The plant M. oleifera belongs to the Kingdom: Plantae; Sub kingdom: Tracheobionta; Super division: Spermatophyta; Division: Magnoliophyta; Class: Magnoliopsida; Sub class: Dilleniidae; Order: Capparales; Family: Moringaceae; Genus: Moringa; Species: oleifera ^[1][2][3][3,13,14].

The tree grows rapidly in loamy and well-drained sandy soils, preferring a height of 500 m above sea level ^[4][1]. Normally, the tree is small to medium in size, the leaves are naturally trifoliate, the flowers are born on an inflorescence 10–25 cm long ^[3][14], and the fruits are usually trifoliate and commonly referred to as “pods” ^[1][3]. The trunk usually grows straight but is occasionally poorly formed, the branches are usually disorganized, the canopy is umbrella-shaped; the brown seeds have a semi-permeable hull, and each tree has a capacity of about 15,000–25,000 seeds per year ^[5][10].

3. Phytopharmaceutical Formulations

Plant extracts have always attracted researchers’ attention for producing various pharmaceutical products. This process usually involves the production of medicinal products characterized by two things: first, the production of a stable product, and second, patient compliance. The advantage of Moringa plant extracts is that it appears to be exceedingly safe at the doses and in the amounts commonly utilized for therapeutic efficacy ^[6][20]. M. oleifera has been widely accepted in the research area, and scientists have used an array of approaches to develop various formulations. The various phytoformulations prepared using M. oleifera are tabulated below (Table 1).

