Brett J. West

Determination and comparative analysis of major iridoids in different parts and cultivation sources of Morinda citrifolia.

INTRODUCTION Noni is a medicinal plant with a long history of use as a folk remedy in many tropical areas, and is attracting more attention worldwide. A comprehensive study on the major phytochemicals in different plant parts (fruit, leaf, seed, root and flower) and sources is of great value for fully understanding their diverse medicinal benefits. OBJECTIVE To quantitatively determine the major iridoid components in different parts of noni plants, and compare iridoids in noni fruits collected from different tropical areas worldwide. METHODOLOGY The optimal chromatographic conditions were achieved on a C(18) column with gradient elution using 0.1% formic acid aqueous formic acid and acetonitrile at 235  nm. The selective HPLC method was validated for precision, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantitation and accuracy. RESULTS Deacetylasperulosidic acid (DAA) was found to be the major iridoid in noni fruit. In order of predominance, DAA concentrations in different parts of the noni plant were dried noni fruit > fruit juice > seed > flower > leaf > root. The order of predominance for asperulosidic acid (AA) concentration was dried noni fruit > leaf > flower > root > fruit juice > seed. DAA and AA contents of methanolic extracts of noni fruits collected from different tropical regions were 13.8-42.9 and 0.7-8.9  mg/g, respectively, with French Polynesia containing the highest total iridoids and the Dominican Republic containing the lowest. CONCLUSION Iridoids DAA and AA are found to be present in leaf, root, seed and flower of noni plants, and were identified as the major components in noni fruit. Given the great variation of iridoid contents in noni fruit grown in different tropical areas worldwide, geographical factors appear to have significant effects on fruit composition. The iridoids in noni fruit were stable at the temperatures used during pasteurisation and, therefore, may be useful marker compounds for identity and quality testing of commercial noni products.

Antioxidant activity of noni juice in heavy smokers

BackgroundNoni (Morinda citrifolia) juice has demonstrated antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo. To evaluate this activity in humans, noni juice from Tahiti (TNJ) was evaluated in a 30 day, double-blind, and placebo controlled clinical trial with 285 current heavy smokers. Research participants were randomly assigned to three daily treatment groups: 118 mL placebo, 29.5 mL TNJ, and 118 mL TNJ. Plasma superoxide anion radicals (SAR) and lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) levels were measured pre and post-intervention.ResultsAfter 30 days, mean SAR decreased from 0.26 ± 0.14 to 0.19 ± 0.10 μmol/mL in the 29.5 mL dose group (P < 0.01) and from 0.26 ± 0.22 to 0.18 ± 0.11 μmol/mL in the 118 mL dose group (P < 0.001). LOOH levels decreased from 0.53 ± 0.19 to 0.40 ± 0.10 μmol/mL in the 29.5 mL dose group (P < 0.001) and from 0.55 ± 0.21 to 0.40 ± 0.14 μmol/mL in the 118 mL dose group (P < 0.001). No significant reductions in SAR or LOOH levels were observed in the placebo group.ConclusionThe results suggest an antioxidant activity from noni juice in humans exposed to tobacco smoke, thereby replicating the results found previous chemical and in vivo tests.

Safety tests and antinutrient analyses of noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) leaf.

BACKGROUND Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) leaves have a documented history of food use. However, previous safety and antinutrient studies are absent. The current investigation was conducted to assess the utility of noni leaves as food. RESULTS No evidence of toxicity or differences in weight gain were observed in acute, subacute, and subchronic oral toxicity tests of ethanol-water (1:1 v/v) and hot-water extracts of noni leaves in mice at doses of 2000, 200, and 20 mg kg(-1) body weight, respectively. Acute systemic anaphylaxis tests of the ethanol-water (4:1 v/v) and hot-water extracts were negative. Further, leaf proteins were readily digested in simulated gastric fluid. Tannic acid concentrations in frozen and dried leaf were 1.6 and 25.8 g kg(-1), respectively. Phytic acid was not detected in the raw leaf (<1 g kg(-1)). The average oxalic acid content was 1 g kg(-1) and was fairly uniform among 22 leaf samples from 11 islands throughout French Polynesia. Similarly, campesterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol content did not vary widely, suggesting low inter-island content variability. CONCLUSIONS The apparent lack of toxicity of the leaves and the hardiness of the plant make it ideal for further agricultural development, especially where sustained growth of other food crops is difficult. Copyright

