The maqui berry is attracting increasing interest among the scientific community. Some researchers are interested in its therapeutic benefits for managing diabetes, while others are investigating its detoxifying properties, slimming effects or anti-fatigue action. Preliminary findings are encouraging, with one particular study having caught the attention of health professionals. This study examined the effects of supplementing with maqui berries on combatting sight problems. It suggested that such supplementation could restore healthy function to the lachrymal glands, helping to resolve the increasingly common problem of dry eye syndrome.

Moringa is a plant that has been recognised, used and valued for thousands of years in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. It’s the only genus in the plant family Moringaceae and is grown in the world’s tropical regions and in Madagascar, primarily for the exceptional nutritional value of its leaves (10-11). These contain vitamins (particularly vitamins C, B6 and B2), minerals (primarily iron and magnesium), important amino acids and fatty acids (12-3), as well as precious antioxidants including rare carotenoids, flavonoids and phenols (14).

Several studies have shown that Moringa leaves were used for their anti-inflammatory (17), anti-hypertensive (18), diuretic, antimicrobial (10), antioxidant (20), anti-hyperlipidaemic (21), cardio-protective and liver-protective (22-23) properties. According to Ayurvedic medicine practitioners, Moringa may prevent more than 300 diseases (24)!

Organic Moringa leaf extract is an aqueous extract made from the plant’s leaves.

It contains three major types of compound, in addition to the above-mentioned vitamins, minerals and fatty acids:

1. Polyphenols, including flavonoids and phenolic acids. The principal flavonoids are quercetin, rutin, chlorogenic acid, kaempferol, myricetin and benzylamine (moringine) (25), while the most abundant phenolic acids are salicylic, gallic, coumarinic and caffeic acid (26) as well as chlorogenic acid. The latter plays a role in glucose metabolism: it is at least partly responsible for the anti-diabetes properties of the extract (27-28).
2. Alkaloids, in particular glucosinolates and isothiocyanates, which are primarily responsible for Moringa’s anti-inflammatory effects.
3. Saponins, which reduce cholesterol absorption by binding to molecules and acids in bile (29).

In 2007, researchers examined the active principles of Moringa oleifera leaves (30). They found that two additional molecules, niazarin and niaziridin, increase the biological activity of the antibiotic compounds and facilitate gastrointestinal absorption of the vitamins and other micronutrients present in the leaves.

Moringa oleifera is considered to be extremely safe. It features in the composition of a wide variety of medicinal preparations. No serious side-effects have been demonstrated in human studies (31).

The recommended dose is three capsules a day, to be taken with food, for at least five weeks.

You may also be interested in other quality phytonutrients available to buy from our catalogue:

• Apple Polyphenols, a supplement of polyphenols from apples.
• Bioperine, a black pepper extract.
• Broccoli Sulforaphane Glucosinolate 300 mg, a broccoli extract standardised in sulforaphane.
• Butterbur Extract 50 mg, an extract of butterbur.
• Catuaba Power, a catuaba extract.
• Chrysantellum americanum 400 mg, a natural extract of Chrysantellum americanum.
• Natural Iodine 500 mg a natural source of iodine with multiple benefits.
• Olive Leaf Extract, a Mediterranean triple-action formulation against cholesterol.