Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disease of multiple aetiologies in insulin secretion. A deficiency in insulin results in hyperglycemia with metabolic disturbances of biomolecules. Moringa oleifera (MO) is endemic in the tropics with a variety of ethnomedicinal importance. The leaf of this plant has been reported to possess antioxidant and medicinal properties that may be helpful in the treatment and management of diabetes and its associated complications. Diabetes was induced intraperitoneally in rats by a single dose of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg) and treated with methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera (250 mg/kg b.wt) for six weeks. Forty-eight (48) adult male Wistar strain rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control (NC), Moringa oleifera treated control rats (NC + MO), diabetic rats (DM) and Moringa oleifera treated diabetic rats (DM + MO). Estimation of antioxidant capacity, total polyphenols, flavonoids and flavonols content of Moringa oleifera extract was performed and serum biochemical markers were evaluated. Antioxidants such as catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, glutathione (GSH) and inflammatory biomarkers were determined in the kidney. Results showed high antioxidant capacities of MO extract and improved serum biochemical markers, whilst lipid peroxidation (MDA) levels were reduced in non-diabetic and diabetic rats after MO treatment when compared to normal control. Subsequent administration of MO led to an increased concentration of serum albumin, globulin and total protein with a decrease in the level of MDA, and improvements in CAT, SOD, GSH, GPx, (tumour necrosis factor-alpha)TNF-α and (interleukin-6)IL-6. MO contains potent phytochemical constituents that offer protective action against diabetic-induced renal damage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation and could therefore play a role in reducing diabetic complications, particularly in developing countries such as in Africa where the majority cannot afford orthodox medicine.

The number of individuals with diabetes is increasing daily, and diabetes is presently estimated to affect about 422 million adults worldwide. Conventional drugs used to treat diabetes are not without severe side effects, accessibility, and affordability. This study elucidates the potential effects of Moringa oleifera (MO) leaves extract to manage and treat diabetes induced in male Wistar rats. Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 12/group): NC - nondiabetic rats (positive control), MO - nondiabetic-treated rats, DM - diabetic rats (negative control), DM + MO - diabetic-treated rats. Hepatic enzymes and biochemical parameters as well as antioxidant capacity and inflammatory cytokine levels were assessed. Levels of low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol were evaluated. Oral administration of methanolic extract of MO (250 mg/kg) to diabetic rats for 42 days showed a significant reduction in hepatic enzyme markers and normalized lipid profile parameters in the serum compared to normal control group. Treatment also increased the level of antioxidant capacity and alleviated inflammatory biomarkers of the liver. Histology sections of the liver tissue showed protective effect of MO in treated rats. MO showed hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering effects against streptozotocin-induced hepatotoxicity. Histological section demonstrated specific alterations in the liver of the diabetic and nondiabetic male Wistar rats while MO treatment revealed improvement in liver alterations. Abbreviations Used: IL 1: Interleukin 1, IL 6: Interleukin 16, MCP-1: Monocyte chemotactic protein, TNF-α: Tumor Necrotic factor alpha, ROS: Reactive oxygen species, MO: Moringa oleifera, STZ: Streptozotocin, SRC: Standard rat chow, ALP: Alkaline phosphatase, AST: Aspartate aminotransferase, ALT: Alanine aminotransferase, ORAC: Oxygen radical absorbance capacity, LDL: Low density lipoprotein, HDL: High density lipoprotein, CHOL: Total cholesterol.

Dyslipidaemia, an irregular aggregate of lipids in the blood is common in diabetes and cardiovascular disease sufferers. A cross-sectional study on the prevalence of dyslipidaemia was performed among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in the Western Cape, South Africa. Patients (n = 100) that participated in the study were within the age range of 19–68 years, of whom 89% were observed to have serum lipid abnormalities. Out of the 100 patients, 56%, 64%, 61%, and 65% were recorded to have high total cholesterol (TC), hypertriglycemia, increased low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C), and reduced high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C), respectively. In male diabetic patients, a marked prevalence of (94%) dyslipidemia was noted, of which 52% were affected by high TC (5.3–7.9 mmol/L), with 70% having a high level of triglyceride (TG) [1.72–7.34 mmol/L], while 60% had a high LDL-C (3.1–5.5 mmol/L), including 78% with low HDL-C (0.7–1.1 mmol/L). In comparison, 84% of diabetic females had dyslipidemia, with high TC (5.1–8.1 mmol/L), hypertriglycemia (1.73–8.63 mmol/L), high LDL-C (3.1–5.6 mmol/L), and low levels of HDL-C (0.8–1.1 mmol/L) affecting 60%, 58%, 62%, and 52% of the patients, respectively. This study showed the importance of screening and the regular surveillance of dyslipidaemia in T2DM patients as there is a paucity of data on it in Africa.

Simultaneous nitrification and aerobic denitrification (SNaD) is a preferred method for single stage total nitrogen (TN) removal, which was recently proposed to improve wastewater treatment plant design. However, SNaD processes are prone to inhibition by toxicant loading with free cyanide (FCN) possessing the highest inhibitory effect on such processes, rendering these processes ineffective. Despite the best efforts of regulators to limit toxicant disposal into municipal wastewater sewage systems (MWSSs), FCN still enters MWSSs through various pathways; hence, it has been suggested that FCN resistant or tolerant microorganisms be utilized for processes such as SNaD. To mitigate toxicant loading, organisms in SNaD have been observed to adopt a diauxic growth strategy to sequentially degrade FCN during primary growth and subsequently degrade TN during the secondary growth phase. However, FCN degrading microorganisms are not widely used for SNaD in MWSSs due to inadequate application of suitable microorganisms (Chromobacterium violaceum, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Thiobacillus denitrificans, Rhodospirillum palustris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Alcaligenes faecalis) commonly used in single-stage SNaD. This review expatiates the biological remedial strategy to limit the inhibition of SNaD by FCN through the use of FCN degrading or resistant microorganisms. The use of FCN degrading or resistant microorganisms for SNaD is a cost-effective method compared to the use of other methods of FCN removal prior to TN removal, as they involve multi-stage systems (as currently observed in MWSSs). The use of FCN degrading microorganisms, particularly when used as a consortium, presents a promising and sustainable resolution to mitigate inhibitory effects of FCN in SNaD.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health problem not only in urban areas, but also in rural areas. DM is a metabolic disorder resulting from abnormal insulin secretion. This leads to chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances of carbohydrate metabolism. Hyperglycemic-induced oxidative stress has been shown to be actively involved in the onset and progression of diabetes. Plants have played a vital role in improving the quality of life and maintaining human health. It also serves as important components for medicines, beverages and seasonings. Many plants contain flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids, terpenoids, and carotenoids with anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties. Moringa oleifera (MO) is one of such plants which have been used for centuries as a folk remedy for the treatment and management of various diseases including diabetes. This review is aimed at providing an overview of the potentials of MO in the treatment and management of diabetes and its possible applications in the treatment of other diseases. Keywords: Moringa oleifera, Diabetes mellitus, Hyperglycemia, Oxidative stress