BENEFITS OF NONI JUICE FOR CANCER

Noni juice is one herbal product that receives a lot of attention for its purported health benefits, including its ability to treat cancer. Morinda citrifolia is the botanical name for noni. Like many contemporary herbal medicines, the widespread claims of the healing properties of noni juice lack proof. There is no firm scientific evidence that noni juice provides any benefits for cancer patients.

NONI
Noni juice comes from the ripe fruit of small evergreens that grow in Australia, India and the Pacific Islands. Native cultures used noni juice as a dye to color clothing, as well as a medicine, usually in a topical form. In addition to the fruit juice, the leaves, roots, bark, stems and flowers also provide materials for making herbal products.
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CLAIMS
People consume noni juice to treat a variety of conditions, such as headaches, gastric ulcers, depression, muscle aches and circulation problems. Consuming the juice in an attempt to treat AIDS and cancers is common among practitioners of alternative treatment methods. There is not enough evidence to confirm these health claims, although the potassium in noni juice may help enhance your immune system and repair damaged cells, according to MedlinePlus.

CANCER
The human testing of noni juice is still in the early stages, although animal studies indicate noni juice may provide certain benefits in the realm of cancer treatments. One animal experiment used mice with cancer to compare the benefits of noni juice. According to the American Cancer Society, the mice that received the noni juice treatments lived about twice as long as the mice that did not receive the juice. The plant compounds that may provide useful benefits in the treatment or prevention of cancer include anthraquionones. This compound is present in both the fruits and roots of the noni plant.

PRECAUTIONS
Drinking excessive amounts of noni juice can increase the level of potassium in your body, as well as adding sugar to your diet. There is not enough scientific information about noni juice to make it a suitable substance for treating cancer or other illnesses. Although moderate amount s of noni juice are unlikely to cause any harmful side effects, relying on this alternative approach to treating cancer may cause dangerous delays in seeking conventional medical treatments. Talk to your doctor about any supplements or remedies you take, especially if you have cancer.

DOES NONI JUICE DAMAGE THE LIVER?

Noni fruit juice is used to treat conditions such as poor digestion, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, menstrual problems, depression and cancer. However, noni juice has reportedly caused liver damage in some people. As with any supplement, consult with your health care provider before taking noni juice to improve your health.

RESEARCH FINDINGS
Several cases of liver damage have been reported from drinking noni juice. One case of a 14-year-old boy who developed liver toxicity from noni juice was reported in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition in 2011. Another report of noni -related liver damage was published in Digestion in 2006, describing a case of hepatitis from drinking noni juice over four weeks. The World Journal of Gastroenterology published two cases of liver damage from noni juice in 2005. One of these cases required a liver transplant. All the others cases recovered normally after stopping the noni juice.

CONSIDERATIONS
According to the National Institutes of Health, noni is considered to be generally safe when taken in food amounts but may possibly be unsafe in medicinal amounts. Some of the substances in noni fruit juice may briefly change the color of your urine to pink, orange or brown. Avoid noni if you are pregnant because noni may cause a miscarriage. Also, do not take noni if you are breastfeeding.

OTHER SAFETY CONCERNS

Noni is rich in potassium, so your potassium levels may become too high from drinking noni, especially if you have kidney disease. Avoid noni if you have a kidney ailment or if you take potassium supplements, salt substitutes with potassium or medicines that help your body preserve potassium, such as some water pills. High potassium levels, or hyperkalemia, may cause symptoms such as nausea, irregular heartbeat or a weak pulse. Hyperkalemia can be lethal if not treated promptly.

DIETARY PRECAUTIONS
Avoid eating large amounts of potassium-rich foods such as apricots, bananas, milk, potatoes, spinach and sweet potatoes while taking noni because your potassium levels may become too high. Some dried foods such as navy beans, lentils and split peas are also high in potassium. You should also not drink juices that are high in potassium, including orange, prune or tomato juice if you are taking noni.

EFFECTS OF PURE NONI JUICE ON CANCER

Aug 18, 2011 | By Joanne Marie Your cells normally grow and divide at a controlled rate, making new cells to replace aged or damaged ones. However, when cells are abnormal and begin to divide at a high, uncontrolled rate, they become cancerous and can form malignant tumors or spread through blood or lymph to other parts of your body. Noni juice is a traditional remedy that may help lower your risk of developing cancer or improve the outcome if you already have the disease. Discuss Noni juice with your doctor to decide if it is appropriate for you.

