Innovative Ingredients Fortified Nutrients Enriched Biscuits and Cookies: Quality and Sensory Analyses

Global suffering from COVID-19 has necessitated augmenting the immunity systems of humans through consumption of macro-micro-nutrients and antioxidant-enriched fortified foods. In this article, fortifications of popular bakery products, viz. biscuits, cookies, have been reviewed, encompassing the novel fortifying ingredients and innovative methods employed with an emphasis on the overall enrichment in the final product quality. A few notable features concerning novel fortified biscuit and fortified cookie have been decisively summarized. Wheat flour blended with 40% sesame-cake flour resulted in a fortified biscuit possessing higher protein (16.6%), crude fat (16.95%), and dietary fiber (8.2%) with acceptable sensory characteristics. About 9% toting up of chicken-eggshell dried-powder could result in high Ca content in biscuits with customary changes in texture and sensory properties. A remarkable 5% addition of bee pollen to wheat flour appreciably improved the nutrient compositions (carbohydrate 65.18%, protein 7.32%, and total dietary-fiber 1.47%) along with high polyphenol and antioxidant potentials. Notably, mixing fish fillet protein concentrate with wheat flour could yield enhanced nutritional content (protein 14.63-19.52%, fat 16.2-16.5%), as well as augmented amino acids. Remarkably, wheat flour fortified with fermented jack bean flour resulted in an overall fortified biscuit with substantial carbohydrate, crude protein, fat, fiber, ash, and appreciable macro-micro mineral contents and sensory characteristics. Innovative fortified cookies were made by blending wheat flour or Brewer's spent grain flour with one or more ingredients, e.g. full fat soya, mushroom, cardamom powder, moringa leaves, coconut, sweet potato flour rendering amplified values of nutrients, superior physical properties, increased mineral and flavonoid contents and organoleptic qualities.Copyright © 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.

Admetox-informatics of plant derived octadecanoic acid (stearic acid) from ethyl acetate fraction of Moringa oleifera leaf extract as a natural lead for next generation drug design, development and therapeutics

In-silico Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) significantly relies on cybernetic screening of Plant Based Natural Products (PBNPs) as a prime source of bioactive compounds/ drug leads due to their unique chemical structural scaffolds and distinct functional characteristic features amenable to drug design and development. In the Post-COVID-Era a large number of publications have focused on PBNPs. Moreover, PBNPs still remain as an ideal source of novel therapeutic agents of GRAS standard. However, a well-structured, in-depth ADME/Tox profile with deeper dimensions of PBNPs has been lacking for many of natural pharma lead molecules that hamper successful exploitation of PBNPs. In the present study, ADMET-informatics of Octadecanoic Acid (Stearic Acid - SA) from ethyl acetate fraction of Moringa oleifera leaves has been envisaged to predict ADMET and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) outcomes. This work contributes to the deeper understanding of SA as major source of drug lead from Moringa oleifera with immense therapeutic potential. The data generated herein could be useful for the development of SA as plant based natural product lead (PBNPL) for drug development programs.

Herbal and Ayurvedic Plants as Remedial Approach for Viral Diseases with Focus on COVID-19: A Narrative Review

Background: Infectious diseases have posed a major threat to human survival for centu-ries and can devastate entire populations. Recently, the global outbreak of COVID-19 has increased exponentially, affecting more than 200 countries and millions of lives since the fall of 2019, largely due to the ineffectiveness of existing antiviral therapies. WHO announced it a public health emer-gency of international concern. A significant waiting period in antiviral therapy hindered by the rapid evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 aggravated the situation ensuing imposition of strict laws (e.g., communal dissociation, international travel restrictions, and mainte-nance of hygiene) that would help in inhibiting further outspread of COVID-19. Ayurveda system of medicine offers a holistic approach to the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective(s): This review aims to highlight the potential of medicinal herbs and Ayurvedic drugs as the remedial approach for viral diseases, such as COVID-19. Method(s): We reviewed the literature from journal publication websites and electronic databases, such as Bentham, Science Direct, Pub Med, Scopus, USFDA, etc. Result(s): The drugs used in the traditional system of medicine have the potential to prevent and cure the infected patient. Ayurvedic therapies are known for regulating immunity and rejuvenation properties that behold much promise in the management of COVID-19 disease. Government of India, Ministry of AYUSH recommends some precautionary fitness measures and an increase in immunity with special reference to respiratory health. Conclusion(s): While there is no medication for COVID-19 as of now, taking preventive measures and boosting body immunity is highly recommended. A number of medicinal plants that play an im-portant role in revitalizing the immune system are easily accessible in home remedies.Copyright © 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.

