Moringa olifera is a native tree of Indian subcontinent, a fast growing drought tolerant tree, belonging to family Moringaceae. It is commonly named as ” Sohanjna” and “Saijan” in various cites of Pakistan. Its also known as drum stick tree, horse radish tree and benoil tree. Socioeconomic status of people has been changed remarkably. Peoples are now more concerned about nutritional value of diet hence they are more interested in natural products. Due to high nutritional value and medicinal effects, Sohanjna is considered as valuable source of nutrients.

But there are still some people who are unaware of it’s value. Despite of it’s high nutritional and medicinal value, there is still a huge gap of research regarding it’s medicinal use. Sohanjna is considered as a potent antioxidant.

Sohanjna is known as “Miracle tree” and “Mother Best Friend” due to it’s medicinal and nutritional importance.  Sohanjna has long been considered as a magic supplement for improving the nutrition of tropical and subtropical poor. It’s leaves, immature pods, fruits, seeds  and flowers are edible. Sohanjna had a variety of necessary phytochemicals present in it’s leaves, pods, and seeds.  It’s leaves possess many essential compounds such as proteins, vitamins, iron, calcium, ascorbic acid and antioxidants. Due to high content of vitamins and minerals it is also considered as immunity booster against various diseases. It’s dry leaves are grounded to make a powder that is used by local people for making tea.

This powder is also used in baking industry to make biscuits and cakes as well as to make a soup. This powder is also added in chocolates due to high protein and fiber content.  Sohanjna contains vitamin C seven times more than that of oranges,  10 times more Vitamin A than carrots, 17 times more calcium than milk, 15 times more potassium than bananas, 25 times more iron than spinach and  2 times more protein than yogurt. Pods and stems of sohanjna contains variable amount of tanninwhereas saponin content of the leaves is also considerable.

As an important medicinal plant,  sohanjna is used to cure many diseases. Sohanjna  contain all important vitamins that are helpful in treatment of more than 300 diseases. Due to it’s magical healing power, it is also considered during wound management. Sohanjna leaves are generally used for the treatment of asthma, hyperglycemia, skin diseases, scurvy, headaches, diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria,  heart burn, flu, bronchitis, eyes and ear infections. It also reduces blood pressure and cholesterol. It also has antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anticancer and antiatherosclerotic properties. It acts as a neuroprotectant. Sohanjna seeds are used to cure Crohn’s disease, virus arthritis, rheumatism, gout, cramp, epilepsy, and sexually transmitted diseases. It’s root bark acts as cardiac stimulant, antiulcer and anti-inflammatory agent. It’s immature pods are useful as antidiarrheal agents. Currently, it is well known plant that has antiinflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antidiabetic activities. Sohanjna based paste is used to treat a tooth infection and 10% of it’sleaves concentration can inhibit plaque formation.  Acccording to Ayurvedic science, different parts of Sohanjna i.e. root, root bark, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds and oil have medicinal uses.

Alamighty Allah blessed our country with such a fruitfull and precious gift of Sohanjna. Need of the hour is to understand it’s value in nutrition and medicine as well. In such an era when the whole world is facing problems of allopathic drugs resistance, such precious trees can become the best alternative.Agriculturists should convince people to grow it on large scale and researchers should work on it’s active components that are actually involved in treatment so that new drugs can be derived from this magical tree.

Mphill Biology

Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi.