Noni

Noni is a small evergreen tree in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, Australia, and India that often grows among lava flows. Historically, noni was used to make a red or yellow dye for clothing. It was also used as medicine, usually applied to the skin.

Today, noni fruit, leaves, flowers, stems, bark, and roots are still used to make medicine for a long list of ailments. However, the effectiveness of noni for these uses has not been proven. A study of noni freeze-dried fruit extract is underway at The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, but the results are not yet in. In the meantime, the FDA has issued multiple warnings to noni manufacturers about health claims that aren’t backed up by fact.

People take noni by mouth for colic, convulsions, cough, diabetes, painful urination, stimulating menstrual flow, fever, liver disease, constipation, vaginal discharge during pregnancy, malarial fever, and nausea. It is also used for smallpox, enlarged spleen, swelling, asthma, arthritis and other bone and joint problems, cancer, cataracts, colds, depression, digestive problems, and gastric ulcers. Other uses include high blood pressure, infections, kidney disorders, migraine headache, premenstrual syndrome, stroke, pain, and sedation.

The fruit juice is used for arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, muscle aches and pains, menstrual difficulties, headaches, heart disease, AIDS, cancers, gastric ulcers, sprains, depression, senility, poor digestion, atherosclerosis, circulation problems, and drug addiction.

The leaves have been used in medicines for rheumatic aches and swelling of the joints, stomachache, dysentery, and swelling caused by a parasitic infection called filariasis. The bark has been used in a preparation to aid childbirth.

Noni is sometimes applied to the skin. It is used as a moisturizer and to reduce signs of aging. The leaves are used for arthritis by wrapping around the affected joint; for headache by applying to the forehead; and for burns, sores, and wounds by direct application. A mixture of leaves and fruit is applied to pockets of infection (abscesses), and preparations of the root are used on stonefish and sting-ray wounds, and as a smallpox salve.

In foods, the fruits, leaves, roots, seeds, and bark are eaten.

The smell and taste of some Noni fruit and juice are unpleasant.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

The effectiveness ratings for NONI are as follows:

• Colic.
• Seizures.
• Cough.
• Diabetes.
• Urinary problems.
• Menstrual problems.
• Fever.
• Liver problems.
• Constipation.
• Vaginal discharge.
• Nausea.
• Smallpox.
• Enlarged spleen.
• Kidney disorders.
• Swelling.
• Asthma.
• Bone and joint problems.
• Cancer.
• Eye cataracts.
• Colds.
• Depression.
• Digestion problems.
• Stomach ulcers.
• Heart trouble.
• High blood pressure.
• Infections.
• Migraine.
• Stroke.
• Pain.
• Reducing signs of aging.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate noni for these uses.

Noni contains many substances, including potassium. Some of these substances might help repair damaged cells in the body, activate the immune system, and have other activities.

Noni is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken in food amounts. But there is concern that taking noni in medicinal amounts is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. Noni tea or juice might cause liver damage in some people. There are several reports of liver damage in people who drank noni tea or juice for several weeks. But it is not known for certain if noni was the cause.

Special precautions & warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Don’t take noni if you are pregnant. Historically, noni has been used to cause abortions. It’s also best to avoid noni if you are breast-feeding. Not enough is known about the safety of taking noni during breast-feeding.

Kidney problems: Noni contains large amounts of potassium. This can be a problem, especially for people with kidney disease. There is one report of a person with kidney disease developing high levels of potassium in the blood after drinking noni juice. Don’t use noni if you have kidney problems.

Liver disease: Noni has been linked to several cases of liver damage. Avoid using noni if you have liver disease.

Moderate

There is concern that noni might cause liver damage in some people. Using noni with other herbs or supplements that might harm the liver could increase this risk. Some of these products include androstenedione, chaparral, comfrey, DHEA, fo-ti, germander, kava, niacin, pennyroyal oil, red yeast, and others.

There are no known interactions with foods.

The appropriate dose of noni depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for noni. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.

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To learn more about how this article was written, please see the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database methodology.methodology (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/methodology.html).

To see all references for the Noni page, please go to http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/758.html.

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Page last updated: 06 September 2012