Molecular Docking of Moringa Oleifera Compounds with Human Ace2 Receptor: For Covid-19 Drug Candidate

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus called Sars Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 which can infect humans due to an interaction between the Spike glycoprotein (protein S) virus and these Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Moringa oleifera is a plant known as phytomedicines and has excellent benefits. This study aims to identify the physicochemical characteristics of compounds in M. oleifera and their potential for blocking interactions between S glycoprotein and ACE2 receptors. ADMET analysis was conducted by using the TCMSP web-based application and evaluated by using the Lipinski and TCMSP criteria. The docking process used the Chimera UCSF program so that the grid box region and its affinity energy values are known. The results showed that phytol compounds have the most physicochemical characteristics following Lipinski and TCSM criteria and have the lowest affinity energy when interacting with ACE2 receptors. This study concluded that phytol is a compound in Moringa oleifera which has the smallest pharmacological effect and has the most potential for preventing interactions between SARS-CoV-2 S protein and ACE2 receptors. Copyright © 2022, Veterinary Practitioner. All rights reserved.

A Review of Phytochemistry and Pharmacology on Moringa Oleifera

Natural extracts have been of very interest since ancient times due to their enormous medicinal use and research attention. Moringa oleifera is well known as miracle tree as it consists of high nutritive values. Originally from India is widely distributed in many tropical regions, in the pacific region, west Africa as well as central America. India is the major supplier of Moringa worldwide, accounting for around 80% of global demand. It is a multipurpose plant cultivated for medicinal applications. It contains rich sources of Vit- A, B1, B2, B3 and C, It also has calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc and phospherus. Moringa species contain various phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, saponins,tannins, steroids.phenolic acids( gallic, vanillic and p-coumaric acids) and flavanoids(catechin), tocopherol ,glucosinolates and terpenes. Investigations of ethanol extract of the leaves gives lutein, B-carotene,phytyl fatty acids, esters, poly phenols, B- sitosterols,triglycerols,fatty acids and saturated hydrocarbons. Leaves were obtained by super critical extraction with CO2 using ethanol as a cosolvent, temperature 35-80 0C.The phenolic acids( gallic, vanillic and p- coumaric acids) and flavanoids(catechin) were identified in all extracts. Extracts obtained at 35 degrees shows the highest values of total phenolic compounds. The activities of plant include Anti-oxidants, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-viral,anti- hyperglycemic,anti-hyperlipidemic,anti-inflammatory,anti-hypertension, anti-spasmodic and others. Due to covid-19 pandemic, the global Moringa products market size is estimated to be worth USD 5167.2 million in 2022. Leaf powder is expected to exceed USD 6 billion by 2025 on account of increasing demand in the dietary supplement and food applications.

Screening of Asian Natural Materials to Promote beta-Endorphin Synthesis

Since the recent coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the lifestyle changes it necessitated, the demand for mental health treatment has skyrocketed, with long wait lists for both psychological and psychiatric care. Over-the-counter supplements and home remedies are increasingly sought. In this study, we screened natural materials and blended supplements from Asia that may improve the mood and mental health of humans by testing cell viability and expression of the proopiomelanocortin gene as a marker of beta-endorphin production in rat hypothalamus neuron cells. Among 23 tested samples, 3 samples produced significantly higher cell viability in R-HTH-507 cells than the control treatment. In a real-time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiment, 7 samples showed significant beta-endorphin synthesis activity. This is the first report that the Asian natural materials Areca catechu, Moringa oleifera, Lignosis rhinocerus, and Aegle marmelos promote beta-endorphin synthesis;further investigation will identify the active ingredients in the blended samples. These results suggested that these Asian natural materials have great potential to expand the range of treatments for mental health. Copyright © The Author(s) 2023.

