What is noni plant ?
Noni has a scientific name: Morinda citrofolia Lin, belonging to the Rubiaceae family. At present, there are hundreds of different names in many areas.
Noni is also called Indian mulberry, commonly found in the subtropical and tropical regions. The botanical name is Morinda citrifolia, Noni, belonging to the Rubiaceae family and is privileged as a ‘queen’ due to its visibility, versatility and ability to distinguish itself regularly on the coast without interference of human . This is one of the earliest species developing on the fresh lava flows in Hawaii, USA.
Noni had been popular in the Pacific Islands for thousands of years. Until the late twentieth century, Noni was only used to dye clothes before its attractive therapeutic value stayed on the top of alternative medicines. Since then it has been admired as a focus of classical Polynesian medicine. In recent years, Noni juice has been a part of discussions at global science conferences.
Noni is like shrub or small tree with the height of 3-10 m. It has rounded branches, shiny leaves, reddish brown seeds, and small groups of flowers that can be eaten for a long time with a long green fruit and egg-shaped fruit with many circles.
Noni often grows in low humid areas, usually around rivers, streams, canals and dense forests, as well as on rocks or open sand. It reaches maturity in about 18 months, then yields from 4 to 8 kilograms of fruit per month throughout the year. It can resist alkaline soil, drought conditions and secondary soil. Thus, it is found in many different habitats: volcanic terrain, lava coast, and alluvial ground or limestone, as well as in coral islands.. It can grow up to 9 m (30 ft) high, and has broad leaves, simple dark green, shiny and deep.
Noni benefits
Leaves, fruits, roots, bark can be used as medicine that is not toxic and has no side effects, people often use to cook soup with leaves or fruits with nutritional aim.
Noni fruit is a kind of fruit that has a pungent smell when it ripens, and therefore, it is also called cheese or even fruit vomiting. It is oval and 10-18 centimeters long (3.9-7.1 in). When leaves turn green for the first time, the fruit turns yellow then almost white when it’s ripe. It contains many seeds.
Noni is sometimes called hungry fruit. Despite its aroma and bitter taste, fruit is still eaten as a starving food, and in some Pacific islands, even a main food, fresh or cooked.
In Thai cuisine, the leaves (called bai-yo) are used as green vegetables and are the main ingredient of kaeng-bai-yo, in which the leaves are cooked with coconut milk. Fruits (luk-yo)are added as a salad ingredient for some somtam versions
The roots are slightly bitter, warm but they have the use of blood circulation, pain relief, laxative, sedative, except rheumatism, digestive aid, high blood pressure, dizziness, insomnia, back aches.
The use of noni fruits
It has the ability to provide many functions, small elements, minerals, antioxidants, and contains a number of phytochemicals, including lignans, oligo- and polysaccharides, flavonoids, iridoids, fatty acids, scopoletin, catechins, beta-sitosterol, damnacanthal and alkaloids.
The benefits of Noni Juice for the heath include prevention from cancer, protection and healthy functioning of the liver, maintaining cardiovascular health, relaxing muscles, and reducing memory loss and other conditions such as gout and diabetes. Antioxidant properties of Noni Juice have the use of anti-psychotic, antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties are useful in the treatment of many diseases such as arthritis and central nervous system disorders.
For thousands of years, the natural healing power of this juice has been appreciated for its ability to keep skin healthy, increase energy levels, and prevent weakness of the body. Noni juice helps heal wounds and hardens the immune system.
According to a scientific newspaper of Professor Ikeda of the National Hygiene Research Center of Japan, Noni has a mild effect: laxative and diuretic, calm the nerves, lower blood pressure lasting, less toxic and does not cause addiction.
The research of the University of Hawaii, USA by Professor Herbert Moniz in 1992, Noni (Noni) is one of the miracle drug, made in many pharmaceutical products which are formed in tablets, This is a plant grown in the United States and is considered as a potent aid in the treatment many diseases.
In traditional Chinese medicine noni is called ba-ji-tian, used for abdominal pain, iimpuissance , and menstrual disorders.
In long-term therapy, noni is a plant that has many benefits, ranging from the use of traditional wood to make the tool for its juice used as an emergency aid or for treating serious illnesses . The healing effects of noni juice on various medical conditions have been discussed.