Moringa oleifera

Flowers of the mustard tree

The horseradish tree, or even Behenbaum, Behennussbaum, Klärmittelbaum, Drumstick Tree, Horse Radish Tree, and like many other plant species also known as miracle tree, (English Horseradish Tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Tree ) ( Moringa oleifera, Syn: Moringa pterygosperma, Moringa moringa, Guilandina moringa ) belongs to the family of Bennussgewächse ( Moringaceae ).

Name

The German name horseradish tree is derived as well as the English " Horseradish Tree" on the content of mustard oil glycosides from which cause the roots smell pungent burning like horseradish. By the British, they were "discovered" during the colonial period in India as a horseradish substitute. The term Behennuss derives from the fact that the Behenöl, a highly stable lubricating oil was extracted from the seeds, which was especially popular in the watch industry before it was replaced by the cheaper olive and palm oil from the European market.

Botany

The fast-growing tree reaches in the first year of life a height of 5 to 8 m. A young tree grows in East Africa and India under natural conditions per year up to 8 m up in the air if it is not trimmed. The root is thickened beet -like, the trunk is relatively short with a diameter of up to 25-40 cm. It can thicken bottle- under certain culture conditions. He branched into many far superior thinner, slightly drooping branches.

The leaves are clustered on the tips of the branches. They are arranged in a spiral have a length of 20 to 25 cm and are feathered two to three times. The oval leaves are 1-2 cm long.

The plant has 2 to 3 cm wide flowers with 5 short sepals, 5 petals, 5 fertile stamens and staminodes 5. The inflorescences are formed as panicles, which have a length of 10 to 25 cm, and arise from the leaf axils. The flowers are fragrant (similar to violet ) of creamy- white in color with yellow spots at the base.

The ripe fruits are about 2 cm wide ribbed capsules with a length of 25 to 45 ( to 90) cm long, which is why the plant bears also the English name " Drumstick Tree". They remain on the tree for a long time and finally jump with three flaps.

The seeds are round or nearly triangular and each set with 3 papery wings. They are arranged in the fruit in a row and embedded in a white, dry marks. Traditionally, fruits and seeds are also known today even among the citizens of Indian origin in Tanzania (preferably Shija and Bohora sects ) as Singhu.

Occurrence and location

Originally, the tree is native to the Himalayan region in northwest India, but is now growing worldwide in the tropics and subtropics - mainly in Africa, Arabia, Asia and the Caribbean islands - and will ( Bangalore region) intensively cultivated in India for decades, what is - can be observed also in East Africa - albeit very slowly. However, the tree is preferably used in contrast to India in East Africa as a natural remedy in various application areas, which traditionally is especially East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi) course. Regarding the latter, especially the German SAMPICO group for a beneficial and purposeful deployment and use of the tree in the fight against under - and malnutrition making the case as agricultural crop.

In ancient East African - English tradition of the tree is still often referred to as " Newer deat ", indicating mainly due to its nearly indestructible endurance in very hot and dry areas. The horseradish tree thrives in hot, semiarid climates with average precipitation totals between 250 to 1500 mm / year, but also grows in areas (up to 1500 meters above sea level) with higher humidity in annual rainfall up to 3000 mm - there, however slowly. Although the nature permeable, slightly loamy sand soils preferred, it will also grow on heavy clay soils quite persistent. He endures even briefly light frosts, which, however, if sustained, damage the tuberous roots. Because of its caused by the delicate leaves with their high sodium content of the hygroscopic properties of the tree is excellent for hot dry areas and fully sunny locations

Of importance is mainly to point out that the horseradish tree no waterlogging ( even momentarily not ) tolerate, because it will root damage caused and as a result the growth is slowed or may be, what is the standpoint of the commercial use of the tree at a disadvantage.

Use

Are very young, immature dark green fruits such as green beans used by cutting them into small pieces, boiled and eaten as a vegetable. In South India are " drumsticks " in combination with a specially spiced lentil soup ( sambar ) popular. These fruits are already harvested 40 days after flowering. Mature fruits such as asparagus must be freed from its woody coat and are preferably used in certain spice mixtures ( curry) processed. The young leaves are eaten as a vegetable much less, because the effort at harvest is still relatively high. However, the juice of the leaves in the whole of India is widely and regularly used as an additive or drink in the widespread throughout Asia juice dietetics to prevent and combat malnutrition and its consequences. This concerns in Asia and Africa, especially the dietary anemia or the so-called Age of sugar. Juice diets are used mainly in children and elderly people whose bodies only poorly or not at all tolerate pure chemical substance treatments.

