Moringa oleifeira is a tree from India to which many benefits for human welfare are ascribed. It grows fast, is little demanding on the soil and is cultivated throughout the inter-tropical strip. One of the main uses of its leaves and the seed press cake is in the formulation of rations for animal feeding. However, practically all the parts of the tree have diverse applications, about which there are testimonies since ancient times. This work reviews the available literature about the utilization of this plant. Different application fields of M. oleifera are presented in the light of the increasing scientific interest it has generated in recent years. The objective is to show the evidence contributed by the scientific literature which confirms and explains the properties and applications of M. oleifera, which are far from unconfirmed versions provided by popular literature and publicity.

Moringa oleifera es un árbol originario de la India al que se le atribuyen múltiples beneficios para el bienestar humano. Es de crecimiento rápido, de relativamente poca exigencia hacia el suelo y se cultiva en toda la franja intertropical. Uno de los principales usos de sus hojas y de la torta de prensado de su semilla es en la formulación de raciones para la alimentación animal. Sin embargo, prácticamente todas las partes del árbol tienen diversas aplicaciones, sobre lo cual existen testimonios que se remontan a la Antigüedad. En este trabajo se hace una revisión de la literatura disponible sobre la utilización de esta planta. Se presentan distintos campos de aplicación de M. oleifera a la luz del creciente interés científico que ha generado en los últimos lustros. El objetivo es presentar las evidencias aportadas por la literatura científica que confirman y explican las propiedades y aplicaciones de la moringa, las cuales se distancian de versiones sin confirmar aportadas por la literatura popular y la publicidad.

Uma enzima xilanolítica (xilanase II) foi purificada a partir de culturas de estado sólido de Aspergillus fumigatus Fresenius. O peso molecular de xilanase II foi estimado em 19 e 8,5 kDa por SDS-PAGE e FPLC, respectivamente. A enzima purificada apresentou maior atividade a 55°C e pH 5,5, além de hidrolisar especificamente xilana. Os valores aparentes de Km e Vmax de xilanas solúveis e insolúveis, isoladas de cereal e madeira, mostrou que xilanase IIa foi mais ativa em xilana solúvel de madeira. Estudos sobre produtos de hidrólise de xilanas e xilooligômeros por xilanase II em HPLC revelou que a enzima liberou uma variedade de xilooligômeros (xilobiose-xilohexose) e uma pequena quantidade de xilose a partir de xilooligômeros, apresentando atividade de transferase.

A xylan-degrading enzyme (xylanase II) was purified to apparent homogeneity from solid-state cultures of Aspergillus fumigatus Fresenius. The molecular weight of xylanase II was found to be 19 and 8.5 kDa, as estimated by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration on FPLC, respectively. The purified enzyme was most active at 55 °C and pH 5.5. It was specific to xylan. The apparent Km and Vmax values on soluble and insoluble xylans from oat spelt and birchwood showed that xylanase II was most active on soluble birchwood xylan. Studies on hydrolysis products of various xylans and xylooligomers by xylanase II on HPLC showed that the enzyme released a range of products from xylobiose to xylohexaose, with a small amount of xylose from xylooligomers, and presented transferase activity.