An overview of the effects of moringa oleiferaon health

The rapid growth of cities worldwide, particularly in developing countries, has increased chronic degenerative diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases. Several medicinal plants such as Moringa oleifera have been considered to be used in a plethora of health conditions since they possess many properties, including antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive actions and the ability to protect against liver damage. This study aimed to review the effects of Moringa oleifera on human health. PUBMED and EMBASE databases were consulted, and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) guidelines were followed to build this review. According to the criteria of inclusion and exclusion, eight studies were included.Moringa oleifera can bring numerous benefits to human health, such as reducing body weight and BMI, glycemic control, improvement in the lipid profile, and increase in plasma levels of vitamin A, in addition to being used in the treatment of cancer. These effects are due to the phytochemical components of the plant that have important anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Furthermore, it can also be a great ally in combating malnutrition due to its high nutritional content.