Facility-based prospective cohort study to evaluate Moringa stenopetala based diet consumption in management of diabetes and hypertension in South Ethiopia – Nature .Com

Facility-based prospective cohort study to evaluate Moringa stenopetala based diet consumption in management of diabetes and hypertension in South Ethiopia

Scientific Reports , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

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Abstract

Moringa stenopetala is a multi-purpose tree known for its significant nutritional and medicinal properties. Existing investigational reports on the effects of Moringa stenopetala on lipid profile, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels are exclusively based on laboratory studies utilizing experimental animal models. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence from either placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials or community- or health facility-based follow-up studies. Therefore, this follow-up study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of dietary Moringa stenopetala consumption on biochemical markers and clinical parameters for the management of diabetes and hypertension in adult patients. A facility-based prospective cohort study was conducted among patients with diabetes and hypertension receiving chronic care follow-up. The exposure group comprised patients who consumed Moringa stenopetala as a dietary component at Gidolie District Hospital, while the non-exposed group consisted of those who did not consume it at Chencha District Hospital. Blood samples (4–5 mL) was collected for serum lipid profile determination. Independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA were used to assess the mean differences in biochemical markers and clinical parameters. A P-value of less than 0.05, with a 95% confidence level, was considered to indicate a statistically significant effect. For participants on the Moringa stenopetala consuming based diet, mean serum cholesterol levels were 126.03 (95% CI: 118.49, 133.56), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were 71.47 (95% CI: 65.80, 77.13), and triglyceride levels were 109.40 (95% CI: 102.66, 116.14). In contrast, participants on the non-moringa diet exhibited mean serum cholesterol levels of 145.59 (95% CI: 135.25, 155.93), LDL levels of 74.39 (95% CI: 71.02, 77.77), and triglyceride levels of 116.27 (95% CI: 110.61, 121.93). The differences in these lipid parameters between the two diet groups were statistically significant (p = 0.001). Regarding blood pressure, participants on the moringa diet had a mean systolic blood pressure of 127.83 (95% CI: 123.85, 131.80) and a mean diastolic blood pressure of 78.26 (95% CI: 76.14, 80.38). In comparison, participants on the non-moringa diet had a mean systolic blood pressure of 133.71 (95% CI: 129.50, 137.91) and a mean diastolic blood pressure of 81.24 (95% CI: 79.02, 83.45). These differences in blood pressure were also statistically significant (p < 0.001). Moringa stenopetala consumption as a diet can have a beneficial effect in the management of diabetes and hypertension when frequently taken together with standard therapies. Further studies like randomized clinical trials are recommended to determine the medicinal value of moringa stenopetala in the management of diabetes and hypertension.

Data availability

All relevant data are within the paper. However, if additional information is required, it will be provided upon request by the corresponding author.

Abbreviations

CH:

Cholesterol (CH)HDL:

High-density lipoproteinLDL:

Low-density lipoproteinM. stenopetala:

Moringa stenopetalaTG:

Triglyceride

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Ministry of Innovation and Technology for financial support. The authors also express their gratitude and thanks to the Ethiopian Public Health and collaborating institute for implementing the project activities, providing the logistic and other administrative supports to carry out this study.

Funding

This research was funded with the financial support of Ministry of Technology, Ethiopia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, EthiopiaEskeziyaw Agedew
  2. Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaDireselign Misker
  3. University of Ottawa Heart Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, CanadaTerefe Gelibo
  4. CDT-Africa, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa Univesity, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaAlemayehu Bekele
  5. College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaEyasu Makonnen
  6. Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaAshenif Tadele, Adamu Belay, Feyissa Challa, Temsgen Awoke, Negero Gemeda, Said Kassaw & Asfaw Debella
  7. Department of Biomedical Science, School of Medicine, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, EthiopiaHaregewoyin Kerebih
  8. St. Paul Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaSolomon Worku
  9. College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaYalemtsehay Mekonnen

Contributions

E.A, A.D, Y.M, and E.M: Conceptualization, investigation of research methodology, data curation, formal analysis, resources mobilization and supervision, and project administration have written the original draft article and editing. D.M, T.G, A.B, A.T, H.K, S.W, A.B, F.C, T.A, N.G, and S.K: Reviewed and edited the manuscript besides conducting the investigation. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eskeziyaw Agedew.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Agedew, E., Misker, D., Gelibo, T. et al. Facility-based prospective cohort study to evaluate Moringa stenopetala based diet consumption in management of diabetes and hypertension in South Ethiopia. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-38009-5

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