimed to isolate the bacteria from abscesses in camels and evaluate the antibacterial activity of Moringa oleifera extracts.

Materials and Methods:

Disk diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration were used for the evaluation of the antibacterial activity of M. oleifera extracts against isolated bacteria from camel abscesses.

Results:

The isolated bacteria were displayed relatively as follows: Corynebacteriumpseudotuberculosis (30.4%), Staphylococcus aureus (25.8%), Escherichiacoli (17.8%), Corynebacteriumulcerans (10.5%), Klebsiellapneumoniae (8.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8.5%), Micrococcus spp. (6.7%), Proteus vulgaris (5.2%), Citrobacter spp. (4.2%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (1.7%). The drugs of choice for Corynebacterium isolates were ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, whereas amikacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, neomycin, novobiocin, streptomycin, and vancomycin were for Staphylococcus isolates. Moreover, the ethanol extracts of M. oleifera showed higher antibacterial efficacy than the cold aqueous extracts.

Conclusion:

M. oleifera is considered one of the new infection-fighting strategies in controlling pyogenic bacteria responsible for camel abscesses.

Simultaneous extraction of phenolics and essential oil from peppermint by pressurized hot water extraction

Phenolics and essential oil of peppermint were obtained by pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE). The best extraction conditions were found to be 130 °C for temperature, 10 min for extraction time, and 3 cycles for extraction number. There were no statistically significant differences between 130 and 160 °C in terms of essential oil content. Total phenolic contents (TPC) of the extracts were higher at 160 °C than that of 130 °C. However, further HPLC analysis of the extracts revealed that hydrolysis and/or decomposition of phenolics were observed in the extracts obtained at 160 °C. The main phenolic of peppermint was determined as eriocitrin by HPLC-DAD, while menthol was the dominant component in essential oil fraction of peppermint by GC-FID. The present study demonstrated that PHWE was a suitable technique for simultaneous extraction of phenolics and essential oil from peppermint. The technique might be used as an analytical extraction tool for determination of phenolics and essential oil. Moreover, the extracts of PHWE could directly be evaluated for the enrichment of liquid food formulations or be transformed into solid form by suitable techniques such as spray drying for easy storage and subsequent enrichment of food products.

Phytochemical Composition of Solanum retroflexum Analysed with the Aid of Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography Hyphenated to Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-qTOF-MS)

Solanum retroflexum (nightshade) is an edible plant that is consumed in some regions of South Africa. Its leaves are a good source of vitamins, proteins, and minerals. It appears that there is no scientific report about the phytochemical composition of S. retroflexum. Here, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadruple-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-qTOF-MS) technique was use to achieve an untargeted metabolite fingerprinting of this plant. A total of 30 phytochemicals, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and cinnamic acids derivatives, were identified from the methanolic leaf extracts. The concentration of solvent did not affect the type of compounds extracted. The extraction resulted in qualitative yields of molecules such as quercetin-3-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-0-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-0-glucoside, 3-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-caffeoylquinic acid, and 3, 4-di-caffeoylquinic acid. The present study confirms the presence of phytochemical compounds in S. retroflexum similar to other Solanum plants.

Variation in the mineral element concentration of Moringa oleifera Lam. and M. stenopetala (Bak. f.) Cuf.: Role in human nutrition

BACKGROUND

Moringa oleifera (MO) and M. stenopetala (MS) (family Moringaceae; order Brassicales) are multipurpose tree/shrub species. They thrive under marginal environmental conditions and produce nutritious edible parts. The aim of this study was to determine the mineral composition of different parts of MO and MS growing in their natural environments and their potential role in alleviating human mineral micronutrient deficiencies (MND) in sub-Saharan Africa.

