Tahitian Noni Juice vs. HIV/AIDS

Morinda citrifolia Linn.

Morinda citrifolia Linn., known as mengkudu in Bahasa Indonesia, or pace in Basa Jawa, are considered as herb plants. Other common names of Morinda citrofilia are noni, Indian mulberry, apatot, kumudu, beach mulberry, cheese fruit, ruibarbo caribe, and wild pine. Morinda citrofilia are native to Southeast Asia and Australia.

Morinda citrifolia is reported to have broad range of therapeutic effects, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antitumor, antihelminthic, analgesic, hypotensive, anti-inflammatory, and immune enhancing effects. It also has been used as folk medicine by Polynesians for centuries. (Wang MY, et al. 2002)

Tahitian Noni Juice

Two weeks ago, I met a new friend, Alex, who worked on multi level marketing (MLM) company of Morinda Holdings, formerly known as Tahitian Noni International. Alex claimed that Tahitian noni juice was now become best selling products.

It was the first time I heard about the MLM company. Alex then told me a testimonial story of his friend, Brian, who bought the juice from him. Brian's blood was diagnosed as HIV positive by the nurse from Indonesian Red Cross, before he tried to donor his blood in mass blood donor action.

Brian was Alex's best friend. He knew that Alex was always promoting Tahitian Noni Juice by online via facebook, twitter and blackberry messenger. Brian then tried to drink Tahitian noni juice everyday for a full month. The next month, Brian went to hospital to check his blood. Amazingly, his blood turned out to be HIV negative.

Tahitian Noni Juice is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States. Unlike drugs, supplements are not required to be tested by the US Food and Drug Administration, before being allowed to be sold. But, the company which manufactured the supplements should not claim the supplements can prevent, treat, or cure any specific disease.

It was hard for me to believe what Alex just told me. Could it be possible that the nurse of Indonesian Red Cross had wrongly tested Brian's blood? Alex did not told me further about Brian's lifestyle on sexual relationship.

The Scientific Studies

Anti-AIDS Agent

Damnacanthal, a compound which is extracted from Morinda citrifolia, is believed to be the source of Alex's story. Damnacanthal was identified as an inhibitor of Vpr (Viral protein R, one of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1, or HIV-1) induced cell death in HIV infection experiment using human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

The study suggests that damnacanthal might work as an anti-AIDS agent by suppressing HIV production and inhibiting CD4+ cells (cluster of differentiation 4, a glycoprotein that found on the surface of immune cells) depletion in patients. (Kamata M, et al. 2006)

Anti-cancer Effects

10% Tahitian Noni Liquid Dietary Supplement, or Tahitian Noni Juice, made from Morinda citrifolia fruit by Morinda Inc, in drinking water for one week was able to prevent DMBA-DNA adduct (a piece of DNA covalently bonded to a cancer-causing chemical, that has DMBA (7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene) attached to it) formation in female rats. (Wang MY, et al. 2001)

Although above study had shown the anti-cancer effect of noni juice in female rats, there is no reliable clinical evidence that noni juice is effective in treating cancer in humans. American Cancer Society suggested that relying on this type of treatment alone, and avoiding, or delaying conventional medical care for cancer, may have serious health consequences. (ACS, 2008)

Anti-diabetic Effect

Recent study had shown that, fermented Morinda citrifolia supplementation, was able to reduce glycosylated hemoglobin levels, enhance insulin sensitivity, and significantly decrease serum triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in diabetic mice. The study suggested that fermented Morinda citrifolia can be employed as a functional health food for type 2 diabetes melitus management. (Lee SY, et al. 2012)

I assume that every MLM products suppose to be sold directly to the end user, because I once also promoted and sold MLM products, door to door. But, Tahitian Noni Juice is also sold online on Amazon.com.

Because Morinda citrifolia fruits have strong smell and bitter taste, the fruits juice are often mixed with other fruits. Just like in Tahitian Noni Juice which added with cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon), olives (Olea europaea), blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), and wine grapes (Vitis vinifera).

The Excellent Fruit of Pineapple

Pineapple, or known botanically as Ananas comosus Merr., is a tropical fruit which originated from South America, especially in Brasil and Paraguay. Pineapple in Bahasa Indonesia is known as nanas or nenas. The Genus name of Ananas, comes from the Tupi (the native language uses in South America) word, nanas, which means excellent fruit. (Davidson A, 2002)

Bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapple stem or fruit juice, is often used like papain from papaya for tenderizing meat and to clarify beer. To make a tender meat, you may put a chunk of pineapple and cook together with the meat. It does not matter, whether the pineapple fruit is ripe or not.