Influence of metal oxide catalyst on co-pyrolysis of biomass and COVID-19 waste.

The disposal of waste generated by the COVID-19 pandemic is still a challenge to the government in most countries. The present study shines its light on the catalytic effect of metal oxide on converting COVID-19 waste i.e. used face masks into valuable products through co-pyrolysis. The co-pyrolysis trial was carried out for a mixture of waste face mask (WFM) and Moringa oleifera (MO) biomass at a constant temperature of 450°C for 15 min of resident time. This investigation focuses on studying the catalytic effect of calcium oxide (CaO) on the by-products of the pyrolysis process. From the FT-IR studies, it is observed that the CaO catalyst assisted to reduce oxygen as well as sulphur and carboxylic acids in the bio-oil due to its strong basic nature. The FE-SEM images suggest the increase in porous structure with catalytic pyrolysis (CP) char compared to non-catalytic pyrolysis (NCP) char. The catalytic activity of CaO increased the alcoholic content with a reduction in aldehydes and ketones in the bio-oil. The addition of WFM to the biomass with CaO catalyst pyrolysis (CP) delivered a higher oil yield of 52% compared to non-catalytic pyrolysis (NCP).

In Silico Study of Entry Inhibitor from Moringa oleifera Bioactive Compounds against SARS-CoV-2 Infection

The aim of this study is to screen the content of bioactive compounds of Moringa oleifera and to identify its potential as an antiviral against COVID 19 through an entry inhibitor mechanism using bioinformatics tools. The sample was obtained from PubChem database. Amino acis sequences were obtained from the NCBI. Protein modeling is made through the SWISSMODEL site. The target proteins for this study were SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and RdRp. The protein-inhibitory interaction of the drug from M. oleifera bioactive compounds to SARS-CoV-2 was predicted by molecular docking with PyRx software.The result shows that M. oleifera was a potential antiviral candidate for SARS-CoV-2 with an entry inhibitor mechanism through a compound, especially quercetin. The RFMS value of both interactions between Mpro and quercetion and RdRp with quercetin were not higher than 1.05. This result still needed further research to prove this prediction. Copyright © 2022 Phcogj.Com. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

ADMET informatics of tetradecanoic acid (myristic acid) from ethyl acetate fraction of Moringa oleifera leaves

In-silico Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) often comprehends virtual screening (VS) of datasets of natural pharmaco-active compounds for drug discovery protocols. Plant Based Natural Products (PBNPs) still, remains to be a prime source of pharmaco-active compounds due to their unique chemical structural scaffolds and functionalities with distinct chemical characteristic feature from natural source that are much acquiescent to drug metabolism and kinetics. In the Post-COVID-Era number of publications pertaining to PBNPs and publicly accessible plant based natural product databases (PBNPDBs) has significantly increased. Moreover, PBNPs are important sources of inspiration or starting points to develop novel therapeutic agents. However, a well-structured, indepth ADME/Tox profile of PBNPs has been limited or lacking for many of such compounds, this hampers the successful exploitation of PBNPs by pharma industries. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties play key roles in the discovery/ development of drugs, pesticides, food additives, consumer products, and industrial chemicals. In the present study, ADMET-informatics of Tetradecanoic Acid (Myristic Acid) from ethyl acetate fraction of Moringa oleifera leaves to predict drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) outcomes has been taken up. This work contributes to the deeper understanding of Myristic acid as major source of drug from commonly available medicinal plant - Moringa oleifera with immense therapeutic potential. The data generated herein could be useful for NP based lead generation programs.