NONI
The Noni tree, or Morinda citrifolia, is also called Indian mulberry or wild pine. It is a small evergreen that grows naturally throughout Polynesia and bears white tubular flowers. When mature, its fruit is yellow to white, soft, fleshy and about the size and shape of a potato. The pulp of ripe Noni fruit has an unpleasant, cheese-like odor. Its juice is somewhat bitter and is usually consumed fresh or may sometimes be fermented.

PROPERTIES AND USES

Noni juice has been part of herbal medicine throughout Polynesia for thousands of years. Traditional healers recommend Noni as a general health tonic and a treatment for aches and pains, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis and various types of infections. Noni juice contains many different phytochemicals, including compounds called anthraquinones, polyphenols, organic acids and alkaloids Modern investigation into the properties of Noni suggests it has medicinal value as an antifungal agent, in lowering cholesterol and to enhance immune function. In addition, Noni is a powerful antioxidant and has natural, anti-cancer properties.

CANCER EFFECTS
Noni may prevent cancer through several mechanisms. It increases production by immune cells of chemicals called cytokines that slow division of cancer cells and it stimulates immune cells called macrophages to engulf and destroy tumor cells. Compounds in Noni also block growth of cancer directly, as shown in laboratory studies summarized by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. These studies reported increased life span in laboratory animals with cancer that were fed Noni compounds and blockage of carcinogen-induced changes in cultured cells. In a clinical study published in "Nutrition and Cancer" in 2009, 200 human subjects who smoke consumed Noni juice for one month and, at the end of that time, had reduced DNA changes in their lung cells that suggested their risk of lung cancer was lessened. These promising results still need to be extended with larger clinical trials of Noni juice and different types of cancer.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Noni juice is available from health food or specialty stores. The usual recommended dose of juice is 30 ml daily. Although Noni is generally considered safe, it is high in potassium and may pose a risk if you have kidney disease or if you take diuretics or certain high blood pressure medications. Some Noni products are high in sugar; check labels and avoid these products if you have diabetes. Discuss Noni juice in detail with your doctor before adding it to your regimen.

IS NONI JUICE GOOD FOR CANCER PATIENTS?

Aug 24, 2011 | By Joseph Pritchard Nutritional deficiency is a risk for cancer patients. Cancer treatments such as chemo and radiation therapy often elevate the risk of nutritional deficiency, MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health, says. Eating a well-balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables is one way for cancer patients to stay healthy while undergoing treatment. Noni juice purportedly contains potassium and antioxidants that make it beneficial for cancer patients. Because there is insufficient evidence to validate this claim, always consult your doctor before including noni juice in your diet.

NONI JUICE AND CANCER

Noni juice comes from the morinda plant, a tropical tree found in the Pacific islands, Asia, Australia, South America and the Caribbean. Noni contains similar amounts of potassium as tomato or orange juice, and is naturally high in sugar. Noni juice's purported antioxidant properties are due to damnacanthal, a substance primarily found in the root of the noni plant that has displayed the ability to prevent normal cells from turning cancerous. A study published in a 2001 issue of the "Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences" showed at least a 30 percent reduction in the formation of carcinogen-DMBA-DNA adduct formation after one week in rats administered noni juice. The study also found that noni juice possessed similar antioxidant effects as vitamin C. This implies that noni juice may be beneficial to cancer patients in that it helps lower their risk of possible recurrence.

DOSE, NUTRITIONAL VALUE AND ANTICANCER PROPERTIES

Taking between 30 mL and 750 mL of noni juice daily is considered generally safe, Drugs.com notes. Noni juice also contains calcium, phosphorus and trace amounts of selenium. Approximately, 24 mg to 158 mg of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, is found in every 100 g of noni fruit. Noni juice appears to stimulate the release of substances that slow cell cycles in tumors and increasing your body's capacity to impair tumor growth. Therefore, noni juice may complement the effect of anti-cancer medications that cancer patients are taking to manage their condition.

OTHER BENEFITS
In addition to fighting cancer, noni juice is also purportedly useful in treating heart disease, cholesterol problems and hypertension, the American Cancer Society says. Noni juice has also been found to be effective in alleviating depression and aiding in digestion. These purported properties are beneficial to cancer patients who also suffer from depression and have digestion problems.

