Moringa (Malunggay)

June 8, 2008-June 14, 2008

Scientifically known as Moringa oleifera, malunggay is a commonly cultivated vegetable tree with a number of medical, nutritional and economic uses. It grows chiefly in semiarid and tropical regions such as Africa, Sri Lanka, Middle East, South and Central America, Mexico, the Philippines, India and the foothills of the Himalayas. It can also grow in coastal areas wherein soil is of poor quality. Additionally, it is a fast-growing and drought-resistant tree.

Moringa is highly regarded in some parts of the world as a very useful plant. Almost all of its parts have certain beneficial properties. The leaves of moringa, is commonly used in cooking or as food for livestock. According to the Bureau of Plant Industry of the Philippine government, weight per weight, moringa's leaves have calcium equivalent to four glasses of milk, vitamin C equaling seven oranges, potassium of three bananas, thrice the iron of spinach, four times the vitamin A in carrots and twice the protein in milk. On the other hand, its immature green pods (also called “drumsticks”), seeds and flowers are also cooked and consumed. The roots are then used as a condiment yet, it is being discouraged by nutritionists for it contains spirochin, a potentially fatal alkaloid that paralyzes the nerves.

Aside from culinary purposes, moringa is also well-recognized medically. In India, its leaves are used in Siddha medicine. It is believed to have a capacity in treating erectile dysfunction in men and prolonging sexual activity in women. It is then used to cure open wounds. Other parts of moringa such as its bark, sap, roots, seeds, oil and flowers are also used in traditional medicine for treating rheumatism, venomous bites and other sorts of conditions.

Commercially, moringa is a raw material for producing the so-called ben oil. This oil can be used in cooking, cosmetics and lubrication. Various parts of moringa are also used as a fertilizer or flocculent for water purification or desalination of ocean saltwater. It is then recently discovered that moringa can become an alternative fuel source for it can be produced as a bio-fuel.

The propagation of moringa is encouraged by a number of countries to solve the problems of malnutrition and food scarcity.

Top 3 Moringa (Malunggay) Snapshots

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Trees: The Tallest, The Shortest, The Oldest

May 18, 2008-May 24, 2008

The world’s tallest existing tree species is the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) found within the Redwood National Park in California, United States. According to modern verified instruments, it soars up to a height of 115.55 meters or 379.1 feet, comparable to five times the height of the Statue of Liberty. It is about 16 meters taller than Coast Douglas-fir, the second tallest tree.

The dwarf willow (Salix herbacea) is pronounced as the shortest and smallest living tree species in the world. It thrives in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions including the Pyrenees, Alps, Rila and Appalachian Mountains. Its height ranges from 1 to 6 centimeters only. It’s hard to find dwarf willows with a height that exceeds up to more than 2.5 inches.

With an oldest measured age of 9,550 years old, the oldest tree species in the world is the Norway spruce (Picea abies). It is native not only to Norway but also to various countries in the European continent. In fact, the oldest known Norway spruce (image on top) was discovered in Sweden in 2008. The determining of its age was done through carbon dating.

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Tawa-tawa

May 11, 2008-May 17, 2008

Tawa-tawa is a plant that is very endemic throughout the Philippines and its neighboring islands including Celebes, Borneo and New Guinea. It is an epiphytic orchid which is also known locally as gatas-gatas or mangagaw.

Tawa-tawa is traditionally recognized in the Philippines as a remedy to those who have dengue fever caused by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It does not fight the dengue virus. Instead, it only promotes the development of blood platelets and softens the effect of the virus which attacks the blood.

This customary belief was scientifically proven recently by researchers from Davao City, Philippines. They stated that tawa-tawa can help save lives of dengue fever patients. Based upon their findings, it has anti-viral and anti-bacterial components that can help cure even the stage four of the said dreaded disease.

On the other hand, in Ambon Island, Indonesia, a paste of the plant’s pseudobulb (storage organ derived from the part of a stem between two leaf nodes) is placed on sores or applied to the stomach to expel worms and malignant tumors. Moreover, the crushed tawa-tawa is used as a diet for dysentery.

The scientific name for tawa-tawa is Euphorbia hirta.

Top 3 Tawa-tawa Snapshots

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