<i>Moringa oleifera </i>for blood pressure regulation and endothelial dysfunction – Mechanisms and therapeutic potential in cardiovascular disease: A review

Cardiovascular disease kills more people globally than any other condition, and a key early step in that process is endothelial dysfunction — a state where the inner lining of blood vessels loses its ability to relax properly and becomes inflamed. Moringa oleifera, widely known as the "Miracle Tree," has attracted growing scientific attention as a plant that may help address both high blood pressure and this vascular damage. Researchers compiled and analysed existing clinical and preclinical evidence to map out how moringa might work against these problems. On the clinical side, the most consistent finding across human studies is that moringa can lower blood pressure. In laboratory and animal research, the picture is richer: moringa appears to boost nitric oxide availability (nitric oxide is a molecule that tells blood vessels to widen), inhibit an enzyme called ACE that raises blood pressure, act as an antioxidant, and even promote mild diuresis — increased urine output that reduces fluid volume and therefore pressure. The review also identifies three specific molecular pathways through which moringa may cause blood vessels to relax: nitric oxide signalling, hydrogen sulfide signalling, and a mechanism involving a substance called endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor. Its antioxidant properties may additionally protect vessel walls from the oxidative damage that diabetes and hypertension cause. The authors are careful to note that most of the mechanistic detail comes from animal models, and human trials have generally been small. The review concludes that moringa shows genuine promise for cardiovascular health but that large, well-designed human trials are still needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.