ADVERSE EFFECTS AND TOXICOLOGY

Noni juice contains about 56.3 mEq/L of potassium, Drugs.com notes. Cancer patients who are also suffering from renal dysfunction are at risk of developing hyperkalemia as a result of drinking noni juice in large volumes. Consuming more than 750 mL of noni juice daily purportedly adversely affects your liver. However, more research is needed to validate this claim.

NONI JUICE AGAINST OVARIAN CANCER

Aug 18, 2011 | By Joanne Marie Ovarian cancer develops in a woman's ovary, the organ that releases eggs and produces female sex hormones. It begins as an ovarian tumor and may spread in later stages to other parts of the body, potentially causing serious, life-threatening illness. Noni juice is a traditional remedy that has natural anticancer activity and may help prevent or slow growth of ovarian cancer. Talk to your doctor about noni juice to decide if it might be helpful for you.

CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS

Although the cause of ovarian cancer is still unknown, the release of eggs or the amount of male hormones in a woman's blood may be involved. Also, carcinogenic compounds might enter the pelvis through the vagina, causing changes in ovarian cells that result in cancer. Risk factors include being postmenopausal, overweight or obese, having not had children or having had children but not breast-

fed them. Taking certain drugs, such as the fertility drug clomiphene citrate, using replacement estrogen after menopause or taking drugs derived from male hormones may also raise your risk. Finally, having a family history of ovarian, breast or colorectal cancer or having certain inherited genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 also increase your risk for ovarian cancer.

ABOUT NONI
The noni tree, or Morinda citrifolia, is also called hag apple, kura and Indian mulberry. It is native to Hawaii, Polynesia, Asia and Australia and produces tubular white flowers, followed by bumpysurfaced fruits with yellow to white flesh with an unpleasant, cheese-like odor. Noni fruit has been part of traditional Asian and Polynesian medicine for thousands of years, recommended to treat infection, inflammation, tumors and diabetes. The fruit contains a large number of natural chemicals with medicinal potential. Many of these compounds are polyphenols with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.

PROPERTIES AND EVIDENCE

Antioxidants in noni juice help destroy free radicals --- metabolic byproducts and environmental toxins that may damage cellular membranes and DNA, increasing the likelihood that normal cells might become cancerous. Noni also boosts your immune system by increasing the activity of immune cells that can engulf and destroy malignant cells. In addition, laboratory studies indicate that noni can directly interfere with growth of cultured cancer cells and cancerous tumors in laboratory animals. In a clinical study published in "Nutrition and Cancer" in 2009, 200 smokers who consumed noni juice for one month had reduced carcinogen-caused changes in their lung cell DNA. In a review of herbal therapy for cancer published in "European Journal of Cancer" in 2011, noni was listed as a remedy with potential as an effective anticancer agent. Although encouraging, these observations still need to be extended with clinical trials of noni and human subjects at risk for ovarian cancer.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Noni juice is available from specialty stores and health food stores, usually in sweetened form to counteract the natural bitterness of the fruit. Although generally considered safe, noni contains high levels of potassium and should not be consumed if you have kidney disease or are taking diuretics. Discuss its use in detail with your doctor before adding it to your routine.

NONI JUICE FOR CHRONIC FATIGUE

Chronic fatigue syndrome can significantly impact your ability to function in everyday life. You may find yourself limiting or avoiding many of your usual activities because of extreme, relentless fatigue. A number of treatments, including certain medications and self-help techniques, can help symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. While noni juice has been touted as a remedy for chronic fatigue syndrome, there's not much clinical evidence to support its benefits. Consult your doctor before using any nutritional supplement.

ABOUT NONI
Noni, also known by the scientific name Morinda citrifolia or a number of additional names, including lada, canary wood or Indian mulberry, is a type of evergreen tree that grows in tropical regions such as Polynesia. Noni has been used for 2,000 years in traditional and indigenous Polynesian medical practices. Native healers have used the fruit of the noni tree to treat a number of medical conditions, including wounds, infections, joint pain and skin disorders. In modern times, many people drink noni juice for its purported health benefits, including improving cardiovascular health and alleviating chronic

fatigue syndrome. However, there's virtually no evidence to support these uses. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, research has shown that noni has antioxidant, immune-stimulating and tumor-fighting properties. Unfortunately, there are not many studies that have examined its potential benefits in humans.

CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME FACTS

The possible benefit of noni juice for chronic fatigue syndrome may stem from its supposed immunestimulating properties. While the exact causes of chronic fatigue syndrome aren't totally understood, the National Center for Biotechnology Information's PubMed Health website reports that it may occur due to inflammation in the nervous system due to a malfunction in your immune system. Chronic fatigue syndrome causes symptoms that resemble the flu, except you experience these symptoms on a chronic basis and they last for six months or longer. Fatigue that doesn't go away despite rest and sleep is the defining feature of chronic fatigue syndrome. Additional symptoms include muscles aches and pains, sore throat, mild fever, irritability and depression. While there's no known cure for chronic fatigue syndrome as of 2011, medical treatments and self-help measures can help you manage your symptoms.

CLINICAL EVIDENCE
A report published in the Oct. 25, 2010, issue of the journal "Oncology" states that some preliminary clinical research on animals and in vitro suggest that noni may have immunomodulatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor properties. A study published in 2011 in the international, peer-reviewed journal "Annals of Biological Sciences" showed that noni juice had an antibacterial effect against Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma penetrans and Mycoplasma fermentans in an in vitro study. However, as of 2011, no studies have showed any benefit of noni juice for chronic fatigue syndrome.

CONSIDERATIONS
Do not use noni juice or any other dietary supplement to self-treat your condition. Consult your doctor if you think you have chronic fatigue syndrome. Inform your doctor if you choose to use noni juice. The safety of noni hasn't been sufficiently established. According to the report in "Oncology," there have been three case reports of hepatotoxicity from noni juice. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine points out that since noni is high in potassium, it should not be used by people on potassium-restricted diets.

NUTRITIONAL FACTS & INGREDIENTS OF NONI JUICE

May 22, 2011 | By Carol Sarao

Noni juice -- packed with beneficial phytonutrients and high in potassium and vitamin C -- is marketed as a nutraceutical to increase energy, boost the immune system and promote general well-being. Some herbalists and natural healers endorse noni juice for its purported ability to treat and prevent cancer. While some animal and test tube studies have shown chemoprotective effects, human clinical studies are lacking. Consult your doctor before trying noni juice.

FEATURES
Noni -- botanically known as Morinda citrifolia and also called achi, Indian mulberry, and morinda -- is an evergreen shrub native to Asia, Australia and the Polynesian islands. The fruit features a greenish rind when ripe; the pulp is yellowish or white with an unpleasant odor and a bitter, soapy taste. Noni is one of the most important remedies in Hawaiian folk medicine and has been traditionally used to treat colds, flu, diabetes, burns, high blood pressure, arthritis and parasitic infections. Noni is also employed as an antidepressant and mild sedative to relieve anxiety.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
A 3.5-oz. serving of noni juice contains 15.3 calories; 3.4 g total carbohydrates; 1.49 g sugars in the form of dextrose, lactose, sucrose, fructose and maltose; and .43 g protein. It is low in fat and cholesterol free. Noni juice's 33.65 mg of vitamin C per 3.5-oz. serving makes it an excellent source of this antioxidant vitamin. The same amount of noni juice also provides about 70 mg potassium, essential for maintaining healthy blood pressure. Drugs.com -- which provides peer-reviewed medical information to consumers -- reports noni juice contains around 160 different phytochemicals, including an alkaloid called xeronine and a group of bitter plant compounds called anthraquinones. One of noni's anthraquinones, called damnacanthal, may have anticarcinogenic properties. Drugs.com credits noni juice with possible antimicrobial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive effects, meaning it may lower blood pressure. Consumer Health reports that anthraquinones in noni have antibacterial effects against S. aureus and salmonella, two common pathogens.

RESEARCH
Animal studies have supported the anti-carcinogenic properties of noni juice. In a clinical study published in 2003 in "Phytotherapy Research," researchers found that polysaccharide-rich extracts from noni juice demonstrated both cancer-preventing and cancer-treating effects on mice with sarcoma tumors and lent added beneficial effects to chemotherapeutic drugs.

