NONI & India

The plant Morinda citrifolia grows widely in the tropics and is referred to as Fog Apple in the Cayman Islands, in Australia it is called Cheese Fruit, in Burma it is known as Nona, however it is in the Islands of Hawaii that it got its name Noni. In India this grows widely in the Western Ghats and is commonly referred to as Indian Mulberry. This fruit finds place in our ancient medicinal texts of Ayurveda and Siddha and in Tamil Nadu at one time, this tree was a must to grow in every Temple along with the Tulsi and Bail trees, for it was believed that the Goddess of all Gods made her abode in it. The fruit is known as Venn Nuna in the Tamil culture.


It is interesting to note what Dr. Scott Gerson MD has to write about NONI and India:
“Several years ago, I was researching material for a book on Medicinal Plants of India and became interested in a family of plants known as Rubiaceae. Of particular interest was a plant known in Sanskrit as Ach which was attributed special properties by ancient physicians. The fruit of this Ach plant or as we now know it as Morinda Citrifolia has a rich history in India, where it has been used for tens of centuries in the system of medicine known as Ayurveda. This holistic medical tradition was established in the north western part of India by people called Aryans who were reputed to be a rather cosmic civilization. Morinda Citrifolia was especially esteemed by the ancient Aryan physicians because it protected the skin from becoming dry and cracked from the sun. My investigations of the published scientific literature on Morinda Citrifolia yielded more than 100 articles pertaining to this medicinal plant.”

The pioneering work on NONI done by Dr. Ralph Hienicke is today being enthusiastically pursued by Dr. Neil Solomon MD, PhD and here is what he has to say:

“I believe NONI’s widespread success is based upon the theory that it acts as an Adaptogen. This theory is based upon research I have collected from more than 50 physicians and other health professionals as well as clinical research from the lifetime work of Dr. Ralph Hienicke. In essence, NONI contains a natural food supplement that helps “Sick” cells return to normal. If the body is releasing too much or too little of natural substances, the result is weakened or sick cells. An Adaptogen helps regulate the amount of the substance the body releases.” To further illustrate this, he gives us an example of the effect of NONI on the release of the Thyroid hormone.

“The following is an example of how an Adaptogen works. When the body puts out too much of the thyroid hormone, it is called Hyperthyroidism. People with this condition are nervous, sweat a lot, loose weight and have too much energy. An Adaptogen, as found in the constituents of NONI, assists in decreasing the abnormally high amount of thyroid hormone production and returns the body to normal thyroid function, called euthyroidism. On the other hand, people who produce too little thyroid hormone are sluggish, tired, gain weight easily, have brittle finger nails and often suffer from constipation. This condition is called Hypothyroidism. Again, an Adaptogen such as NONI could help increase the body’s production of the thyroid hormone and bring the body back to homeostasis or normal balance. It is important however to remember that the adaptogens from NONI are food supplements and not a medicine or drug. However, as seen from many of the testimonials, NONI can help medication to be more effective with smaller doses, thus decreasing the normal side effects from certain medications.”