# Moringa (Moringa oleifera)

Source: https://onco.cc/technologies/moringa-oleifera/  
OnCo record `moringa-oleifera` (Technology). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Moringa is a nutritious leaf eaten in Asia and Africa and sold as a powder with claims including cancer treatment. Its anticancer effects are only in laboratory studies, and human research is limited to small studies of cholesterol, blood sugar and nutrition. Rare severe skin reactions and anaphylaxis have been reported.

## Summary

Moringa oleifera leaves and pods are eaten widely, and the bark and root are used in folk remedies for asthma, diabetes, infections and cancer. Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs summary reports anticancer, liver-protective, blood-sugar-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical studies, and limited human data: a small effect on lipid profiles, increased insulin secretion in healthy people, and better nutritional status in people with AIDS on antiretroviral therapy. There is no clinical study in cancer. MSK advises avoiding moringa in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and records Stevens-Johnson syndrome in a man after eating moringa leaves, cutaneous toxicity after moringa powder for weight loss, and anaphylaxis. In animal models it raised rifampicin levels, inhibited CYP3A4 and reduced the effect of sitagliptin, of unknown clinical relevance.

## Fields

- Kind: Technology
- Status: concept
- Last checked: 2026-11-04
- Tags: complementary; supportive-care; evidence:insufficient
- Principle: Isothiocyanates and flavonoids with antioxidant and cytotoxic effects in laboratory models.
- Strengths: A nutritious food
- Limitations: No studies in cancer; Rare severe skin reactions and anaphylaxis; Possible CYP3A4 interaction

## Sources

- MSK About Herbs: Moringa oleifera (page last updated 20 June 2023): https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/moringa-oleifera

## Connected records

- technologies: [Bitter melon (Momordica charantia)](https://onco.cc/technologies/bitter-melon/), [Dietary supplements during cancer treatment: interactions and harms](https://onco.cc/technologies/dietary-supplements-treatment-interactions/), [Evidence-based integrative oncology](https://onco.cc/technologies/integrative-oncology/), [Papaya leaf extract](https://onco.cc/technologies/papaya-leaf-extract/), [Wheatgrass juice](https://onco.cc/technologies/wheatgrass-juice/)
- fronts: [Diet, Exercise & Lifestyle](https://onco.cc/fronts/nutrition-lifestyle/), [Supportive Care & Survivorship](https://onco.cc/fronts/supportive-care/)
- terms: [Unproven diet claims (alkaline, juice, 'anti-cancer' diets)](https://onco.cc/terms/unproven-diet-claims/)
- bottlenecks: [Misinformation and unproven therapies](https://onco.cc/bottlenecks/b-misinformation/)

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