Widely cultivated in the tropical regions of the Pacific Basin, noni is a shrub or small tree, known scientifically as Morinda citrifolia, that bears potato-size fruit that is white or yellow when ripe. Polynesians have long used noni juice, which is rich in amino acids, minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients, for a variety of medicinal applications. Modern research has confirmed some of noni juice's health benefits. Consult your doctor before using noni juice or any other herbal remedy.
Bioactive Compounds
In an attempt to better understand what it is in noni juice that provides you with healthful benefits, a team of Indian researchers extracted and isolated some of the juice's bioactive compounds and did an overall assessment of the juice's nutritional value. Their study, outlined in an article in the January 2011 issue of the "International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences," found that noni juice has only negligible amounts of fat and protein and contains a mere 3.84 percent of carbohydrates. However, using a variety of extraction methods, they found that the juice was rich in three main types of bioactive compounds: anthraquinones, saponins and scopoletin. All three of these phytonutrients have significant health benefits.
Ergogenic Properties
Among the many health benefits claimed for noni juice, its ability to fight fatigue and increase overall energy levels ranks high on the list. A team of Chinese and American researchers conducted a controlled animal study to evaluate the juice's ergogenic effects, the potential that the juice has to increase your energy level and performance ability by combating fatigue. Aged mice were given increasing oral doses of the juice and then put through their paces. Researchers then compared their performances with those of much younger mice and older mice that had not been given the juice. In an article published in the November 2007 issue of "Phytotherapy Research," the scientists reported that older mice given the noni juice performed on a level that was comparable to that of significantly younger mice. They also wrote that the mice given noni juice consistently and markedly outperformed older mice that did not receive the juice supplement.
Antimicrobial Properties
Indian medical researchers Mukesh Chandra Sharma and Smita Sharma conducted in-vitro studies to explore and evaluate the antimicrobial properties of noni juice. Although results varied based on the extraction method used to isolate its bioactive compounds, the noni proved effective against a wide array of microbial agents, including both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Writing in the October 2010 issue of the "Middle East Journal of Scientific Research," the scientists reported that the noni extract demonstrated a strong inhibitory effect against Bacillus cereus, Candida albicans, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus luteus, Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus.
Anti-Carcinogenic Properties
In its appraisal of noni juice and its potential for possible use against some forms of cancer, the American Cancer Society emphasizes that there is not yet any "reliable clinical evidence" that noni is effective against cancer in humans. However, it acknowledges that noni shows some promise, based on evidence from animal and laboratory studies. Among the promising preliminary studies, the ACS cites a Hawaiian study in which scientists induced the growth of tumors in laboratory mice. Roughly half of the mice were then injected with noni juice. Those animals receiving the noni juice survived twice as long as those that did not.
Despite the many claims made for noni juice's medicinal benefits, it is strongly recommended that you consult a medical professional before treating yourself with noni juice or any other herbal remedy.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Herbs at a Glance: Noni
- "International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences"; Nutritional Composition and Identification of Some of the Bioactive Components in Morinda Citrifolia Juice; P.N. Satwadhar et al.; January 2011
- "Phytotherapy Research"; Evaluation of the Ergogenic Potential of Noni Juice; De-lu Ma et al.; November 2007
- "Middle East Journal of Scientific Research"; Phytochemical Screening of Methanolic Extract and Antibacterial Activity of Eclipta Alba and Morinda Citrifolia L.; Mukesh Chandra Sharma and Smita Sharma; October 2010
- American Cancer Society: Noni Plant
- Dictionary.com: Ergogenic
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