INTRODUCTION –

The genus Morinda (Rubiaceae) including the species Morinda citrifolia is made up of around 80 species. Morinda citrifolia commonly known as Indian Mulberry or Noni , is a small tropical evergreen shrub or a tree indigenously found in open coastal regions at sea level and in forest areas upto about 1300 feet above sea levels.⁽¹⁾It is native to the Pacific islands, Polynesia, Asia, and Australia. The leaves are 8 inches long and are oval in shape. The fruit is 3 to 4 inches in diameter with a warty, pitted surface. M. citrifolia is one of the most important traditional Polynesian medicinal plants and has been heavily promoted for a wide range of uses; from arthritis and burns to circulatory weakness, diabetes, cancer, skin inflammation, and wounds.⁽²⁾ The fruit has a pungent aroma when ripening and is often called “cheese fruit” or “vomit fruit”. The noni plant has been found to contain amino acids, anthraquinones, fatty acids, flavonoids, iridoids, lignans, polysaccharides, sterols, sugars and terpenoids^.⁽³⁾It has been reported to have a broad range of therapeutic effects including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antitumor, antihelmin, analgesic, hypotensive, anti-inflammatory and immune enhancing effects.⁽⁴

SYNONYMS

1) India - Indian Mulberry

2) China - Ba ji tian

3) Australia - Cheeese Fruit

4) Tahiti - Nono

5) Hawaii - Noni

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION⁽⁵⁾

Preferred scientific name

The botanical name for the genus was derived from the two Latin words morus, mulberry, and indicus, Indian, in reference to the similarity of the fruit of noni to that of true mulberry (Morus alba). The species name indicates the resemblance of the plant foliage to that of some citrus species.

Family

Rubiaceae (coffee family)

Plant Parts

· Fruits - The fruit (technically known as a syncarp) is yellowish white, fleshy, 5–10 cm (2–4 in) long, about 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in) in diameter, and soft and fetid when ripe.

· Flowers - Flowers are perfect, with about 75–90 in ovoid to globose heads. Peduncles are 10–30 mm (0.4–1.2 in) long, the calyx a truncated rim. The corolla is white, 5–lobed, the tube greenish white, 7–9 mm (0.28–0.35 in) long, the lobes oblong- deltate, approximately 7 mm (0.28 in) long. There are five stamens, scarcely exserted; the style is about 15 mm (0.7 in) long.

· Leaves - Leaves are opposite, pinnately veined, and glossy. Blades are membraneous, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 20–45 cm (8–18 in) long, 7–25 cm (3.5–10 in) wide, and glabrous. Petioles are stout, 1.5–2 cm (0.6–0.8 in) long. Stipules are connate or distinct, 1–1.2 cm (0.4–0.5 in) long, the apex entire or 2–3-lobed.

· Seeds- Seeds have a distinct air chamber, and canretain viability even after floating in water for months.

CULTIVATION⁽⁶⁾

Cultivation of noni has recently undergone a revival in Hawaii as interest in plants with nutraceutical properties has increased. Noni is naturalized on all of the main Hawaiian islands. It grows where it is relatively dry to moderately wet, from sea level to about 1500 feet elevation. It can be found near the coast, in open lowlands and grasslands, in gulches, and in disturbed forests of the dryer areas. It tolerates soil salinity and brackish irrigation water.

Propagation

Noni is propagated either from seed or stem cuttings.

1. Propagation from seed

Noni seeds are reddish-brown, oblong-triangular, and have a conspicuous air chamber. They are buoyant and hydrophobic due to this air chamber and their durable, waterrepellant, fibrous seedcoat. Only soft, ripened noni fruits should be chosen for seed collection. The seeds must be separated from the fibrous, clinging fruit flesh by splitting the fruit by hand and separating the seeds from the flesh of pulp using water. Scarifying the hard seedcoat by nicking or puncturing it significantly reduces germination time, improves germination percentage, and promotes uniform sprouting. Noni seeds require hot, wet conditions for optimum germination. Unscarified seeds need several months to a year before natural germination takes place. Noni seeds may be germinated in seedling flats or trays or sown directly in containers. Artificial growth media are preferred to field soil for germinating and growing out noni seedlings. These relatively sterile media give the plants the cleanest start, whereas soil tends to contain pathogens that cause plant diseases. When seeds are germinated in flats, they should be transplanted into growing containers within a few weeks of germinating. The plant size and vigor achieved depend to a large extent on the size of pot used the larger an deeper the pot, the larger and more vigorous the noni seedling. Generally, noni seedlings are grown in pots in full sun for a minimum of 9–12 months before they are transplanted to the field.

Disadvantage -The disadvantage of seed propagation is that without seed treatment and applied heat, uniformity of seed germination may be unreliable and seedling production may take 6–12 months for germination and 9–12 more months before they are ready to transplant, whereas stem cuttings can be rooted in about 2 months and be ready for transplanting in 4–6 months.

