Morinda citrifolia

Scientific name: Morinda citrifolia L.

Botanical family: RUBIACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Haiti:

fey doulè

Other vernacular names

Haiti:

Doulè

Colombia:

Noni

Dominican Republic:

Noni

Geographical distribution

Native to Asia and Australia. Cultivated and naturalised in tropical America.

Botanical description

Tree or shrub, up to 6 m high. Leaves opposite, elliptic, petioles 1-2 cm long, winged, blades glabrous, broadly ovate or elliptic, 17-45 cm x 8-24 cm, base obtuse, apex acuminate; stipules rounded 1-2 cm long and broad; flowers sessile on globose heads, corolla tube white, 6-10 mm long; fruits fused into a ‘pineapple-like’ globose structure 5-7 cm long and 3-7 cm in diameter, becoming white then semi-tranlucent with fetid smell when ripe.

Voucher(s)

García,2594,JBSD
Martínez,4741,ROIG
Soto,51364,CR

rheumatism

fresh leaf, natural, applied locally¹

For diarrhoea:
prepare a decoction with 30 grams of fresh leaves in 4 cups (1 litre) of water, boil for 10 minutes in a covered vessel. Allow to cool, strain (filter) and drink 1 cup 4 times a day and/or after each diarrhoeal stool.

For rheumatism:
wash the leaves adequately and directly apply a sufficient amount to cover the affected area. Cover with a clean cloth and change every 4 to 6 hours.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for diarrhoea and rheumatism is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys and the toxicity studies.

The use of this resource in cases of diarrhoea should be considered complementary to oral rehydration therapy.

If deterioration is observed in the patient (dehydration with dry tongue, decreased skin turgor, oliguria or crying without tears), seek immediate medical attention. If the diarrhoea persists for more than 2 days, seek medical attention.

The use of this resource for rheumatism must be considered complementary to medical treatment.

Not for use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children.

TRAMIL Work¹⁶
The fresh crushed leaves were applied topically in patches on the skin (0.6 g of plant material, on an area of approximately6 cm²) in male New Zealand rabbits. The patch was removed after 4 hours and observations were made for erythema and oedema readings at 24, 48 and 72 hours, with no clinical signs evident, and therefore it is in the non-irritant category.

TRAMIL Work¹⁷
The liquidised freeze-dried crushed fresh leaves, concentration of 500 mg/ml of water, topically 4 hours daily for 5 consecutive days in 3 New Zealand rabbits, 0.5 ml on an area of 5 cm² on the back with the hair cut, contralateral control with water, EPA870.2500 protocol, did not cause oedema or erythema during the test or in the additional 11 days of observation.

TRAMIL Work¹⁸
The freeze-dried aqueous extract (decoction) from fresh leaves (3 g/kg/5 days), was given orally to 10 Swiss mice (5 males 21.04 ± 0.32 g and 5 females 20.54 ± 0.22 g). The control was carried out with distilled water (0.3 ml) with another 10 mice of the same characteristics. They had an additional 7-day observation period at the end of the administration of the treatment and the control. During the test, no mortality or signs of toxicity occurred for the parameters assessed. The macroscopic autopsy showed no alterations in the internal organs.

The aqueous extract (yield 2.09% anthraquinonic compounds and 11.21% anthracene derivatives) from dried leaves (500, 1000 and 2000 mg total dry extract/kg) orally in mice, genotoxicity model in bone marrow micronuclei, in Wistar rats (1000 mg total dry extract/kg/day) short-term toxicity model for 28 days and subchronic toxicity for 90 days (0, 100, 300 and 1000 mg total dry extract/kg), did not show genotoxicity or short-term toxicity.

A subchronic study showed a significant decrease in haemoglobin in male (300 and 1000 mg/kg) and female (1000 mg/kg) rats, a significant increase in lymphocytes and a reduction in neutrophils in the same groups that recovered; no other macroscopic or histological changes were evident¹⁹.

The hydromethanolic leaf extract (50%), intraperitoneally inmale rats, showed an LD50 = 1 mg/kg²⁰.