USAGE AND PRECAUTIONS

Marketers of commercial noni juice have taken steps to disguise the offensive odor and taste inherent in noni fruit; if you still find it unpalatable, extracts and capsules are available. Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Health reports that the usual dose of noni juice is 4 oz. a day, taken 30 minutes before breakfast. The use of noni juice in pregnancy has not been well studied; avoid taking it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Diabetics should be aware that noni juice, like many fruit juices, is high in natural sugars. Consult your doctor before trying noni juice, especially if you are taking diuretics or have liver damage.

PROPERTIES OF NONI JUICE

May 29, 2011 | By Don Amerman

Widely cultivated in the tropical regions of the Pacific Basin, noni is a shrub or small tree, known scientifically as Morinda citrifolia, that bears potato-size fruit that is white or yellow when ripe. Polynesians have long used noni juice, which is rich in amino acids, minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients, for a variety of medicinal applications. Modern research has confirmed some of noni juice's health benefits. Consult your doctor before using noni juice or any other herbal remedy.

BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS
In an attempt to better understand what it is in noni juice that provides you with healthful benefits, a team of Indian researchers extracted and isolated some of the juice's bioactive compounds and did an overall assessment of the juice's nutritional value. Their study, outlined in an article in the January 2011 issue of the "International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences," found that noni juice has only negligible amounts of fat and protein and contains a mere 3.84 percent of carbohydrates. However, using a variety of extraction methods, they found that the juice was rich in three main types of bioactive compounds: anthraquinones, saponins and scopoletin. All three of these phytonutrients have significant health benefits.

ERGOGENIC PROPERTIES
Among the many health benefits claimed for noni juice, its ability to fight fatigue and increase overall energy levels ranks high on the list. A team of Chinese and American researchers conducted a controlled animal study to evaluate the juice's ergogenic effects, the potential that the juice has to increase your energy level and performance ability by combating fatigue. Aged mice were given increasing oral doses of the juice and then put through their paces. Researchers then compared their performances with those of much younger mice and older mice that had not been given the juice. In an article published in the November 2007 issue of "Phytotherapy Research," the scientists reported that older mice given the noni juice performed on a level that was comparable to that of significantly younger mice. They also wrote that the mice given noni juice consistently and markedly outperformed older mice that did not receive the juice supplement.

ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES
Indian medical researchers Mukesh Chandra Sharma and Smita Sharma conducted in-vitro studies to explore and evaluate the antimicrobial properties of noni juice. Although results varied based on the extraction method used to isolate its bioactive compounds, the noni proved effective against a wide array of microbial agents, including both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Writing in the October 2010 issue of the "Middle East Journal of Scientific Research," the scientists reported that the noni extract demonstrated a strong inhibitory effect against Bacillus cereus, Candida albicans, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus luteus, Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus.

ANTI-CARCINOGENIC PROPERTIES
In its appraisal of noni juice and its potential for possible use against some forms of cancer, the American Cancer Society emphasizes that there is not yet any "reliable clinical evidence" that noni is effective against cancer in humans. However, it acknowledges that noni shows some promise, based on evidence from animal and laboratory studies. Among the promising preliminary studies, the ACS cites a Hawaiian study in which scientists induced the growth of tumors in laboratory mice. Roughly half of the mice were then injected with noni juice. Those animals receiving the noni juice survived twice as long as those that did not. Despite the many claims made for noni juice's medicinal benefits, it is strongly recommended that you consult a medical professional before treating yourself with noni juice or any other herbal remedy.

Noni juice
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Noni juice is derived from the fruit of the Morinda citrifolia tree indigenous to Southeast Asia, Australasia, and the Caribbean.

History
Sold in capsule form, pulp powder was the first M. citrifolia product brought to the commercial market in Hawaii by Herbert Moniz of Herb's Herbs in 1992 after patenting a unique M. citrifolia dehydrating method.(US 5288491) The noni fruit is endemic in the Hawaiian islands. In 1996, Morinda Inc. (now Tahitian Noni International headquartered in Provo, Utah) acquired M. citrifolia from French Polynesia to manufacture juice, capsule and personal-care products for the Western market.
[citation needed]

There are now approximately 300 companies marketing noni juice in a global market estimated at more than $2 billion annually.
[citation needed]

Today, raw materials for noni juices on the world market

[citation needed]

come mainly from Polynesia, but most manufacturers are in the United States.

