Antimicrobial activity of leaves, seeds and roots extracts of Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae): a review

AIM: To evaluate, through an integrative review, the antimicrobial activity of the leaves, seeds, and roots of Moringa oleifera, considering the increasing emergence of microorganisms resistant to antimicrobial compounds and the need for viable and more cost-effective alternatives compared to synthetic drugs. METHODS: This is an integrative literature review conducted in the PubMed, SciELO, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Lilacs databases, including scientific articles published between 2015 and 2025. Studies that investigated the antimicrobial activity of Moringa oleifera leaves, seeds, and roots were analyzed. RESULTS: Scientific research indicates that extracts of M. oleifera leaves have antibacterial and antifungal activity against several pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus. As for the seed extracts, the antimicrobial activity was verified against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhii. There are few data on the antimicrobial activity of moringa roots, which reported action of root extracts against P. aeruginosa and Erwinia carotovora and of essential oil against Enterococcus faecalis and K. pneumoniae. CONCLUSION: The data presented in this review highlight the significant antimicrobial potential of Moringa oleifera extracts and essential oils, emphasizing the species as a promising alternative for the development of new antimicrobial compounds in the face of increasing microbial resistance.