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF DRIED MORINGA LEAVES OF NIGERIAN ECOTYPE

Moringa oleifera is an under-utilized vegetable plant known for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Current post-COVID-19 pandemic realities necessitate increased utilization of Moringa, with minimal postharvest losses. Thus, this study was conducted to compare the effect of different drying conditions on microbiological safety and assess shelf stability of dried Moringa leaves of Nigerian ecotype. Freshly harvested leaves were divided into four (4) parts and dried differently;sun-drying at day temperature of about 42°C for 7 hours, oven-drying at 45°C for 6 hours, shade-drying for 2 days while the last part was combined sun-shade drying. A second batch of fresh leaves was sun-dried and double-packaged in polythene pouches into rigid plastic plates that were subsequently stored in the dark at room temperature. Microbial enumerations of all freshly dried samples and the stored samples were conducted at monthly interval for five (5) months. Proximate composition, chlorophyll, iron and ascorbic acid contents were determined using standard methods. The results showed no growth on all freshly dried samples, irrespective of drying methods. Similarly, the result of shelf stability indicated acceptable levels of microbial growth throughout storage period. Proximate composition result indicated that storage length significantly (p < 0.05) affected the proximate composition of the samples. Moisture content increased with increasing storage time from 4.18±0.28 to 6.33±0.29 g/100 g;while protein, ash (total minerals), crude fibre, fat and carbohydrates contents all decreased to varying degrees with increasing storage time, from 36.10±0.51 to 35.40±0.50 g/100 g, 4.45±0.17 to 4.10±0.00 g/100 g, 6.55±0.40 to 6.13±0.05 g/100 g, 3.85±0.11 to 3.67±0.00 g/100 g and 44.87±0.44 to 44.37±0.44 g/100 g, respectively. This decrease is within acceptable standard that compares favourably with the levels that are found in other leafy vegetables. The chlorophyll content decreases with increasing storage length from 110.24±6.21 to 56.37±2.24 mg/100 g, with similar trend in iron and vitamin C contents. Hence, these results indicate that Moringa leaves can actually be dried using easily available methods of sun-drying, oven-drying and shade-drying for storage;while still maintaining acceptable standards of food safety and nutrient status. Therefore, dried Moringa leaves and powder can be exploited for commercial purposes in areas of abundant production for continuous distribution in Nigeria © 2022, African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. All Rights Reserved.

In Silico Screening of Bioactive Compounds from Syzygium cumini L. and Moringa oleifera L. Against SARS-CoV-2 via Tetra Inhibitors

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has caused disastrous consequences for both humans and the economy. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of juwet (Syzygium cumini L.) and moringa (Moringa oleifera L.) as inhibitors of RBD spike, helicase, Mpro, and RdRp activity of SARS-CoV-2 with an in-silico approach. Samples were obtained from PubChem and RSCB PDB databases. The drug similarity analysis was determined using Swiss ADME and the Lipinski rule of five. Prediction of antivirus probabilities is carried out with PASS Online. Molecular screening is performed by molecular docking using PyRx. Visualization was used using PyMol and Discovery Studio. The bioactive compounds with the best antiviral potential had the lowest affinity bonds to the target proteins against RBD spike, helicase, Mpro, and RdRp of SARS-CoV-2. Results show that ellagic acid from java plum and myricetin from moringa have the best potential as potential antivirals. However, more research is required to validate the results of these computational predictions.

Biopolymeric sustainable materials and their emerging applications

Advancements in polymer science and engineering have helped the scientific community to shift its attention towards the use of environmentally benign materials for reducing the environmental impact of conventional synthetic plastics. Biopolymers are environmentally benign, chemically versatile, sustainable, biocompatible, biodegradable, inherently functional, and ecofriendly materials that exhibit tremendous potential for a wide range of applications including food, electronics, agriculture, textile, biomedical, and cosmetics. This review also inspires the researchers toward more consumption of biopolymer-based composite materials as an alternative to synthetic composite materials. Herein, an overview of the latest knowledge of different natural- and synthetic-based biodegradable polymers and their fiber-reinforced composites is presented. The review discusses different degradation mechanisms of biopolymer-based composites as well as their sustainability aspects. This review also elucidates current challenges, future opportunities, and emerging applications of biopolymeric sustainable composites in numerous engineering fields. Finally, this review proposes biopolymeric sustainable materials as a propitious solution to the contemporary environmental crisis. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd.