Moringa has a very unique taste and need not be nachgesalzen because of its high natural salinity and also contains nicotinic acid.

The turnip -like roots of young plants with a height of about 60 cm are dug or pulled from the ground and then well of their slightly poisonous bark ( alkaloids) must be freed. The roots contain, inter alia, benzyl mustard oil, which is responsible for the horseradish -like taste.

The horseradish tree is a good example of how a relatively popular vegetable in Asia and Africa can be of high nutritional value. The fern-like, young, vitamin A, B, C and minerals (magnesium [ Mg 2 ], calcium [ Ca2 ], sodium [Na ], phosphorus and iron [Fe2 ], [ Fe3 ] ) is extremely rich leaves of the horseradish tree are in South Southeast Asia and widely used as a vegetable. In Thailand, the young green twigs of wild species are also used as a vegetable, which one usually blanched and then goes to a spicy dipping sauce or gives to soups.

From the seeds of the best and most stable vegetable oils is pressed, which is very durable and will not go rancid. It was formerly used as the basis for the preparation of ointments or as a fine lubricating oil in the watch industry and used as a salad oil, or for making soap and cosmetics. As Behenöl it can also be used for internal purposes and as biodiesel. The water-soluble beef rubber of the mustard tree is used in India as a disinfectant finish.

Research in the past decades have shown that the seeds can be used for treatment of drinking water. The seeds are removed from the blades, peeled and dried, and then ground into powder. This is then poured into water, which was extracted as from rivers, and therefore still has a high proportion of particulate matter and bacteria. A barrel full of this murky water can be fully understood with 200 to 300 mg of the powder, if that 15-20 minutes is stirred slowly and evenly. The suspended solids and bacteria are flocculated by the seed powder and so fall to the ground. After extensive research, a harmful effect can be ruled out by the powder on humans or on river and farmed fish. A similar clarification effect was also observed in M. stenopetala ( Baker f ) Cufod. / Also M. oleifera Lam. of the German Biomass, Optima of Africa Tanzania Ltd.. ( J.Sutherland & Cheyo ) or CUFOD examined from Kenya and Ethiopia, which had been shown that the seed powder is more effective than that of Moringa oleifera Lam. in Tanzania was what apparently stemmed from the different soil conditions.

Ingredients

All parts of the plant, especially the roots rübigen, contain glucosinolates, from which evolved in processing pungent sharp benzyl mustard. In the roots, bark toxic alkaloids, " Spirochine " and " Moringinine " are included, which is why it must be removed before consumption.

The edible parts of plants, especially the leaves have a high content of proteins, are vitamins (especially vitamins A and C) and rich in minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and sodium).

The following table shows various components of Moringa in comparison to other foods ( based on 100 g of edible portion ;).

Because of rapid growth, the relatively simple cultivation options (the plant can be easily vegetatively by Steckholz multiply ) and the diverse applicability of the horseradish tree and other Moringa species were in developing countries of the tropics and subtropics launched numerous projects in which vegetables, seeds powder or other products are to be produced and marketed.

Medicine

All parts of the horseradish tree are used in local traditional medicine of India, Sri Lanka, Java and Africa. The juice is used to stabilize blood pressure. Leaves are anti-inflammatory. With the roots of rheumatic complaints are cured.

The alkaloid contained in the root Spirochin and Moringine is bactericidal, so in the meantime, a use is tested as an antibiotic as well as in biological plant protection. Also the long immature seed capsules should contain medicinal ingredients.

From Fidel Castro propagated cultivation in Cuba

In June 2012, the Cuban revolutionary leader and former president Fidel Castro made ​​the horseradish tree and the mulberry tree on the subject of a published since his retirement from active politics in all Cuban media " considerations ". In his comprehensive few lines of text he advocated the cultivation of both tree species " large scale " and called the Moringa oleifera as an " inexhaustible source of meat, eggs and milk ." On the one hand undid the unusual nature and form of these and other comments of the younger age of the former statesman's speculations about his state of mind. On the other hand, the horseradish tree has become increasingly widespread in Cuba with government subsidies for between one and two years before Castro's utterance as cheap source of raw materials for herbal medicine and as a food supplement and is there for the recommendation of the highest authority of now all the more agricultural hopefuls. In October, Fidel Castro announced again to speak with more detailed information on the horseradish tree. Ahead of taking place every six months session of the Cuban Parliament, the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Food employed in December 2012 in detail with the results so far of the Castro demanded by mass cultivation of the mustard tree.