Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Hypotensive activity of Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) root extracts and its volatile constituents

Aisha Sana¹ , Rubeena Saleem^1,2, Shaheen Faizi³

¹Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy; ²Dr. HMI Institute of Pharmacology & Herbal Sciences, Hamdard University, Karachi-74600; ³HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan.

For correspondence:- Aisha Sana Email: aishasana80@gmail.com

Received: 26 January 2015 Accepted: 24 April 2015 Published: 26 May 2015

Citation: Sana A, Saleem R, Faizi S. Hypotensive activity of Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) root extracts and its volatile constituents. Trop J Pharm Res 2015; 14(5):823-830 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v14i5.12

© 2015 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To explore the hypotensive activity and chemical composition of Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) roots.

Methods: The fresh roots of M. oleifera was cut into small pieces and successively extracted with petroleum ether (PE) and dichloromethane (DC). PE extract was further divided into MRP and MRP -1. DC extract showed a thick mass during evaporation which was separated as MRDC - IN. The mother liquor left was divided into MRDC and MRDC -1. All residues were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) using ZB-5 column. Identification of each extract and fraction was based on comparison of their retention indices (RI), by co-injecting authentic compounds, as well as by comparing literature data available in NIST Standard Reference Database. Hypotensive activity was determined on urethane-anesthetized normotensive Sprague Dawly rats.

Results: Petroleum ether (MRP) and dichloromethane (MRDC) extracts of M. oleifera roots showed 50.06 ± 3.48 and 48.16 ± 1.79 % fall in mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), respectively, at a dose of 30 mg/kg (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively) compared with control. GC-MS analysis of MRP and MRDC extracts and fractions resulted in the identification of seventy four (74) compounds. Methyl hexadecanoate (7, 20.3 %) , stigmastan - 3, 5, diene (24, 19.32 %), methyl 14-hydroxy-5-tetradecenoate (9, 19.22 %), 1 , 11 diphenyl undecane (47, 18.78 %) and cyclopentanyl hexadecane (39, 14.44 %) were the major constituents among the various hydrocarbons, fatty acids, esters, alcohols, aldehydes, isothiocyanate, aromatics, steroids, terphenyl and sulphur-containing compounds.

Conclusion: The findings reveal the hypotensive potential of M. oleifera roots and the presence of specific hydrocarbons, fatty acid esters, thioureides, steroids and isothiocyanates in active fractions. Further study is required to determine the suitability of the plant as an antihypertensive remedy.

Keywords: Moringa oleifera, Methyl hexadecanoate, Methyl 14-hydroxy-5-tetradecenoate, Petroleum ether, Stigmastan - 3, 5, diene, Cyclopentanyl hexadecane