Medicinal Uses of Drumstick

Munaga (Drumstick) Moringa olifera – Valuable for food and medicine

Image Source: Philip Tellis

‘Moringa Olifera’ is a useful plant both for food and medicine. It is a very commonly grown tree and grown by many people traditionally as a backyard plant for using its long pods for food. The pods are delicious and in southern India they are commonly used in the preparation of sambar a favorite dish. The sambar gets a particular taste and flavor by using the cuttings of the pods. It is native to the southern foot hills of Himalayas in the northwest part of India. It grows very well in semiarid and tropical climates. It can be grown in poor soils also. The plant can be propagated with stem cuttings and seeds easily without any difficulty. The tender leaves are also used as food by cooking along with dolls (Either green or Red grams). The leaves are a rich source of Iron and it is believed that using the leaves as a food increases the hemoglobin level in anemic patients. Extract of leaves also can be taken to increase the blood levels of hemoglobin. It is a safe home medicine for anemic patients. In addition drum sticks also contain Beta carotene, Vitamin C, Proteins and Potassium.

Medicinal values of different parts of Moringa:

• Different parts of the plant are used in Ayurvedic medicines and as home remedies.
• The leaves of Moringa control Vata and Kaphay disturbances in the body. The leaves can be cooked along with dolls or leaf extract, or powdered leaf can be used for this purpose.
• The Moringa leave contain iron. Therefore they can be used for anemic patients to increase their hemoglobin levels. Leaf extract can be used for improving the hemoglobin.
• Leaves are also useful to control fevers, cough due to bronchitis, eye and ear infections
  Dried leaves are used for gastric problems like ulcers and hyper-acidity.
• Mix black pepper powder in leaf extract of Moringa and if applied to the fore head will control headache and colds.
• Make a paste of the leaves of Moringa and boil in oil. Apply this paste on the inflamed joints for patients suffering with rheumatism and gout. The pain and swelling will reduce and the patients get relief. The seeds of Moringa also are useful for the same conditions.
• It is believed that if Moringa leaves are cooked and eaten milk secretion will be increased in breast feeding mothers.
• Moringa pod seeds are used to treat skin problems since it has got antifungal properties.
  The roots are used to cure rheumatism and snake bites.

Different regional names of Moringa:
Munagakkai
Telugu

Moringa
Tamil

Sobhanjana
Sanskrit

Drumstick
English

Moringa
Malayalam

Sahjna
Urdu

Munaga
Hindi

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