Morinda noni juice review
The genus Morinda has approximately 80 species, found in all tropical
regions of the world. These species may be trees, shrubs or vines; some, like Morinda citrifolia,
are trees that very much resemble vines. All species have aggregated
fruits (or syncarps) that can be fleshy (like with Morinda citrifolia) or dry.
Mangosteen pericarp and
whole fruit is high in ORAC value and becoming popular. This page discusses morinda citrifolia or
noni, along with officinalis.
The common species include:
Morinda citrifolia, also known as noni
Other species include
longiflora, officinalis, tinctoria, trimera, umbellata
Juice and extract
What is the benefit of
Morinda
noni juice or
supplement products, anyway. Claims have been made that
the juice or extract improves the immune system, ultimately
healing dozens of conditions ranging from addictions to varicose veins and yeast rash.
What does the scientific research say about the benefits?
Substances and chemicals in the
plant
Many compounds are found in Morinda noni including Beta Sitosterol, anthraquinones, rubiadin-1-methyl
ether, 24-ethylcholesterol and others.
Diabetes
In Java,
Morinda
noni
has been part of the treatment for
diabetes. Most
of the folk uses for diabetes involve chewing the leaves or a combination of the plant and
leaves. Chewing mulberry leaves releases and activates large amounts of mucilage or
insoluble dietary fiber. The fiber may slow the absorption of simple sugars from the gut.
The effect in most patients would be a slight reduction in the peak glucose level
following a meal.
Morinda noni and cholesterol
Reductions in total cholesterol and triglycerides have been seen in
smokers who drank a product containing juice from the fruit of the
Morinda noni
tree
every day for a month. The study was funded by the manufacturer of the product,
sold as Tahitian Noni Juice. Researcher Mian-Ying Wang, MD, says she first
became interested in studying
Morinda noni
juice in 1999 after becoming convinced that
it helped reduce her pain from a wrist fracture.
Depression, as an antidepressant
Five compounds having antidepressant activities have been isolated from the
roots of Morinda officinalis, a Chinese traditional Yang-tonic drug. These
compounds were identified as succinic acid, nystose, 1F-fructofuranosylnystose,
inulin-type hexasaccharide and heptasaccharide.
The effect of Morinda officinalis, a Chinese traditional medicinal plant, on
the DRL 72-s schedule in rats and the forced swimming test in mice.
Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2002.
The present study observed the antidepressant-like action of the medicinal plant
Morinda officinalis in the differential reinforcement of low rate 72-s (DRL
72-s) schedule, a behavioral screen selective and sensitive to antidepressant
drugs, and the forced swimming test, a well-known animal model of depression. In
the DRL 72-s schedule in rats, the plant extract (25-50 mg/kg), similar to
clinically effective antidepressant drug desipramine (5-10 mg/kg), significantly
reduced response rate and efficiency ratio while at the same time increasing
reinforcement rate. In the forced swimming test in mice, the plant extract (50
mg/kg), like the effect of desipramine (20 mg/kg), also elicited a significant
reduction in the duration of immobility. A tendency to this phenomenon could be
seen at the dose of 100 mg/kg. Meanwhile, the plant extract, in the effective
doses for the forced swimming test, had no effects on spontaneous motor activity
in mice. These findings provide further support for the conclusion that Morinda officinalis extract possesses the antidepressant effect.
Wound healing
Morinda pubescens JE Smith (Morinda tinctoria Roxb) fruit extract accelerates
wound healing in rats.
J Med Food. 2006.
This study investigated the wound healing properties of the chloroform extract
of Morinda pubescens fruit in rats. Topical application of Morinda pubescens
fruit extract at 20 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL concentrations appreciably accelerated
wound healing in rats compared with controls. Complete wound contraction was
achieved, and fresh hair began to grow in the entire wounded area within 15 days
in animals treated with the 20 mg/mL chloroform fruit extract of Morinda
pubescens compared with only 60% contraction without hair growth in control
rats.