Interaction of Bioactive Compounds of Moringa oleifera Leaves with SARS-CoV-2 Proteins to Combat COVID-19 Pathogenesis: a Phytochemical and In Silico Analysis.

Novel SARS-CoV-2 claimed a large number of human lives. The main proteins for viral entry into host cells are SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (PDB ID: 6VYB) and spike receptor-binding domain bound with ACE2 (spike RBD-ACE2; PDB ID: 6M0J). Currently, specific therapies are lacking globally. This study was designed to investigate the bioactive components from Moringa oleifera leaf (MOL) extract by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and their binding interactions with spike glycoprotein and spike RBD-ACE2 protein through computational analysis. GC-MS-based analysis unveiled the presence of thirty-seven bioactive components in MOL extract, viz. polyphenols, fatty acids, terpenes/triterpenes, phytosterols/steroids, and aliphatic hydrocarbons. These bioactive phytoconstituents showed potential binding with SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and spike RBD-ACE2 protein through the AutoDock 4.2 tool. Further by using AutoDock 4.2 and AutoDock Vina, the top sixteen hits (binding energy ≥ - 6.0 kcal/mol) were selected, and these might be considered as active biomolecules. Moreover, molecular dynamics simulation was determined by the Desmond module. Interestingly two biomolecules, namely ß-tocopherol with spike glycoprotein and ß-sitosterol with spike RBD-ACE2, displayed the best interacting complexes and low deviations during 100-ns simulation, implying their strong stability and compactness. Remarkably, both ß-tocopherol and ß-sitosterol also showed the drug- likeness with no predicted toxicity. In conclusion, these findings suggested that both compounds ß-tocopherol and ß-sitosterol may be developed as anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs. The current findings of in silico approach need to be optimized using in vitro and clinical studies to prove the effectiveness of phytomolecules against SARS-CoV-2.

The Primacy of Moringa (Moringa oleiferaLam.) in Boosting Nutrition Statusand Immunity Defence Amidst the COVID-19 Catastrophe: A Perspective br

A severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) led novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19)outbreak spread through China has become the biggest global public health challenge today. The virus upon sev-eral mutations has led to the resurgence of more infectious and lethal variants infecting over 298 million peoplewith more than 5.46 million deaths worldwide by the end of December, 2021. Though vaccines are available, var-ious preventive measures particularly a high body immunity is still extremely important which determines thelikelihood of disease severity and subsequent recovery in the current and future pandemics. This review acknowl-edges the potentiality of miraculousMoringa oleiferaLam. against recently evolved novel coronavirus and accom-panying health complications. Moringa a well-proven super-food, densely packed with an abundant quantity of92 minerals, several vitamins, 46 antioxidants, and numerous bioactive compounds, thus own a massive thera-peutic potential for healing all levels of nutritional deficiencies and poor immunities and cure above 300 diseases.Moringa acts as anti-asthmatic, anti-cancerous, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, hepatic, renal andcardio-protective, and anti-viral in nature. Thus it may reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections and associatedserious medical emergencies. In addition, self-isolation at home or the workplace has put people at increased riskof physical and mental sicknesses, which could be simply addressed by integrating this wonderful plant intoeveryday diet. Furthermore, the immune-modulatory properties and viral inhibiting nature of moringa contributeto reduced risk of COVID-19 infection and quicker recovery from its symptoms. As per the existing pieces of literature, it is a great time to harness the esteemed moringa for safeguarding people from the terrible ongoingCOVID-19 situation and other future pandemics

The First Optimization Process from Cultivation to Flavonoid-Rich Extract from Moringa oleifera Lam. Leaves in Brazil