I once saw my uncle cooked RW (rintek wu'uk, or ramuan waung), a dish originates from Minahasa, or Manado, North Sulawesi, which uses a dog meat, using ripe pineapple fruit. Because my uncle used all chunks from a single pineapple fruit, the dog meat was too tender to eat, just like eating a mince dog meat.

Native Forest 100% Organic Pineapple Chunks 14Oz

Medicinal Uses

Similar to green papaya, unripe pineapple is also used for contraception and abortion. Consuming unripe pineapple fruit excessively might cause abortions shortly after conception. Raw pineapple fruit is also taken as an aphrodisiac to increase sexual desire.

As folk medicine, pineapple juice is taken as a diuretic, a gargle to treat sore throat and as an antidote for seasickness. Unripe pineapple is used to expel intestinal worms, and to treat venereal diseases, such as syphilis or gonorrhoea. In Africa, the dried, powdered root is used as a remedy for edema.

The crushed pineapple rind is used to apply on fractures. The decoction of pineapple rind with rosemary is used to treat hemorrhoids. Indians in Panama used the pineapple leaf juice as a purgative, emmenagogue (to treat menstruation problems) and vermifuge (antihelminthic, drugs that expel parasitic worms from the body). (Morton, J. 1987)

The Scientific Studies

The study of six months dietary supplementation using pineapple juice could decrease inflammation severity in mice with chronic colitis (inflammation of the colon). (Hale LP, et al. 2010) Another study had also demonstrated an independent mechanism of bromelain's anti-tumor activities against sarcoma, and Ehrlich ascitic tumor. (Báez R, et al. 2007)

Bromelain possess anti-inflammatory, anti-invasive and anti-metastatic properties, in which managed to inhibit cyclooxygenase-2 expression by blocking the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase against skin tumor-initiation triggering mitochondrial death pathway, in 2-stage mouse skin tumorigenesis model. (Bhui K, et al. 2009)

Recent study had demonstrated that bromelain also possess antifungal activity against phytopathogens, in which will be potential to use as an effective agent for crop protection. (López-García B, et al. 2012)

Punarnava, The Anti-cancer and Anti-diabetic Weeds

Punarnava, or known as Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. has a long history of use in Ayurvedic herbal medicine, for the treatment of cancer, jaundice, dyspepsia, inflammation, enlargement of spleen, abdominal pain and as an anti-stress agent. Punarnava grow as weeds, and their origin have not been determined, because the plants are widespread in many places around the world.

Punarnava have so many common names, such as, erva toustao, hog weed, pig weed, atikamaamidi, djambo, etiponia, thazhuthama, thikri, katkatud, mamauri, ndandalida, oulouni niabo, touri-touri, punerva, purnoi, ghetuli, mahenshi, santi, spiderling, tellaaku, tshrana, biskhapra, and etc. But, according to Ayurveda, the Indian people had been used the roots, leaves and seeds of punarnava as folk medicine.

Herbal medications based on the extract of punarnava roots are also sold in several online Ayurvedic shops. Just like what I have found here on Amazon.com.

Banyan Botanicals Organic Punarnava Powder

Also a beauty product which contains the extract of punarnava.

VLCC Punarnava Astringent 100ml

The Scientific Studies on Anti-cancer and Anti-diabetic Properties of Punarnava

Anti-cancer

Punarnavine, an alkaloid derived from Boerhaavia diffusa, is believed to be an anti-cancer agent. The study has indicated that punarnavine could enhance the immune response, and inhibit the metastatic progression of B16F-10 melanoma cells in mice. (Manu KA, et al. 2007) Moreover, the extract from the whole plant of punarnava also possess radioprotective effect against gamma radiation induced damage in mice. (Manu KA, et al. 2007)

Boeravinones, compounds isolated from the roots of punarnava, have been found potentially to inhibit the drug efflux activity of BCRP (breast cancer resistance protein), a multidrug transporter responsible for cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy. (Ahmed-Belkacem A, et al. 2007) Punarnava show antiproliferative and antiestrogenic properties against MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines, in which are potential in the treatment of breast cancer. (Sreeja S, et al. 2009)

Anti-diabetic

When compared to glibenclamide (anti-diabetic drug), the aqueous solution of punarnava leaf extract is shown more prominent result. A significant decrease in blood glucose and significant increase in plasma insulin levels.

The study is also shown a significant reduction of glycosylated haemoglobin and an increase the total of haemoglobin level, in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats treated with punarnava leaf extract. (Pari L, et al. 2004) Another study to demonstrate the antihyperglycaemic and renoprotective effect of punarnava in experimental diabetic rats, had shown better result when compared to the treatment using metformin (hypoglycaemic drug). (Singh PK, et al. 2011)