In the arid landscapes of the Arabian Peninsula, a resilient tree quietly holds promises for modern medicine.
For centuries, traditional healers in the United Arab Emirates and broader Arabian Peninsula have turned to the native Moringa peregrina tree for treating ailments ranging from skin rashes to diabetes. Today, this traditional remedy is capturing scientific attention for a remarkable modern application: fighting cancer.
Also known as "Yasar," this hardy desert species thrives in harsh environments.
Modern research confirms traditional knowledge of medicinal properties.
Evolutionary adaptations contribute to potent biological activities.
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with the global cancer burden estimated at 9.6 million deaths and 18.1 million new cases in 2018 alone. Traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy, while effective, often come with severe side effects because they target all rapidly dividing cells—both cancerous and healthy—leading to damage in normal tissues like digestive tract, bone marrow, and hair follicles 1 .
This limitation has sparked intense interest in what scientists call the "back to nature" approach in cancer management. Medicinal plants containing naturally occurring small molecules have provided experimental evidence of being clinically significant in cancer treatment strategies 1 .
Plants produce a remarkable array of bioactive compounds as part of their defense mechanisms against environmental threats. These same compounds often exhibit therapeutic effects in humans.
Programmed cell death in cancer cells
Stop cancer cell division
Through antioxidant activity
Prevent new blood vessel formation
In Moringa peregrina, researchers have identified valuable phytochemicals including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and glucosinolates that contribute to its anticancer effects 1 7 .
A pivotal 2022 study published in Horticulturae provides compelling experimental evidence for the anticancer potential of Moringa peregrina 1 . The research team designed a comprehensive investigation to evaluate different extracts from various parts of the plant against specific cancer cell lines.
Samples of tubers, leaves, and stems were collected from Al Foah, Al Ain, UAE. The unique tuber formation of Moringa peregrina during its seedling phase is particularly noteworthy, as this part of the plant had not been extensively studied previously 1 .
The collected plant materials were thoroughly washed, dried, and powdered using an electric blender 1 .
Using a Soxhlet apparatus, the researchers prepared extracts with solvents of increasing polarities: hexane, chloroform, acetone, and methanol. This approach allowed them to isolate different types of bioactive compounds based on their solubility properties 1 .
The extracts were tested on two human cancer cell lines: MCF-7 (breast cancer) and Caco-2 (colon adenocarcinoma). For comparison, they also tested the extracts on 3T3-L1 normal fibroblast cells to evaluate selectivity 1 .
The team used the MTT assay, a standard laboratory test that measures cell metabolic activity, to determine cell viability after treatment with the various extracts at different concentrations and time periods (48 and 72 hours) 1 .
To understand how the extracts were killing cancer cells, researchers performed PARP cleavage assays and DNA fragmentation assays—both tests that detect the characteristic patterns of apoptosis (programmed cell death) 1 .
The study yielded impressive results that underscore the therapeutic potential of Moringa peregrina:
Multiple extracts demonstrated dose-dependent anticancer effects, meaning higher concentrations produced stronger responses against cancer cells. The chloroform extract of the stem showed particularly remarkable anti-proliferative activity with an IC50 value of 45.53 µg/mL after 48 hours and 33.32 µg/mL after 72 hours of incubation on MCF-7 breast cancer cells 1 .
Perhaps most importantly, the researchers found that treatment of the extracts on normal fibroblast cell lines required significantly higher concentrations to produce cytotoxicity compared to cancer cells. This selective toxicity is crucial for developing effective cancer treatments with fewer side effects 1 .
Different parts of the plant showed varying levels of effectiveness, suggesting they contain different combinations of bioactive compounds 1 .
| Plant Part | Extract Type | IC50 after 48h (µg/mL) | IC50 after 72h (µg/mL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stem | Chloroform | 45.53 | 33.32 |
| Leaf | Chloroform | 220.0 | 87.50 |
| Tuber | Hexane | 188.6 | 164.3 |
| Tuber | Acetone | >200 | 167.4 |
| Stem | Acetone | 171.5 | 101.7 |
| Cell Line | Cancer Type | Most Effective Extract | IC50 Range (µg/mL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCF-7 | Breast Cancer | Stem Chloroform | 33.32-93.75 |
| Caco-2 | Colon Cancer | Leaf Chloroform | 72.90-500.90 |
The DNA fragmentation assay confirmed that the plant extracts were inducing apoptosis—the preferred type of cell death in cancer treatment because it prevents inflammation and damage to surrounding tissues 1 .
Conducting rigorous scientific research on medicinal plants requires specialized materials and techniques. Here are some key components used in studying Moringa peregrina's anticancer potential:
| Research Material | Purpose in Moringa Research |
|---|---|
| Soxhlet apparatus | Extraction of bioactive compounds from plant material using various solvents |
| MCF-7 cell line | Human breast cancer cells used to test anticancer activity |
| Caco-2 cell line | Human colon adenocarcinoma cells used to test anticancer activity |
| 3T3-L1 cell line | Normal fibroblast cells used to evaluate selective toxicity |
| MTT assay | Colorimetric test to measure cell viability and proliferation |
| Annexin V/PI staining | Flow cytometry method to detect apoptotic cells |
| DNA fragmentation assay | Technique to identify apoptotic cell death through DNA cleavage patterns |
| LC-MS/MS | Advanced analytical method to identify and quantify phytochemicals |
Moringa peregrina has a long history in traditional medicine across the Arabian Peninsula, where it has been used to treat skin rashes, wound healing, diabetes, fever, headache, and various pains 1 . This traditional usage provides valuable clues for modern scientific investigation, representing an excellent example of how indigenous knowledge can guide contemporary drug discovery.
The unique tuber formation of Moringa peregrina during its seedling phase is particularly interesting to researchers, as this represents an underinvestigated part of the plant that may contain novel bioactive compounds 1 .
The investigation into Moringa peregrina's anticancer properties represents a compelling convergence of traditional knowledge and modern scientific validation. As researchers continue to unravel the secrets of this desert miracle tree, it offers hope for developing more effective, targeted cancer therapies with fewer side effects.
While much work remains before these discoveries can be translated into clinical treatments, the groundbreaking research on Moringa peregrina underscores the immense value of preserving biodiversity and traditional medicinal knowledge.
In the relentless search for solutions to one of humanity's most challenging health problems, nature may yet hold answers we have only begun to discover.
As one research team concluded, "The information provided in the present study enables further studies on the isolation and characterization of an anticancer molecule from the tubers of M. peregrina" 1 . The path from traditional remedy to potential cancer treatment is underway, illuminated by the rigorous light of scientific inquiry.