Flavonoids are significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents and have multiple potential health applications. Moringa oleifera is globally recognized for its nutritional and pharmacological properties, correlated to the high flavonoid content in its leaves. However, the bioactive compounds found in plants may vary according to the cultivation, origin, season, and extraction process used, making it difficult to extract reliable raw material. Hence, this study aimed to standardize the best cultivation and harvest season in Brazil and the best extraction process conditions to obtain a flavonoid-rich extract from M. oleifera as a final product. Firstly, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was optimized to reach the highest flavonoid content by three-level factorial planning and response surface methodology (RSM). The optimal cultivation condition was mineral soil fertilizer in the drought season, and the optimized extraction was with 80% ethanol and 13.4 min of extraction time. The flavonoid-rich extract was safe and significantly decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Lastly, the major flavonoids characterized by HPLC-ESI-QTRAP-MS/MS were compounds derived from apigenin, quercetin, and kaempferol glycosides. The results confirmed that it was possible to standardize the flavonoid-rich extract leading to a standardized and reliable raw material extracted from M. oleifera leaves.

Philippine medicinal plants with potentialimmunomodulatory and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to devastate the world's health and economy, affecting all aspects of life leading to widespread social disruption. Even as several vaccines have been developed, their availability in developing countries is limited and their efficacy against the variants of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2) needs to be continuously assessed. The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged that vaccines alone will not overcome the global challenges of COVID-19. Medicinal plants may provide the needed support. Herein, we identify Philippine medicinal plants that possess phytochemicals with potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity and/or immunomodulatory properties that may strengthen one's immune system against COVID-19. These plants were selected from 100 of the best-studied Philippine medicinal plants with antiviral and immunomodulatory properties. The general antiviral and specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities and immunomodulatory properties of the phytochemicals that these plants contained were searched. While many compounds assessed individually using in vitro and in silico techniques suggest potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 or immunomodulatory effects, this review sought to identify the medicinal plants which contain these compounds and which, based on literature, have the best potential application against COVID-19. These plants are Allium spp. bulbs (bawang), Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees leaves (sinta), Cocos nucifera L. oil (niyog), Euphorbia hirta L. leaves (tawa-tawa), Euphorbia neriifolia L. leaves (sorosoro), Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves (malunggay), Ocimum basilicum L. leaves (balanoy), Piper nigrum L. seeds (paminta), Vitex negundo L. leaves (lagundi), and Zingiber officinale Roscoe rhizome (luya). This review provides a shortlist that can guide research on possible solutions to COVID-19 using Philippine medicinal plants.

Phytochemical screening, GCMS profile, and in-silico properties of bioactive compounds in methanolic leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera

Plant Based Natural Products (PBNPs) have been subject of interest since ancient time due to their use in food, industrial and biomedical applications. Research attention has further augmented to explore their phytochemical composition, properties, and potential application in the post-COVID era. In the present study phytochemical screening has been carried out with Methanolic Leaf Extracts of Moringa oleifera (MLEMO) followed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) analysis. Phytochemical analysis of MLEMO revealed the presence of Alkaloids, Carbohydrates, Coumarins, Flavonoids, Glycosides, Phenol, Proteins, Quinones, Saponins, Steroids, Tannins and Terpenoids. Further, GCMS analysis revealed the presence of 41 compounds of which Dihydroxyacetone;Monomethyl malonate;4H-Pyran-4-one,2,3-dihydro- 3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl;1,3-Propanediol, 2-ethyl-2-(hydroxymethyl);Propanoic acid, 2- methyl-, octyl ester;3-Deoxy-d-mannoic lactone;Sorbitol;Inositol;Cyclohexanemethanol, alpha-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl), Hexadecanoic acid, Methyl palmitate;n-Hexadecanoic acid (Palmitic acid);9-Octadecenoic acid, methyl ester;Phytol;9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid;Octadecanoic acid;9-Octadecenamide were prominent. Most of the compounds in the list are bioactive and possess medicinal properties that are expected to serve as a baseline lead for the development of therapeutic agents.