The hydroalcoholic extract (50%) from aerial parts intraperitoneally in mice showed an LD50 = 0.75 mg/kg¹³.

There is no information available documenting the safety of usein children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The fresh plant contains anthraquinones, mainly morindone and alizarin^3-4.

The leaf contains monoterpenes: asperuloside and monotropein⁴; benzenoids: gentisic acid; steroids: β-sitosterol; triterpene: ursolic acid^5-6.

Proximate analysis of 100 g of leaves⁷: calories: 107; water: 77.6%; protein: 4.5%; fat: 7.8%; carbohydrates: 8.6%; fibre: 4%; ash: 1.5%; calcium: 36 mg; phosphorus: 15 mg; iron: 2.3 mg; carotene: 36265 μg; thiamine: 0.16 mg; riboflavin: 0.09 mg; niacin: 7.20 mg; ascorbic acid: 52 mg.

TRAMIL Work⁸
The aqueous extract (decoction) from fresh leaves 1000 μg/ml in vitro, showed no antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli.

TRAMIL Work⁹
The freeze-dried aqueous extract (1600 g of liquidised plant material with 2500 ml of distilled water and strained, yield = 4.99%) from fresh leaves (0.5, 2, 4, 8 and 16 mg/both sides of the right ear, all in a volume of 10 μl), was applied topically to Hsd:ICR mice, groups of 6 males and 6 females, in the model of inflammation induced by tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA) application (0.125 mg/ml) for 4 hours, the negative control received acetone (10 μl/ear) and the positive control group was treated with indomethacin (25 mg/ml). No statistically significant inhibition of the inflammation was observed in the groups treated.

TRAMIL Work¹⁰
The aqueous extract (30% decoction) from fresh leaves (10 μl on each side of both ears) was applied topically using the croton oil-induced ear oedema model (10 μl/2.5 ml acetone), 10 μl dose on both sides of the right ear; on the left ear 10 μl of acetone was applied in the same way, in male OF-1 mice (6 animals/group). The positive control group received dexamethasone (5 mg/ml acetone), doses of 0.05 mg/each side of both ears; the negative control group received croton oil on the right ear and acetone on the left ear under the same conditions; treatments applied 1 min. after the croton oil. The decoction inhibited the inflammatory response 45.0% and
dexamethasone 87.83%.

The ethanolic leaf extract, at a concentration of 3.4 mg/ml, inhibited cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) by 54% in vitro. The extracts from fresh fruit juice and rind only decreased the activity of this enzyme by 38 and 27%. Aspirin (0.3 mg/ml) and indomethacin (10 μg/ml) caused 30 and 70% inhibition under the same experimental conditions¹¹.

The alcoholic extract from tender leaves in vitro showed antihelminthic activity against human Ascaris lumbricoides¹².

The hydroalcoholic extract (50%) from aerial parts (0.375 mg/kg), orally in rats, showed no anti-inflammatory or antispasmodic activity in vitro on guinea pig ileum¹³.

The hydroalcoholic extract (50%) from aerial parts (0.375 mg/kg), intraperitoneally in mice, showed no analgesic, anticonvulsive or hypothermic activity¹³.

