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Horseradish Tree
Horseradish tree is the most widely cultivated species of a monogeneric family, the Moringaceae that is native to the sub-Himalayan tracts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. It is widely cultivated and naturalized in tropical India, Africa, tropical America, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Malabar, Malaysia and the Philippine Islands. Horseradish tree is reported to contain alkaloids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins and cinnamates. Leaves have been reported to be a rich source of natural antioxidants; other parts are a good source of protein, vitamins, ß-carotene, amino acids and various phenolics. The Horseradish tree plant provides a rich and rare combination of zeatin, quercetin, ß-sitosterol, caffeoylquinic acid and kaempferol. Various parts of this plant such as the leaves, roots, seed, bark, fruit, flowers and immature pods act as cardiac and circulatory stimulants, possess antitumor, antipyretic, antiepileptic, antiinflammatory, antiulcer, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering, aphrodisiac, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and antifungal activites.

Cardio-Vascular Activity
Pharmacological properties it revealed that its root bark contains two alkaloids moringine and moringinine which belong to sympathomimetic group of bases. Such bases act on sympathetic nerve endings producing rise in blood pressure, acceleration of heart beat and constriction of blood vessels.

Anti-Microbial Activity
Bacteriological studies on Horseradish tree revealed that 4-(4"-O-acetyl-L-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy ) benzyl isothiocyanate (I) is the active antimicrobial agent of the seeds of Moringa aleifera. It has also been suggested that roots of Horseradish tree contain compound I and benzyl isothiocyanate (II) as antimicrobial agent. Leaf may be applicable as a prophylactic or therapeutic anti-HSV (Herpes simples virus type 1) medicine and may be effective against the acyclovir resistant variant.

Anti-Inflammatory and Diuretic Activity
Various parts of it were also screened for anti-inflammatory and diuretic activity. The seed infusion showed significant inhibition of acetyl choline induced contraction with an ED50 of 65.6 mg/ml bath concentration. It also inhibited carrageenan induced edema at 1000 mg/kg and exhibited diuretic activity and such diuretic components are likely to play a complementary role in the overall blood pressure lowering effect of this plant.

Anti-Tumor and Hormonal Activity
It leaves to be a potential source for antitumor activity. The flowers, leaves, and roots are used in folk remedies for tumors, the seed for abdominal tumors. Various groups of workers also investigated the abortificient, emmenagogue and ecbolic properties of the plants. Extracts of different parts of it have been tested for their contraceptive efficacy and it had been found that aqueous extract of the plant possessed significant anti-implantation activity in rats. It has also been reported to exhibit other diverse activities. Aqueous leaf extracts regulate thyroid hormone and can be used to treat hyperthyroidism and exhibit and antioxicant effect.

Anti Asthmatic and Analgesic Activity
A recent report showed that seed kernels of it were investigated for the safety and efficacy in the treatment of bronchial asthama and also for analgesic activity. Various parts of its tree are used in Ayurvedic system of medicine as antipyretic, abortificient, galactagogue, and anthelmintic.

Antihyperlipidemic and Antispasmodic Activity
The crude extract of Horseradish tree leaves has significant cholesterol lowering action in the serum of high fat diet fed rats which might be attributed to the presence of a bioactive phytoconstituent, i.e. C-sitosterol. Its roots have been reported to possess antispasmodic activity. Horseradish tree leaves have been extensively studied pharmacologically and it has been found that the ethanol extract and its constituents exhibit antispasmodic effects possibly through calcium channel blockade. The antispasmodic activity of the ethanol extract of its leaves has been attributed to the prescence of 4-[L-(L-ramnosyloxy) benzyl] - o-methyl thiocarbamate (IV) (trans), which forms the basis for its traditional use in diarrhea.

Antiulcer and Hepatoprotective Activity
The methanol fraction of its leaf extract showed anitulcerogenic and hepatoprotective effects in rats. Aqueous leaf extracts also showed antiulcer effect indicating that the antiulcer component is widely distributed in this plant. Horseradish tree roots have also been reported to possess hepatoprotective activity. The aqueous and alcohol extracts from Horseradish tree flowers were also found to have significant hepatoprotective effect, which may be due to the presence of quercetin, a well known flavonoid with the hepatoprotective activity.

Safety
Fewer cardiovascular complications were seen at high dose in animal study.

Herbal Drug Interactions
No serious interactions reported.

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