ABSTRACT
Moringa oleifera is a “folkloric” medicinal plant of great importance that has its seed oil rich in vitamins and oleic acid. This study investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of M. oleifera seed oil, as well as the proximate composition of the defatted M. oleifera seeds.
The percentage (%) oil yield of M. oleifera seeds was obtained using soxhlet extraction scheme. Proximate composition of defatted M. oleifera seeds and antioxidant activities of the seed oil was accessed using association of official analytical chemists (AOAC) methods. Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of the seed oil was done using carrageenan-induced paw oedema. The seed oil with three increasing doses (2, 4 and 8 ml/kg/body weight) were administered orally to separate groups of female wistar rats (120 - 260 g) one hour before induction of paw edema; which was carried out using an intradermal injection of carrageenan (0.1 ml). Indomethacin (10 mg/kg/body weight) and normal saline (1 ml/kg/body weight) were used in reference and control groups respectively.
Results obtained showed that the percentage oil yield of M. oleifera seeds was 39.6%. The proximate composition of the defatted seeds was carbohydrate (38%), protein (27%), fat (12%), moisture (11%), ash (7%), and fibre (5%). Data obtained from the antioxidant analysis presented the following; total flavonoid content (0.45 ± 0.04 μg quercetin equivalent/g), total phenolic content (130.94 ± 7.64 μg gallic acid equivalent/g), total antioxidant capacity (12.75 ± 2.66 μg ascorbic acid equivalent/g), ferric reducing antioxidant power (423.80 ± 48.57 μM fe2+/g). The seed oil significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited carrageenan induced rat paw oedema at a dose of 4 ml/kg/body weight. These findings strongly suggest that M. oleifera seed oil may be significant in mitigating the effects of free radicals which are implicated in the progression of inflammatory diseases.
