The History of Noni - Traditional and Medicinal Uses

As far as research tells us, the history of noni is rich and varied. Noni is a fruit that has been around for nearly 2000-3000 years. noni, or Indian Mulberry or scientifically Morinda Citrifolia, is believed to have originated in the Southeast Asia or the French Polynesian islands. In traditional use, noni has been used both for medicinal purposes and food. Also in traditional uses of noni, it has been used in many other ways and virtually every part of the tree is used in some form or another. The history of noni tells us about the more widely known traditional uses and medicinal uses of the different parts of noni have been used to help heal wounds, to treat infections and also to treat diabetes, fevers, skin problems, among others. Over 40 different medicinal remedies can be identified by researchers that were used traditionally by different cultures. Within certain South Pacific islands, many stories have been passed down about the history of noni, and the traditional and medicinal uses. Below is a table that shows some of the other traditional and medicinal uses of noni separated by the different parts of the tree used:

Plant Part Used	Traditional Medicinal Uses
Leaves	Relieves cough, nausea, colic (Malaysia), tuberculosis, sprains, deep bruising, rheumatism, bone fractures, dislocations, hypertension, stomach ache, diabetes, loss of appetite, urinary tract ailments, abdominal swelling, hernias, vitamin A deficiency
Fruit	Lumbago, asthma, dysentery (Indochina), head lice (Hawaii), wound poultice, broken bones, sores or scabs, sore throat, peeling and cracking of toes and feet, cuts, wounds, abscesses, mouth and gum infections, toothaches, appetite and brain stimulant food, boils, carbuncles, tuberculosis, sprains, deep bruises, rheumatism, stomach ulcers, hypertension
Fruit juice	Regulate menstrual flow, urinary tract problems, arthritis
Stem	Jaundice, hypertension
Seed	Scalp insecticide, insect repellant
Flowers	Sties
Leaves, flowers, fruit, bark	Eye conditions, skin wounds, abscesses, gum and throat disease, respiratory ailments, constipation, fever, laxative

Table 2: Modern Uses of Noni Complementing the Traditional and Medicinal Uses

ADD/ADHD, addictions, allergies, arthritis, asthma, brain problems, burns, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chemical sensitivity, chronic fatigue, diabetes, digestive problems, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, gout, hypertension, immune deficiency, infection, inflammation, jet lag, multiple sclerosis, muscle and joint pain, polio, rheumatism, severed fingers, sinus, veterinary medicine.

Naomi Nichols:
"We love the organic coconut oil from Costa Rican Noni. We use it all the time and after learning about the dangers of vegetable oil, we have switched to coconut oil for good. The prices are great too."

Luis Chaverri:
"I was a little skeptical about noni at first. However, after drinking my first bottle, I noticed a difference right away I had more energy, felt cleaner inside and was able to concentrate more at work. I drink it every day now."

Roy Rodriguez:
"I first bought the aloe vera juice and noni juice for my grandmother, who was suffering from cancer. The noni and aloe vera together made such a difference and lessened the pain she had while helping her to recover some of her strength. I started taking in myself too, it is powerful stuff. I had read about aloe vera and noni for cancer and was not disappointed with its use."