Moringa: Moringa The Miracle Tree


Moringa – AKA : Moringa – AKA Miracle Tree Drumstick Tree Horseradish Tree Ben Oil Tree West Indian Ben Mother’s Best Friend Tree that grows like crazy Radish Tree


Location, Location, Location: Location, Location, Location India Africa Arabia South East Asia South America Pacific Islands Caribbean Islands


Growing Conditions: Growing Conditions Semi-Arid Hot No Frost


Currently Cultivated In: Currently Cultivated In tropical Africa tropical America Sri Lanka India Mexico Malaysia the Philippines


13 Moringa Species: 13 Moringa Species Slender Trees (India) M. oleifera - subhimalayan India M. conanensis – India & Pakistan to near Bangladesh M. peregrina - Dead Sea to the Red Sea and beyond Bottle Trees (Southern Hemisphere) M. ovalifolia - Namibia and Angola in S.W. Africa M. drouhardii – Madagascar only M. hildebrantii - Madagascar only


13 Moringa Species: 13 Moringa Species African Horn Specific Species M. pygmaea M. longtituba M. ruspoliana M. rivae M. boriziana M. stenopetala (widely cultivated) M. arborea


Moringa oleifera ~ Most Effective: Moringa oleifera ~ Most Effective


Botanical Details: Botanical Details


Botanical Details: Botanical Details


Botanical Details: Botanical Details


Many Uses of Moringa: Many Uses of Moringa Medicinal Uses Lung & Body Tonic Treatment for Epilepsy and Hysteria Astringent Digestive Aid Aphrodisiac Water Treatment Nutritional Supplement Erosion Control Mechanical Lubricant Living Fence Lucky Charm


Leaves are Tasty!*: Leaves are Tasty!* *Leaves are tasty when prepared into recipes in small doses


Nutritional Comparison : Nutritional Comparison As you can see, the Moringa tree is a powerful source of vitamins.


Leaves: Nutritional Supplement : Leaves: Nutritional Supplement Gram for Gram Moringa Leaves Provide


Marketable Moringa: Marketable Moringa


What does this have to do with water treatment?: What does this have to do with water treatment? Now for what you’ve been waiting for…


Seeds: Coagulant: Seeds: Coagulant The seeds of the Moringa tree contain a cation, which acts as a coagulant in turbid water Seed powder is as effective as technical, non-organic water-clarifying agents, such as alum There are no toxic by-products associated with the use of Moringa seeds as a coagulant


Moringa Seeds: Moringa Seeds Seed pods grow green (and can be eaten) Pods become brown and hard as they age Pods are filled with white pulp Seeds are brown, and the kernels are white


Seeds: Coagulant: Seeds: Coagulant Seed kernels are crushed with pestle & mortar Seed powder is sown into sack cloths Sacks are tossed into jugs at water collection site Agitation by transportation disperses the cations to start the coagulation Water settles at the home Lucid water can be poured from the top of the container


To Treat 20 Liters of Water:: To Treat 20 Liters of Water: 2 grams (2 spoonfuls) of fine Moringa powder Add 1 cup of water Shake for 5 minutes Strain through a clean cloth into bucket of untreated water Stir rapidly for 2 minutes Stir slowly for 10 minutes Settle for 1 hour


Moringa Water Treatment Guide: Moringa Water Treatment Guide Somewhat turbid water 1 Moringa Kernel = 2 L Treated Water Very turbid water 1 Moringa Kernel = 1 Liter Treated Water


On the Market: Moringa Seed Cake: On the Market: Moringa Seed Cake A natural coagulant used as a replacement for proprietary coagulants to treat both drinking water and waste water Don’t eat this cake!


Untreated vs Moringa Treated Water: Untreated vs Moringa Treated Water Which would you rather drink?


Moringa in Tanzania: Moringa in Tanzania Combined efforts from Tanzania, Kenya and Switzerland have Moringa Plantations to produce “press cakes” for water treatment


How does it work?: How does it work? So…


Moringa’s Mechanism: Moringa’s Mechanism Moringa  Flo polypeptide Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) Cationic – overall net positive Amphiphilic (go into the cells) Target Disinfectant Bactericidal Fungicidal Tumoricidal


AMP Mechanisms: AMP Mechanisms Leakage of cellular material Transmembrane channel Depolarization of bacterial membranes Scrambling of lipid distribution Damage intracellular targets


Moringa Treatment: Moringa Treatment Electrostatic flocculation (accelerated by stirring) Bacteria attach to colloids Flocs condense contaminants


One Mature M. oleifera Tree… : One Mature M. oleifera Tree… Produces 5,500 seeds / year Treats 7,000 liters of water Seeds are 40% oil by weight Total seed weight = ~0.32g Kernel weight = ~0.22g


Music – Agua de Moringa: Music – Agua de Moringa Such an inspiring plant – somebody must sing of its fame! Coagulant


Resources: Resources Kebreab Ghebremichael – Moringa Seed and Pumice as Alternative Natural Material for Drinking Water Treatment (2004) Markus Schneider “Drinking water treatment in Tanzania using purified seed extracts from the pan-tropical tree Moringa oleifera” (2006) Mark E Olson - Moringa Home Page ECHO – Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization Moringa News The Miracle Tree – Church World Services (1999) LokVani-LokVani, Usha Palaniswamy Ph.D., M.Ed. – Purslane Drumsticks (2005) Trees for Life – Moringa Tree Project Drumstick India – Exports (2005) Raveendra Babu and Malay Chaudhuri, “Home water treatment by direct filtration with natural coagulant” (2005) John Sutherland, “M.oleifera in water treatment” “Purification of turbid surface water by plants in Ethiopia” Eggert Goettsch (1992) Suarez, M., M. Haenni, etc. “Structure-Function Characterization of Optimization of a Plant-Derived Antibacterial Peptide.” (2005)