METHODS

Edible parts of MO (n = 146) and MS (n = 50), co-occurring cereals/vegetables and soils (n = 95) underneath their canopy were sampled from localities in southern Ethiopia and Kenya. The concentrations of seven mineral elements, namely, calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iodine (I), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) in edible parts and soils were determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

In Ethiopian crops, MS leaves contained the highest median concentrations of all elements except Cu and Zn, which were greater in Enset (a.k.a., false banana). In Kenya, Mo flowers and MS leaves had the highest median Se concentration of 1.56 mg kg-1 and 3.96 mg kg-1, respectively. The median concentration of Se in MS leaves was 7-fold, 10-fold, 23-fold, 117-fold and 147-fold more than that in brassica leaves, amaranth leaves, baobab fruits, sorghum grain and maize grain, respectively. The median Se concentration was 78-fold and 98-fold greater in MO seeds than in sorghum and maize grain, respectively. There was a strong relationship between soil total Se and potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4)-extractable Se, and Se concentration in the leaves of MO and MS.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms previous studies that Moringa is a good source of several of the measured mineral nutrients, and it includes the first wide assessment of Se and I concentrations in edible parts of MO and MS grown in various localities. Increasing the consumption of MO and MS, especially the leaves as a fresh vegetable or in powdered form, could reduce the prevalence of MNDs, most notably Se deficiency.

Simultaneous Quantification of Seven Bioactive Flavonoids in Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium by Ultra-Fast Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry

INTRODUCTION

Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP) is a commonly-used traditional Chinese medicine with flavonoids as the major bioactive components. Nevertheless, the contents of the flavonoids in CRP of different sources may significantly vary affecting their therapeutic effects. Thus, the setting up of a reliable and comprehensive quality assessment method for flavonoids in CRP is necessary.

OBJECTIVE

To set up a rapid and sensitive ultra-fast liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous quantification of seven bioactive flavonoids in CRP.

METHODS

A UFLC-MS/MS method coupled to ultrasound-assisted extraction was developed for simultaneous separation and quantification of seven flavonoids including hesperidin, neohesperidin, naringin, narirutin, tangeretin, nobiletin and sinensetin in 16 batches of CRP samples from different sources in China.

RESULTS

The established method showed good linearity for all analytes with correlation coefficient (R) over 0.9980, together with satisfactory accuracy, precision and reproducibility. Furthermore, the recoveries at the three spiked levels were higher than 89.71% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) lower than 5.19%. The results indicated that the contents of seven bioactive flavonoids in CRP varied significantly among different sources. Among the samples under study, hesperidin showed the highest contents in 16 samples ranged from 27.50 to 86.30 mg/g, the contents of hesperidin in CRP-15 and CRP-9 were 27.50 and 86.30 mg/g, respectively, while, the amount of narirutin was too low to be measured in some samples.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that the developed UFLC-MS/MS method was simple, sensitive and reliable for simultaneous quantification of multi-components in CRP with potential perspective for quality control of complex matrices. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nutritional Content and Elemental and Phytochemical Analyses ofMoringa oleiferaGrown in Mexico

Moringa oleiferais a tree distributed in Mexican semiarid and coastal regions.M. oleiferais used in practice in the treatment of various diseases and is available without a medical prescription, often in the form of an herbal infusion for everyday use. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the chemical composition and nutritional values of driedM. oleiferaleaf powder collected from two different regions in Mexico. All samples ofM. oleiferaexhibited moisture levels varying from 3.06 to 3.34%, lipids from 10.21 to 10.31%, fiber from 7.29 to 9.46%, ashes from 10.71 to 11.18%, crude protein from 10.74 to 11.48%, and carbohydrates from 54.61 to 57.61%. The predominant mineral elements in the leaf powder according to ICP-MS were Ca (2016.5–2620.5 mg/100 g), K (1817–1845 mg/100 g), and Mg (322.5–340.6 mg/100 g). The HPLC analysis indicated the presence of phenolic acids (gallic and chlorogenic acids) and flavonoids (rutin, luteolin, quercetin, apigenin, and kaempferol). We concluded that LombardiaM. oleiferasamples could be employed in edible and commercial applications. Our results showed that the highest mean value of As from the San Pedro samples exceeds the recommended level and may constitute a health hazard to consumers.