Effect of <em>Moringa oleifera lam</em>. leaves powder on the evolution of hemogram profile in Togolese undernourished children: evaluation on HIV-positive patients

Abstract

Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) leaves have exceptional nutritional qualities and they are used against malnutrition in Africa and Asia. The deficiency corrected by M. oleifera leaves powder administration into daily meal of HIV positive and negative patients has been determined during 14 weeks nutritional recovery by measuring their weight, height and carried hemogram analysis. The study population included infants (20 HIV-positive and 21 HIV-negative) aged from 12 to 30 months and children (26 HIV-positive and 20 HIV-negative) aged 30 months to 9 years. The patients, male and female had anemia or low BMI (body mass index). Results showed that M oleifera use increased significantly BMI (p<0,0001). Weight varied from 1,5 to 2kg and height from 1,8 to 4 cm on the patients. On pilot subjects, variations were very low (p < 0,05). The increase in BMI was significantly different for patients on antiretroviral (ARV) therapy (p < 0,0001) compared to patients without ARV (p <.0,001). Hemogram analysis revealed that M oleifera consumption allowed significant increase (p≤ 0,001) of red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (HB), hematocrit (HCT) mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and (p ≤ 0,01) for mean cellular hemoglobin concentration (CHCM) values. On the other hand, white blood cell parameters were not significantly modified. Hypochromic anemia decreased from 40% to 84% while microcytic anemia decreased from 30% to 84%. On pilot subjects, hemogram parameters did not significantly vary. M. oleifera leaf powder would correct moderate hypochromic anemia better than normochromic anemia whose etiology is folate and vitamin B12 deficit. In addition, these results showed that using M oleifera alone could not correct inflammatory status by reduction of infections on patients. Despite phytates in their leaves, M oleifera powder can be regarded as nutritional supplement and would allow improvement of nutritional status, accelerate immunological recovery and also reinforce the effectiveness of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs on HIV/AIDS patients. Consuming only M oleifera leaves powder, despite its exceptional nutritional benefit, is not a miracle cure. These leaves are neither a drug nor a substitute for antiretroviral drugs.