2. Vegetative propagation

Cultivation of noni plants from stem cuttings (verticals or laterals) reduces the time required to obtain plants that are ready for transplanting.Vigorous plants are selected for propagation and branch and stem are removed to check the fresh sap flow from the wound. Sap flow indicates a vigorous, actively growing plant with relatively high reserves of energy. the cut end of the freshly cut noni stem into a pot containing a general-purpose growth medium. As with seed germination, bottom heat enhances rooting, and an artificial, pathogen free medium is preferred to untreated agricultural field soil. After rooting, move the plants into full sun and begin fertilizer applications.

Noni plants may also be produced by air layering or by digging up plants that have sprouted from the root system of a mature plant.

Disadvantage- The disadvantage of producing plants vegetatively from cuttings is that they may not be as strong and disease-resistant as seedlings, and the trunk and branches may split and break during the first years of fruit production.

NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY AND DISEASES ⁽⁵⁾

Noni can display a wide range of abnormal foliar symptoms due to deﬁciencies in fertility elements.

· Deﬁciencies in iron or other minor elements are expressed as interveinal chlorosis or scorching of leaf margins.

· Deﬁciencies in phosphorous are expressed as leaf curling, purpling, and marginal necrosis.

· In damp, high-rainfall or flooded areas, noni is prone to disease caused by fungi or fungus-like organisms called as leaf spots. This may significantly inhibit the leaf growth and fruit development.

· The most common and severe pest problem for noni is root knot disease caused by root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). These soil-dwelling, root-parasitic roundworms are very destructive to noni and must be kept out of the nursery. The disease can cause farm failure.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

Various constituents are present in leaves, root, flowers and fruits. It includes Anthraquinones, Irridoids, polysaccharides, glycosides, flavonoids, lignins, coumarins, phytosterols and volatile constituents including monoterpenes , short chain fatty acids and fatty acid esters. Iridoids or iridoid-rich plants have demonstrated a broad range of biological activities in in vitro, in vivo and in clinical studies⁽⁷⁾. These include anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, anticoagulant, antioxidant, antivirus, antispasmodic, immunomodulatory, wound-healing and neuroprotective activities⁽⁸⁾. The anthraquinones, flavonoids and phenolics are the major groups of secondary metabolites which are mostly responsible for all the therapeutic properties of the plant Indian Mulberry.⁽⁹⁾

Due to its unique combination of more than 100 different vitamins, ferments, amino acids, enzymes, minerals and trace elements, noni is used both as a general tonic and to treat or alleviate various diseases. One of the most important enzymes for the human body is xeronine, an alkaloid that is active in even extremely small quantities. Xeronine is produced in the large intestine in the human body and is moreover contained in practically all cells of all living beings. Xeronine influences the permeability of the cell membranes so that even larger molecules can be absorbed – a process which is very important for digestion. This makes it possible that the cells can be better supplied with nutrients and produce sufficient energy. In case of a xeronine deficiency many nutrients cannot be processed and the body stores them as fat. Noni contains as much xeronine as other plants but it also contains proxeronine and proxeronase in much greater quantities than other plants. Proxeronine is the precursor substance of xeronine, and proxeronase is the enzyme that makes xeronine from proxeronine. If xeronine alone is taken, it has no effect on the body as it is immediately used and inactivated. Proxeronine and proxeronase must also be taken – and this combination is only found in noni in sufficient quantities⁽¹⁰⁾.

PHARMACOLOGICAL UTILITY

The pharmacological activities are mainly related to 3 areas –cancer , inflammation and metabolic diseases.

^·Polysaccharides show anti-tumor activity in mice⁽¹¹⁾.

^·Noni juice show antimutagenic activity in ICR mice. Noni fruit fuice extract show anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan induced paw edema. Noni juice reduced serum cholesterol and triglycerides in smokers⁽¹²⁾.

^·Noni is also used as a selective inhibitor of COX-2 enzyme .The analgesic efficacy of the Noni extract is 75 % as strong as morphine, yet non-addictive and side effect free. It has been reported to posses analgesic and anti-ulcerogenic properties.⁽¹⁴⁾

^·Noni acts as a powerful antioxidants. It was hypothesized that the antioxidant activity of Noni may protectindividuals from oxygen free radicals and consequent lipid peroxidation. Noni may have potential for warding off muscle cell death and deterioration and thus decreased muscle wasting. There is an increase in oxidative damage when dystrophin is abnormal, and it has been suggested that noni acts as an powerful antioxidant and helps to combat oxidative stress.⁽¹⁵⁾

DISCUSSION:

As outlined above, results from various studies indicate noni possesses many qualities, including arthritis and burns to circulatory weakness, diabetes, cancer, skin inflammation, and wounds. Noni can display a wide range of abnormal foliar symptoms due to deﬁciencies in fertility elements. Various constituents are present in leaves, root, flowers and fruits. It includes Anthraquinones, Irridoids, polysaccharides, glycosides, flavonoids, lignins, coumarins, phytosterols and volatile constituents.

CONCLUSION:

Although the results from this review are quite promising for the use of noni as a multi-purpose medicinal agent, several limitations currently exist in the current literature. While noni has been used successfully in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, more clinical trials should be conducted to support its therapeutic use.

REFERENCES:

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Received on 27.03.2012 Accepted on 22.04.2012

Asian J. Res. Pharm. Sci. 2(2): April-June 2012; Page 45-47