[edit]Regulatory

warnings and safety testing

In August 2004, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a Warning Letter to Flora, Inc. for violating section 201(g)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act) [21 U.S.C. 321(g)(1)]. Flora made twelve unfounded health claims about the purported benefits of noni juice as a medical product, in effect causing the juice to be evaluated as a drug. Under the Act, this necessitates all safety and clinical trial evidence for the juice providing such effects in humans.
[1]

The FDA letter also cited 1) absent scientific evidence for health benefits of noni phytochemicals, scopoletin, and damnacanthal, neither of which has been confirmed with biological activity in humans,

and 2) lack of scientific foundation for health claims made by two proponents of noni juice, Dr. Isabella Abbot and Dr. Ralph Heinicke.
[1]

Two other FDA letters have been issued for the same types of violations.

[2][3]

In the European Union, after safety testing on one particular brand of noni juice (Tahitian Noni), approval was granted in 2002 as a novel food by the European Commission for Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General.
[4]

In their report, the European Commission's Scientific Committee

made no endorsement of health claims. No M. citrifolia products have achieved sufficient scientific foundation for being licensed as medicines or therapies. Companies today must still apply to the European Commission for Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General to have their own brand of noni juice included as a novel food under the initial approval.

[edit]Research In 2005, two scientific publications described incidents of acute hepatitis caused by ingesting M. citrifolia. One study suggested the toxin to be anthraquinones, found in roots, leaves and fruit of the M. citrifolia,
[5][6] [7]

while the other named juice as the delivery method.

[8]

This was, however, followed by a publication

[9]

showing that noni juice 1) is not toxic to the liver even

when consumed in high doses, and 2) contains low quantities of anthraquinones, which are potentially toxic to liver tissue.

The case reports of hepatitis were reviewed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), wherein it was concluded that no causal link could be established.
[11] [12] [13] [10]

The potential for toxicity caused by noni

[14]

juices remains under surveillance by EFSA, individual food safety authorities in France, Finland and Ireland, and medical investigators in Germany.
[15]

A review of toxicity tests

and the safety issues surrounding noni juice has been published.

The Physicians Desk Reference ("PDR") for Non-Prescription Drugs and Dietary Supplements lists only one particular commercial brand of noni juice, with no side-effects mentioned.
[16]

Consumers of

noni juice are advised to carefully check labels for warnings, which may say "Not safe for pregnant women" or "Keep out of reach of children." Some commercial brands of noni juice may be high in potassium
[citation needed]

. While potassium is a

valuable nutrient in a normal diet, persons with advanced kidney disease cannot excrete it properly and should avoid noni juice, which has been known to causehyperkalemia.
[17]

Of related significance
[18]

is a report showing high variability in mineral contents between various brands of noni juice.

Two brands of noni juice are listed on ConsumerLab.com's "Athletic Banned Substance Screening Program" as having been screened for substances on the World Anti-Doping Code Prohibited List.
[19]

[edit]Preliminary

medical research
[20]

The genus Morinda (of which M. citrifolia is a species) has attracted limited medical research, with 145 papers published since 1994 and 55 since 2006 (search "noni" and "morinda"; PubMed search,

January 2008). Despite the large market for juice products and research developments, the nutrient and phytochemical profiles of M. citrifolia have not been extensively studied and remain poorly related to potential health benefits. The numerous health claims made in noni juice marketing are not supported by significant scientific agreement
[13][21]

and only one human cancer study completed under NIH peer-review in 2006 has
[22]

been conducted, the results of which remain unpublished and unconfirmed

as of February 2012.

In a university-based pilot study funded by the noni juice manufacturer, Tahitian Noni International, Inc., it was reported that noni juice consumption may lower blood cholesterol levels
[23]

but the results

of this study completed in 2006 were never published and met skepticism by experts. Laboratory studies of M. citrifolia's effect on tumors in mice of capillaries in tumor explants. rats induced with a carcinogen
[27] [28] [26]

[24][25]

include evidence for reduced growth

One study showed noni juice to lower the number of DNA adducts in and also showed antioxidantproperties of noni juice compared with
[29][30]

those of vitamin C, grape seed powder, and pycnogenol. Reductions in DNA adducts and lowering of free radicals by noni juice were shown in blood samples from heavy smokers. Further studies of

whether such effects occur in other animal models or in cancer patients have not been published. Preliminary experiments showed that noni juice may affect physical endurance of mice athletes.
[31]

and