Researchers investigate the effects of Moringa oleifera stem extract on cataracts caused by oxidative stress

Chinese researchers investigated the effects of Moringa oleifera stem extract (MOSE) on cataract formation induced by oxidative stress in cultured mouse lenses. The results of their study were published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

• M. oleifera, also known as horseradish tree, drumstick tree or simply moringa, has strong antioxidant properties.
• To find out if it can prevent cataract formation, the researchers pre-treated mouse lenses cultured in vitro with 0.5 and 1 mg/mL MOSE for 24 hours.
• Afterward, they exposed the mouse lenses to 1 millimolar (mM) hydrogen peroxide for 24 hours.
• After 48 hours, the researchers measured the lens opacification, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, reduced glutathione (GSH) content and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), in the lenses.
• They also measured the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARa), a nuclear receptor that helps protect against vision-threatening eye diseases.
• The researchers reported that MOSE at a concentration of 1 mg/mL alleviated lens opacification, reduced ROS generation and increased GSH content in cultured lenses.
• It also increased SOD and CAT activities and up-regulated the expressions of SOD, CAT and PPARa.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that moringa extracts can alleviate oxidative stress-induced cataract formation by enhancing the endogenous antioxidant system in eye lenses.

Read the full study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Qi L, Zhou Y, Li W, Zheng M, Zhong R, Jin X, Lin Y. EFFECT OF MORINGA OLEIFERA STEM EXTRACT ON HYDROGEN PEROXIDE-INDUCED OPACITY OF CULTURED MOUSE LENS. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 21 June 2019;19(1). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-019-2555-z