Moringa oleifera leaves water extract as a novel therapeutic agent for hyperlipidemia prevention: Integrated analysis of bioactive components and metabolic regulatory pathways.

Abstract

Moringa oleifera leaves (Family: Moringaceae), derived from a perennial tropical deciduous tree widely cultivated in regions such as the Himalayas, India, Africa, and Arabia, demonstrate therapeutic potential against lipid disorders. This study aimed to elucidate the anti-hyperlipidemic mechanisms of Moringa oleifera leaves. Our preclinical study, utilizing a hyperlipidemic animal model, revealed that Moringa oleifera leaf supplementation significantly ameliorates high-fat diet-induced dyslipidemia. To elucidate its anti-hyperlipidemic mechanisms, we pioneered the application of UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS technology for comprehensive metabolomic profiling of rat plasma, urine, and fecal samples. Metabolomic analyses identified 27 plasma biomarkers, 38 urinary biomarkers, and 41 fecal biomarkers associated with the Water Extract of Moringa oleifera Leaves (WEMOL) intervention. These biomarkers implicate multi-compartmental modulations across critical metabolic pathways: sphingolipid homeostasis, glycine/serine/threonine metabolism, butyrate biosynthesis, amino acid catabolism, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle flux, primary bile acid synthesis, linoleic/arachidonic acid metabolism, and glycerophospholipid remodeling. This integrative metabolomics investigation delineates pivotal metabolic pathways and regulatory nodes underlying the hypolipidemic effects of Moringa oleifera phytoconstituents, thereby proposing a novel phytotherapy paradigm for the clinical management of dyslipidemia.