Articles

Short-Term Intake of Moringa oleifera Leaf Soup and Its Effect on Fasting Blood Glucose in Overweight Office Workers: A Preliminary Study

/in /by

Background: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia continues to rise, particularly among workers with sedentary lifestyles and overweight conditions. Moringa oleifera leaves are known to contain antidiabetic bioactive compounds; however, studies regarding their effectiveness in the form of a cooked vegetable dish (soup) remain limited.

Objective: This study aims to determine the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf soup intake on changes in fasting blood glucose levels among overweight employees at the University of Nusa Cendana.

Methods: This study employed a pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design. Twenty-seven employees with a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 25 were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The intervention consisted of administering Moringa leaf soup (100 grams of fresh leaves boiled at 80°C for 3 minutes), consumed daily for one week.

Results: Phytochemical analysis confirmed that the soup contained flavonoids, tannins, and vitamin C. Clinically, the intervention resulted in a decrease in mean fasting blood glucose from 121.37 mg/dL to 118.33 mg/dL, with 16 out of 27 respondents (59.3%) showing a reduction. However, statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon test indicated that this change was not statistically significant (p = 0.361).

Conclusion: Although the results were not statistically significant—likely due to the short duration of the intervention—a clinical downward trend was observed in the majority of respondents. This finding suggests the potential of Moringa leaf soup as a functional food to support glycemic control.

Phytomedicinal Potential of “Dimocarpus Longan Lour.” as an Essential Nutraceutical

/in /by

For many centuries Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) a native plant of Northeastern India, and Southeast Asia has been used for its nutraceutical properties. The phytochemicals constituents include carbohydrates, proteins, polysaccharides, vitamin C, polyphenols, that exhibit innumerable biological properties. It is essential to review the immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and phytomedicinal potential with the aim to provide a comprehensive information for future development of longan as an essential nutraceutical. Longan is in great demand as various food products viz dried pulp, frozen, fresh, and processed as jam, drinks, wine and canned fruit. The key biological activities of longan pericarp are tyrosinase inhibitory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-glycated, anti-cancer, memory-increasing impact, and other parameters that have a significant contribution to human health.