Noni No Miracle Cure

By Chris Thomas, cancerpage.com

(August 30, 2002) - In Hawaii, it"s Noni; in Guam, it"s lada; and in Tahiti they call it nono.  Also known as Noni Fruit, Noni Juice, Indian Mulberry, Morinda, Hog Apple, Meng Koedoe, Mora De La India, Ruibarbo Caribe, Wild Pine. So what can it do for cancer patients? Lots or little depending on who you talk to.

The US Food and Drug Administration recently sent a warning letter to one company promoting noni juice in the context of various testimonials. The FDA letter  to Hawaiian Island Noni, headquartered in Nevada City, California, stated that the product “being offered is promoted for conditions that cause the product to be a drug” under FDA legislation and therefore the company may not market the drug in the US without first getting FDA’s approval “on the basis of scientific data submitted” by the company showing the ‘drug’ is safe and effective.

 Companies marketing products available from natural resources such as the noni fruit – which cannot be patented – usually will not invest the considerable sums to run double-blind, controlled studies to prove their fruit is safe and effective as a medicine. They just avoid saying it cures anything and the FDA doesn’t have jurisdiction. But they couldn’t sell noni as a fruit or juice, because it tastes awful, so they associate it with health benefits.

 Noni, extracted from the Indian mulberry plant, has been used for more than 1,000 years in traditional healing practices of native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders and Asian populations and there may be something worthwhile in the ingestion of noni. But for cancer patients, it’s important to note that noni simply hasn’t been proven to be effective or safe – or even helpful.

In tropical and subtropical regions of the world, noni is used in preparations targeting the digestive, immune, intestinal and respiratory systems, as well as skin, mental, and other general and specific conditions. Noni, whose scientific name is Morinda Citrifolia, is described by one promoter as “supporting the nervous and skeletal systems (especially painful joints)- promoting healthy skin and creating a general sense of well-being.” The FDA is concerned about these descriptions in the context of marketing noni juices and related substances, because there have been no clinical studies substantiating these benefits of noni.

Research at NCI – On Mice Only

The only reference to noni (Morinda Citrifolia) at the National Cancer Institute is a recent study on mice: “Two novel glycosides from the fruits of Morinda citrifolia (noni) inhibit AP-1 transactivation and cell transformation in the mouse epidermal JB6 cell line.” (Liu G., Bode A., Ma W. Y., Sang S., Ho C. T., Dong Z. Cancer Res 61: 5749-56, 2001.) This is a very early, pre-clinical study, with very technically specific results, of little value to cancer patients at this stage. Those who are cautious about what they injest to deal with and/or treat their cancer, only accept proof from double-blind, placebo controlled, studies, which may or may not be done in the future. None have been done to date. There are no clinical trials listed at NCI related to morinda citrifolia at this time and there are no reports of any trials done previously.

The National Library of Medicine lists 26 articles about morinda citrifolia, but none involved clinical trials on humans. Researchers are still working with rats, mice, and fruit flies. It’s still too soon to make a judgment about whether commercial noni juices and products have benefits for cancer patients or others.

Those who are more adventurous, may be impressed by the reported history of thousands of years of use. “Does the Polynesian 2000 years of experience with noni count for anything?” one marketing website implores.

The Department of Agriculture placed noni on the "Generally Regarded as Safe" list as a food based upon government-sponsored evaluations of the fruit done during WWII.

 Because Noni Juice has foul smell and unpleasant flavor; people choose to take the capsules form instead. Another company says its capsules contain “100% pure Hawaiian Noni [which] contains nutritional enzymes, anthraquinones and polysaccharides, all known to have various health benefits.”

Morinda, Inc

Lack of scientific evidence apparently is no hindrance for some businesses making big bucks on the myth of morinda, seeming to sell miracles. Morinda, Inc. is one such company. “Morinda’s compensation plan is the most generous one in the industry. We paid out over $745,680,000 to distributors in the company’s first five-and-a-half years,” in the form of commissions their website states. For $125, one can order a first case of noni juice and enter the noni business as an entrepreneur. Individuals may want to be cautious about this approach, since individuals could also face FDA scrutiny.

 Based in Tahiti and Provo, Utah, Morinda’s website says, “Today, Morinda has done over $1 billion worth of business in six short years. With operations in over 50 countries, over 1,000 employees, and close to half a million distributors, Morinda is solidifying its position as the world leader in noni products. Morinda has become one of the fastest-growing network marketing companies in history and has been recognized in Inc magazine"s annual list of the 500 fastest growing private companies in America.

 Noni is sold by various US and non-US suppliers over the internet for prices ranging from $22 to $75 for an 18 oz bottle that should last 36 days. Capsules cost vary widely but start around $9 for 100 capsules of 500 mg.

 As cancer patients evaluate options, they may well choose to try various nutritional supplements as many people do. The $150-billion global nutrition industry may be on the right track in terms of offering nutritional options, but, like Morinda, they do not invest in proving the products’ benefits through scientific research. Consumers should be aware of the proven health benefits versus the unproven benefits described in marketing.

For Further Information

For further discussion of the nature of noni, see the American Cancer Society"s Guide to Complementary and Alternative Methods at cancer.org.

 Sources:

• American Cancer Society 
• National Cancer Institute, PDQ® Clinical Trials Database
• National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, National Center for Biotechnology Information,
• Nutrition Business Journal