UPLC-TOF-MS Characterization and Identification of Bioactive Iridoids in Cornus mas Fruit

Cornus mas L. is indigenous to Europe and parts of Asia. Although Cornus is widely considered to be an iridoid rich genera, only two iridoids have been previously found in this plant. The lack of information on taxonomically and biologically active iridoids prompted us to develop and optimize an analytical method for characterization of additional phytochemicals in C. mas fruit. An ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with photodiode array spectrophotometry (PDA) and electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS) was employed and mass parameters were optimized. Identification was made by elucidating the mass spectral data and further confirmed by comparing retention times and UV spectra of target peaks with those of reference compounds. Primary DNA damage and antigenotoxicity tests in E. coli PQ37 were used to screen the iridoids for biological activity. As a result, ten phytochemicals were identified, including iridoids loganic acid, loganin, sweroside, and cornuside. Nine of these were reported for the first time from C. mas fruit. The iridoids did not induce SOS repair of DNA, indicating a lack of genotoxic activity in E. coli PQ37. However, loganin, sweroside, and cornuside did reduce the amount of DNA damage caused by 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide, suggesting potential antigenotoxic activity.

Simultaneous characterisation and quantitation of flavonol glycosides and aglycones in noni leaves using a validated HPLC-UV/MS method

The leaves of Morinda citrifolia L. (noni) have been utilized in a variety of commercial products marketed for their health benefits. This paper reports on a rapid and selective HPLC method for simultaneous characterization and quantitation of four flavonols in an ethanolic extract of noni leaves by using dual detectors of UV (365nm) and ESI-MS (negative mode). The limits of detection and quantitation were between 0.012 and 0.165μg/mL. The intra- and inter-assay precisions, in terms of percent relative standard deviation, are less than 4.38% and 3.50%, respectively. The accuracy, in terms of recovery percentage, ranged from 96.66% to 100.03%. Good linearity (correlation coefficient >0.999) for each calibration curve of standards was achieved in the range investigated. The contents of four flavonoids in the noni leaves varied from 1.16 to 371.6mg/100g dry weight.

Mineral variability among 177 commercial noni juices

The popularity of noni juice is increasing globally. As such, knowledge of its nutritional properties is needed to make informed decisions regarding its use. This industry-wide mineral profile was determined by analyses of 177 brands of commercial noni juice according to a modified Association of Official Analytical Chemists protocol. A large degree of variability was found in the concentrations of nine minerals. While potassium was found to be the most prominent mineral, its concentration in most commercial brands is of minor nutritional significance. The wide variability among the many brands of commercial noni juice precludes the assumption that all are the same. Many have a different nutrient profile to that published by the European Union for Tahitian Noni® Juice. Such variances may thus require consumers, dieticians, and other healthcare professionals to obtain unlabelled nutrient information from manufacturers.

Wound healing effects of noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) leaves: a mechanism involving its PDGF/A2A receptor ligand binding and promotion of wound closure.