Gentisic acid is attributed with antirheumatic, antiarthritic¹⁴ ,analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects¹⁵.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 CASTILLO D, RODRIGUEZ S, DE LOS SANTOS C, BELEN A, 2003
Encuesta TRAMIL, region Este. Dep. de Botánica, Jardín Botánico Nacional, Santo Domingo, Rep. Dominicana.
2 WENIGER B, ROUZIER M, 1986
Enquête TRAMIL. Service Oecuménique d’Entraide SOE, Port au Prince, Haïti.
3 LEISTNER E, 1973
Biosynthesis of morindone and alizarin in intact plants and cell suspension cultures of Morinda citrifolia. Phytochemistry 12(7):1669-1674.
4 INOUYE H, TAKEDA Y, NISHIMURA H, KANOMI A, OKUDA T, PUFF C, 1988
Chemotaxonomic studies of Rubiaceous plants containing iridoid glycosides. Phytochemistry 27(8):2591-2598.
5 GRIFFITHS LA, 1959
On the distribution of gentisic acid in green plants. J Exp Biol 10(3):437-442.
6 AHMAD VU, BANO S, 1980
Isolation of ß-sitosterol and ursolic acid from Morinda citrifolia L. J Chem Soc Pak 2(2):71.
7 DUKE JA, ATCHLEY AA, 1986
Handbook of proximate analysis tables of higher plants. Boca Raton, USA: CRC Press. p110.
8 OLMEDO D, RODRIGUEZ N, ESPINOSA A, VASQUEZ Y, GUPTA MP, 2005
Ensayo antimicrobiano de algunas especies con usos significativos TRAMIL-Centro américa. Informe TRAMIL. Centro de Investigaciones Farmacognósticas de la Flora
Panameña CIFLORPAN, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Panamá, Panamá, Panamá.
9 PAZOS L, COTO T, GONZALEZ S, 2006
Antiinflamatorio tópico, en ratones, del extracto acuoso del jugo de hojas de Morinda citrifolia. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio de Ensayos Biológicos, LEBi, Universidad de
Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.
10 FRIAS AI, GARCIA N, MOREJON Z, MORON F, VICTORIA MC, 2009
Efecto antiinflamatorio tópico de la decocción de hojas frescas de Morinda citrifolia L.(noni) en el edema de la oreja inducido por aceite de Croton en ratones. Trabajo
TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología. Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana.
11 LI RW, MYERS SP, LEACH DN, LIN GD, LEACH G, 2003
A cross-cultural study: anti-inflammatory activity of Australian and Chinese plants. J Ethnopharmacol 85(1):25-32.
12 RAJ RK, 1975
Screening of indigenous plants for anthelmintic action against human Ascaris lumbricoides. Part II. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 19(1).
13 DHAWAN BN, PATNAIK GK, RASTOGI RP, SINGH KK, TANDON JS, 1977
Screening of Indian plants for biological activity. VI. Indian J Exp Biol 15:208-219.
14 NEGWER M, 1987
Organic chemical drugs and their synonyms (an international survey), 6th ed. Berlin, Germany: Akademie Verlag.
15 BUDAVARI S (Ed.), 2001
The Merck index: an encyclopedia of chemical, drugs, and biologicals. 30th ed. Whitehouse Station, USA: Merck & Co., Inc. p781.
16 LOPEZ M, MARTINEZ MJ, MOREJON Z, BOUCOURT E, FUENTES V, MORON F, 2005
Irritabilidad dérmica primaria de hoja fresca machacada de Morinda citrifolia L. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología. Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana.
17 PAZOS L, COTO T, GONZALEZ S, 2006
Irritabilidad dérmica, piel sana en conejos, de hoja fresca machacada de Morinda citrifolia. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio de Ensayos Biológicos, LEBi, Universidad de
Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.
18 GARCIA-GONZÁLEZ M, BARBOZA CJ, 2005
Toxicidad aguda (3000 mg/kg) dosis repetida, en ratones, del extracto acuoso de hojas frescas de Morinda citrifolia. Informe TRAMIL. PRONAPLAMED. Depto de Fisiología,Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.
19 LAGARTO A, BUENO V, MERINO N, PILOTO J, VALDES O, APARICIO G, BELLMA A, COURET M, VEGA Y, 2013
Safety evaluation of Morinda citrifolia (noni) leaves extract: assessment of genotoxicity, oral short term and subchronic toxicity. J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2(1):15-22.
20 NAKANISHI K, SASAKI SI, KIANG AK, GOH J, KAKISAWA H, OHASHI M, GOTO M, WATANABE JM, YOKOTANI H, MATSUMURA C, TOGASHI M, 1965
Phytochemical survey of Malaysian plants. Preliminary chemical and pharmacological screening. Chem Pharm Bull 13(7):882-890.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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Morinda citrifolia

Vernacular names

Haiti:

Haiti:

Colombia:

Dominican Republic:

Geographical distribution

Botanical description

Voucher(s)

Pharmacopoeia

References

Disclaimer