4. Miscellaneous Uses

A study was performed on M. oleifera using the HPLC-based cyclo condensation method. Astragalin and isothiocyanates were used as markers for standardization of the plant. The conclusive result of the study suggests that the standardized method might be useful for assessing the quality of the development of cosmetic and natural health products ^[29][144]. The extract of M. oleifera leaves was helpful in eliminating the adverse effects of neem oil, which is used in aquaculture as an insecticide to control predators and parasites of fish fry. The researchers concluded that the extract of M. oleifera leaves eliminated the oxidative stress and toxicity caused by neem oil ^[30][145]. The lower yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) was studied. The low production of these crops was due to infestation by pests and insects and poor soil nutrient content. In order to improve production conditions, different chemical pesticides were used, which brought further environmental risks. The use of M. oleifera aqueous leaf extract at different concentrations (1:30 and 1:40) proved beneficial for okra ^[31][146]. The efficacy of M. oleifera leaf and root extract was evaluated as a plant growth regulator and biopesticide in the wheat harvest. The researcher used different concentrations (5, 10, 12.5, 25% w/w, w/v, v/v) of Moringa leaf and root extract at different stages of the wheat plant. Significant plant growth was observed, resulting in increased yield and a decrease in aphid invasion ^[32][147]. M. oleifera is rich in macronutrients and micronutrients, vitamins, phytohormones, alkaloids, and flavonoids, which make this plant a multipurpose plant. Recent research has shown that Moringa extract is also helpful in tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress under stressful environmental conditions ^[33][148]. The therapeutic effect of bioactive constituents (flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, isothyocyanin and beta-sitosterol) present in M. oleifera has been reported in chronic diseases such as hyperlipidemia ^[34][149], hypertension ^[35][150], hepatoprotective ^[36][151], anti-cancer ^[37][152], Alzheimer’s disease ^[38][153], Parkinson’s disease ^[39][154]. The combined effect of M. oleifera and praziquantel in rats was studied by a group of researchers. The seeds and leaves of M. oleifera were considered to evaluate their bioavailability with praziquantel and also the in vivo effects of the same were observed on Taenia crassiceps. The study showed that the combined action of both had a significant amount of cytocidal activity compared to the rats, which were only administered with praziquantel ^[40][155]. A variety of bioactive nutrients, such as flavonoids and vitamins, is available in the M. oleifera plant. The in vitro study conducted by a group of researchers focused on bioactive compounds that make up the nutritional potential of plants ^[41][156]. The conclusive statement of the researcher revealed that the high content of proteins, lipids, and sulfur-containing amino acids and the relative lack of toxic components make moringa a great nutritional alternative for humans ^[42][157]. The bioactive isolate palmitic acid from the leaf extract of Moringa has been attributed to broad therapeutic benefits. A team of researchers studied this isolate against a wide range of microbial and fungal strains. The results showed that it had the highest zone of inhibition for both fungal and microbial strains ^[43][4]. The polyphenols and flavonoids present in M. oleifera to scavenge free radicals could be useful in developing an anticancer drug delivery system. Nanoparticle technology was used to incorporate Moringa extract as a drug carrier. Treatment of HeLa cell lines with a single dose of the plant showed that the composite film of the plant extract was efficient in killing malignant cells compared to other isolated and purified phytocomponents on the market ^[44][158]. The bioactive components of M. oleifera inhibit the inflammatory markers in lipopolysaccharide-induced human macrophages. The induced macrophages were treated with M. oleifera extract. Thereafter the treated cells were tested for their anti-inflammatory and cellular mechanism. The results revealed that the extract suppressed mRNA expression of IL -6, IL -1, NF-κB (P50), PTGS2, and TNF-α. At the same time, the inhibition of phosphorylation of IκB-α and nuclear factor (NF)-κB was also observed in the study. The researchers’ final statement suggests that the blocking of NF-κB and IκB-α may be the reason for the inhibition of inflammation ^[45][159]. Apart from its wide use in preventing and curing various human diseases, Moringa is known for a number of non-medicinal uses, chief among which is its use for poultry, especially in curing viral infections (Newcastle Disease Virus) and other parasitic and bacterial diseases that cause mortality in animals ^[46][160]. The plant also serves as an important growth promoter for farmers in the production of tomatoes, peanuts, corn, and wheat in their early vegetative stages ^[47][161]. Environmentally friendly biopesticides are produced from this plant, which is cheap and easily available and helps in curing various plant diseases ^[48][162]. Studies have shown that the total crop production increased by 20–35% by using M. oleifera leaf extract, which is a good sign for increasing agricultural growth at a minimal cost ^[49][163]. The aqueous extract of M. oleifera is a source of various minerals and growth promoters (indole acetic acid, gibberellins, cytokines). It thus can be used as an effective plant biostimulant that could be a simple alternative to the artificial fertilizers and pesticides available in the market ^[47][161]. The methanolic extract of the plant is found to be rich in potassium, calcium, carotenoid, phenols, and zeatin, and when three sprays of this extract are applied on the oilseed rape plant, it is observed that the pods, twigs, height, and number of seeds increase significantly compared to the untreated control group ^[50][164]. The ability of the plant to resist drought is due to the plant hormone “zeatin”, which is present in large quantities in the methanolic extract, so the plants exposed to such climatic conditions when sprayed with the methanolic extract of Moringa showed improved growth characteristics compared with well-watered plants ^[51][165]. The tree is efficient in removing water hardness and is used by African tribes as a cheap source compared to chemical softeners ^[52][166]. A study conducted by several groups found that treating river water in African countries with Moringa seeds reduced color and microorganisms by 90% and microorganism (Escherichia coli) levels by up to 95%. Previous reports indicated that a water sample treated with M. oleifera seeds reduced the hardness content of the water by 50–70%, which used to be 80.3 g L⁻¹ CaCO3 ^[53][167]. It has also been shown to be an effective solution for treating turbidity, alkalinity, and dissolved organic carbon. It is suggested that Moringa could be, to some extent, an alternative to chemical alum used to remove water turbidity ^[54][168]. Moringa is a good source for curing plant diseases and can be a good option for biopesticides ^[48][162]. Since various plant pathogens affect the plants, Pythium debaryanum-a pathogen responsible for damping-off disease-can be cured by adding leaves to the soil ^[55][169]. Nearly all plant part (fruits, flowers, leaves, seeds, roots) is believed to have different properties that can heal the body spiritually and psychologically ^[56][34].