Anti-Diabetic Potential of Noni: The Yin and the Yang
Escalating trends of chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes (T2D) have sparked a renewed interest in complementary and alternative medicine, including herbal products. Morinda citrifolia (noni) has been used for centuries by Pacific Islanders to treat various ailments. Commercial noni fruit juice...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2015-09-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/20/10/17684 |
| _version_ | 1819158045489364992 |
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| author | Pratibha V. Nerurkar Phoebe W. Hwang Erik Saksa |
| author_facet | Pratibha V. Nerurkar Phoebe W. Hwang Erik Saksa |
| author_sort | Pratibha V. Nerurkar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Escalating trends of chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes (T2D) have sparked a renewed interest in complementary and alternative medicine, including herbal products. Morinda citrifolia (noni) has been used for centuries by Pacific Islanders to treat various ailments. Commercial noni fruit juice has been marketed as a dietary supplement since 1996. In 2003, the European Commission approved Tahitian noni juice as a novel food by the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General. Among noni’s several health benefits, others and we have demonstrated the anti-diabetic effects of fermented noni fruit juice in animal models. Unfortunately, noni’s exciting journey from Polynesian medicine to the research bench does not reach its final destination of successful clinical outcomes when translated into commercial products. Noni products are perceived to be safe due to their “natural” origin. However, inadequate evidence regarding bioactive compounds, molecular targets, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, long-term safety, effective dosages, and/or unanticipated side effects are major roadblocks to successful translation “from bench side to bedside”. In this review we summarize the anti-diabetic potential of noni, differences between traditional and modern use of noni, along with beneficial clinical studies of noni products and challenges in clinical translation of noni’s health benefits. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T16:18:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5429340d71c245759d1a981257e66626 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T16:18:25Z |
| publishDate | 2015-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-5429340d71c245759d1a981257e666262022-12-21T18:20:19ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492015-09-012010176841771910.3390/molecules201017684molecules201017684Anti-Diabetic Potential of Noni: The Yin and the YangPratibha V. Nerurkar0Phoebe W. Hwang1Erik Saksa2Laboratory of Metabolic Disorders and Alternative Medicine, Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USALaboratory of Metabolic Disorders and Alternative Medicine, Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USALaboratory of Metabolic Disorders and Alternative Medicine, Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USAEscalating trends of chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes (T2D) have sparked a renewed interest in complementary and alternative medicine, including herbal products. Morinda citrifolia (noni) has been used for centuries by Pacific Islanders to treat various ailments. Commercial noni fruit juice has been marketed as a dietary supplement since 1996. In 2003, the European Commission approved Tahitian noni juice as a novel food by the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General. Among noni’s several health benefits, others and we have demonstrated the anti-diabetic effects of fermented noni fruit juice in animal models. Unfortunately, noni’s exciting journey from Polynesian medicine to the research bench does not reach its final destination of successful clinical outcomes when translated into commercial products. Noni products are perceived to be safe due to their “natural” origin. However, inadequate evidence regarding bioactive compounds, molecular targets, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, long-term safety, effective dosages, and/or unanticipated side effects are major roadblocks to successful translation “from bench side to bedside”. In this review we summarize the anti-diabetic potential of noni, differences between traditional and modern use of noni, along with beneficial clinical studies of noni products and challenges in clinical translation of noni’s health benefits.http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/20/10/17684Morinda citrifolianoniTahitian noni juicetype 2 diabetesherbal productsalternative medicine |
| spellingShingle | Pratibha V. Nerurkar Phoebe W. Hwang Erik Saksa Anti-Diabetic Potential of Noni: The Yin and the Yang Molecules Morinda citrifolia noni Tahitian noni juice type 2 diabetes herbal products alternative medicine |
| title | Anti-Diabetic Potential of Noni: The Yin and the Yang |
| title_full | Anti-Diabetic Potential of Noni: The Yin and the Yang |
| title_fullStr | Anti-Diabetic Potential of Noni: The Yin and the Yang |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anti-Diabetic Potential of Noni: The Yin and the Yang |
| title_short | Anti-Diabetic Potential of Noni: The Yin and the Yang |
| title_sort | anti diabetic potential of noni the yin and the yang |
| topic | Morinda citrifolia noni Tahitian noni juice type 2 diabetes herbal products alternative medicine |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/20/10/17684 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pratibhavnerurkar antidiabeticpotentialofnonitheyinandtheyang AT phoebewhwang antidiabeticpotentialofnonitheyinandtheyang AT eriksaksa antidiabeticpotentialofnonitheyinandtheyang |