Nutritional and Antioxidant Properties of Moringa oleifera Leaves in Functional Foods.

Moringa oleifera is a tree cultivated originally in northern India, whose ancient use as a medicine has demonstrated its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to its richness in minerals and macronutrients, the antioxidant capacity and the mineral bioaccesibility were assessed. In addition, the chemical composition, amino acid, fatty acid, and mineral content were also evaluated. The performed analysis reported a high content of proteins and low content of lipids in the chemical composition. Regarding the mineral content, Ca and Fe presented high bioaccessibility; K, S, Ca, and Fe being the most concentrated elements. The obtained values using FRAP, ABTS, and ORAC methods showed high antioxidant capacity, directly related to the increased content of phenolic compounds. In view of the results, Moringa oleifera can be incorporated into the diet as a functional ingredient or as a fortifier of any kind of food. The important source of minerals, phenolics, proteins, unsaturated fats, and folates make it an excellent extract with beneficial properties.

The antioxidant properties and microbial load of Moringa oleifera leaves dried using a prototype convective air-dryer.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic resulted in major postharvest losses because most fresh produce could not be sold. Drying is an important thermal-based food preservation method which could have prolonged the shelf-life of these produce, but most drying technologies are costly, and cannot be afforded by small-time farmers. From this context, we were interested in evaluating the drying of Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL) using a low-cost self-built prototype convective-air dryer (CAD), alongside conventional drying methods for its antioxidant properties, microbial load and phytoconstituents. Results showed total polyphenol content was the highest (p < 0.05) in our CAD samples, and it retained among the highest total flavonoid content, total antioxidant capacity, total alkaloid content and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Furthermore, methanolic CAD extract presented lower coliform and yeast and mold count than the aqueous CAD extract. We also briefly explored MOL as a sanitizer where the microbial load of the methanolic extract was comparable (p > 0.05) with several commercial non-alcoholic sanitizers, indicating its commercialization potential as a bio-friendly sanitizer. Finally, using GC-MS, we are the first to report (best of our knowledge) on the presence of caprolactam, an important bio-medical field compound, in the CAD sample's aqueous extract.

Formulation, Evaluation of Physical Properties, and In Vitro Antioxidant Activity Test of Moringa Leaf (Moringa oleifera L.) Ethanolic Extract Capsules

BACKGROUND: Supplements that contain antioxidants may enhance prevention and treatment effects of a wide range of diseases including COVID-19. Quercetin, a flavonoid compound, is a natural antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals. AIM: The present study was conducted to formulate Moringa leaf (Moringa oleifera L.) ethanol extract capsules and to determine the quercetin antioxidant activity levels of Moringa ethanol extract capsule formulations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We tested the total flavonoid levels in solutions with concentrations of 20, 50, 60, 70, and 100 ppm using thin-layer chromatography densitometric method. Evaluation of physical properties of 96% Moringa leaf ethanol extract capsules included moisture content test, granule angle of repose test, granule flow property test, capsule weight uniformity test, and capsule disintegration time test. Antioxidant activity test using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate method with two samples, namely, 96% Moringa leaf ethanol extract capsules with formulas I, II, and III, quercetin as a comparison. RESULTS: The results of the evaluation of 96% Moringa leaf ethanol extract capsules showed that formula II (polyvinylpyrrolidone 50 mg) had good physical properties. Testing the antioxidant activity of capsules of the ethanol extract of Moringa leaves formulas I, II, and III, quercetin obtained IC50 values of 44.0 ppm, 40.2 ppm, 46.4 ppm, and 4.80 ppm, respectively. CONCLUSION: The evaluation of the ethanol extract capsules of Moringa leaf formula II met the parameters of a good capsule evaluation test requirement and had very strong antioxidant activity seen from the acquisition of the IC50 value. The antioxidant properties of Moringa leaf extract capsules may be able to improve the immune system and clinical trials need to be carried out on patients to become candidates for prevention and therapeutic supplement for a range of diseases including COVID-19.