Morinda citrifolia L. (Rubiaceae) commonly known as noni, has been used in Polynesia by traditional healers for the treatment of cuts, bruises and wounds. Our objective was to investigate the wound‐healing mechanisms of the noni leaf. The investigations of its wound‐healing mechanisms were carried out using fresh noni leaf juice (NLJ), noni leaf ethanol extract (NLEE) and its methanol (MFEE) and hexane (HFEE) fractions on the PDGF and A2A receptors in vitro and topically in mice. Fresh noni leaf juice showed significant affinity to PDGF receptors, and displayed 166% binding inhibition of the ligand binding to its receptors, while at the same concentration, it only had 7% inhibition of the ligand binding to the A2A receptors. NLEE, HFEE and MFEE showed significant affinity to A2A receptors, concentration dependently, with IC50 values of 34.1, 42.9 and 86.7 μg/mL, respectively. However, MFEE significantly increased wound closure and reduced the half closure time in mice with a CT50 of 5.4 ± 0.2 days compared with control (p < 0.05). These results suggest that noni leaf significantly accelerated wound healing in mice via its ligand binding to the PDGF and A2A receptors as its probable mechanisms of wound‐healing and also support its traditional usage for wound‐healing in Polynesia. Copyright

Xanthine oxidase inhibiting effects of noni (Morinda citrifolia) fruit juice

Morinda citrifolia L. (noni), family Rubiaceae, has been used in Polynesia for over 2000 years for its reputed health benefits, one of which is its therapeutic effects on gout (langa e hokotanga hui). However, its healing mechanism has not been elucidated. This study showed that in an in vitro bioassay that Tahitian Noni® Juice (TNJ) inhibited xanthine oxidase (XO) concentration dependently. Concentrations of 1, 5 and 10 mg/mL of TNJ inhibited XO by 11%, 113% and 148%, respectively, with an IC50 of 3.8 mg compared with an IC50 of 2.4 µm for allopurinol. Noni fruit juice concentrate (NFJC) also inhibited XO concentration dependently. Concentrations of 1 and 5 mg/mL NFJC inhibited XO in vitro by 184% and 159%, respectively. A 0.1 mg/mL methanol extract (NFJME) from the fractionation of noni fruit puree inhibited XO by 64%. It was elucidated that the noni fruit juice inhibitory effect on XO enzymes is the mechanism by which noni ameliorates gout and gout‐like diseases. Further, the results also support the traditional usage of noni in the treatment of gout. Copyright

Noni Juice Improves Serum Lipid Profiles and Other Risk Markers in Cigarette Smokers

Cigarette smoke-induced oxidative stress leads to dyslipidemia and systemic inflammation. Morinda citrifolia (noni) fruit juice has been found previously to have a significant antioxidant activity. One hundred thirty-two adult heavy smokers completed a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to investigate the effect of noni juice on serum cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and homocysteine. Volunteers drank noni juice or a fruit juice placebo daily for one month. Drinking 29.5 mL to 188 mL of noni juice per day significantly reduced cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and hs-CRP. Decreases in LDL and homocysteine, as well increases in HDL, were also observed among noni juice drinkers. The placebo, which was devoid of iridoid glycosides, did not significantly influence blood lipid profiles or hs-CRP. Noni juice was able to mitigate cigarette smoke-induced dyslipidemia, an activity associated with the presence of iridoids.

Noni-based nutritional supplementation and exercise interventions influence body composition

Background: The prevalence of obesity and overweight in the Unites States has reached unprecedented levels, and so has the need for effective exercise and nutritional programs for prevention of unhealthy weight gain or safe weight loss. Aims: The present study was conducted in overweight men and women to assess the impact of noni-based nutritional supplementation and exercise interventions on body composition. Materials and Methods: Twenty two participants (16 women and 6 men), ages 18-65, were enrolled in a 12-week, open-label trial of a weight-loss program involving noni-based dietary supplements, gender-specific daily calorie restriction, and exercise interventions. Weight, percent body fat, and body mass index were measured before and after the trial. Results: All participants experienced weight loss. The average decrease in fat mass was highly significant (P < 0.0001), as were decreases in percent body fat and body mass index. Individual weight and fat mass losses were 17.55 ± 9.73 and 21.78 ± 8.34 lbs., respectively, and individual percent body fat and body mass index decreases were 8.91 ± 3.58 % and 2.6 ± 1.32, respectively. Conclusion: The nutritional and exercise interventions significantly influenced body composition among participants.