What Are The Uses For Noni Fruit?

Noni is a tropical shrub with bumpy, yellowish-white fruit. The fruit itself and the juice from the fruit are often used as herbal treatments, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, or MSKCC. Drugs.com reports that the noni fruit has a specific cheese-like, offensive smell. Before taking noni for medicinal uses, seek the advice of your health care provider.

Noni Uses

According to the National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, noni has been used traditionally as a dye, a treatment for skin conditions and a relief for joint pain. According to the MSKCC, noni is often used as an immune system boost and a treatment for pain, cancer, menstrual cramps, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes and high blood pressure. Drugs.com adds that noni has long been used to treat indigestion, headache, aging and arthritis.

Research

The MSKCC makes an exciting reference to some current research under way at the University of Hawaii's Cancer Research Center that seems to show that noni may reduce the risk of cancer in smokers. The final results have not yet been published, but they could be groundbreaking.

The NCCAM is currently funding research to study the effects of noni on prostate cancer, tumor shrinkage and breast cancer prevention.

The PubMed.gov website describes the results of recent studies on noni's cancer treatment potential. The research seems to suggest that noni may be effective in treating epidermoid and cervical cancers. Another study describes findings that seem to show that noni is an effective treatment to counteract the physical effects of stress.

Possible Side Effects

The MSKCC advises that if you are diabetic, you should read noni product labels carefully, since sugar is added to many of them to improve the taste. The site also warns that if you are on a potassium-restricted diet, you should not use noni due to its high potassium content. The NCCAM also warns if you have liver disease, you should avoid taking noni since it may worsen the condition.

Potential Interactions

According to the NCCAM, noni may interfere with the effects of some chemotherapy and cancer treatment drugs. If you have questions about whether medications or supplements you currently take could harmfully interact with noni, consult your pharmacist or health care provider.

Forms Used

According to the MSKCC, noni juice is available in both plain and fermented forms and is sometimes combined with other kinds of juice, such as grape juice. Noni can also be found as capsules, tablets, tea and dried leaf powder.