1043 Santhosh Aruna M. et al. / International Journal of Biological & Pharmaceutical Research. 2013; 4(12): 1043-1049. e- ISSN 0976 - 3651 Print ISSN 2229 - 7480 International Journal of Biological & Pharmaceutical Research Journal homepage: www.ijbpr.com IJBPR ASHYUKA: A HUB OF MEDICINAL VALUES Santhosh Aruna M*, Rama Rao N, Deepthi B, Lakshmi Prasanna J*, Surya Prabha M Chalapathi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lam, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. ABSTRACT Ashyuka, well known as noni is an ancient traditional medicinal plant. Noni scientifically Morinda citrifolia belongs to the family Rubiaceae is known for its medicinal value and as dietary supplement for over 2000 years. Now it became a researcher’s plant because of its potential therapeutic effects such as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-tumor, analgesic, hypotensive, anti-inflammatory and immune enhancing effects. The review mainly focuses on phytochemical, ethnobotanical and pharmacological uses of ashyuka. Key Words: Noni, Noni fruit juice, Anti-oxidant, Anti-ischemic, Anti-cancer. INTRODUCTION numerous hard triangular reddish-brown pits are found, Noni also known as Indian mulberry with the each containing four seeds. botanical name Morinda citrifolia has been used as Products derived from Noni fruit have been nutritional food supplement and as medicinal plant commercialized in the USA since the 1990s and are worldwide for centuries.(Potterat O, 2007) In Ancient increasingly distributed all over the world. A large number Aayurveda is cited as Ashyuka, which in Sanskrit means of beneficial effects have been claimed for Noni. Fruit ‘longevity’(Niveditha baiju-health sciences). The genus juice of Noni has been approved as a Novel Food by the name Morinda is derived from the word morus meaning European Commission in 2003 (McClatchy, 2002) .In mulberry, and indicus meaning Indian. This name is traditional medicine it is used to heal cuts, wounds, mouth indicating that the plants fruit is similar to a true mulberry. sores, gingivitis, toothaches, abscesses to treat some The species name citrifolia indicates that the plant’s internal elements like diabetes, hypertension, stimulates foliage is similar to that of a citrus species, such as immune system, fights against cancer etc. Morinda oranges. (Noni history –noni website) The genus Morinda citrifolia has been reported to have so many effects. The under the kingdom of Rubiaceae is made up of around 80 current review is carried out to give detailed information species. (Krauss BH, 1981). about its phytochemical and pharmacological activities and Morinda citrifolia is a bush or small tree, 3-10 m importance of active compounds present in this plant. tall, The Noni fruit is oval and fleshy with an embossed appearance. It is slightly wrinkled, semi translucent and Habitat ranges in colour from green to yellow to almost white at Noni grows in a very hot, dry, and windy the time of picking. The ripe fruit exhales a strong butyric environment, and it can also survive and thriving in this acid like rancid smell. The pulp is juicy and bitter, light crack of a lava rock. Noni is native to south East Asia and dull yellow or whitish gelatinous, when the fruit is ripe, Australia and is cultivated in Polynesia, India, the Caribbean, Central and northern South America. Thought Corresponding Author it is native to Indonesia, Australia and is found throughout the tropics in a wide variety of environments. Noni can M. Santhosh Aruna tolerate very acidic, infertile, alkaline soil, and is a very Email: [email protected] 1044 Santhosh Aruna M. et al. / International Journal of Biological & Pharmaceutical Research. 2013; 4(12): 1043-1049. persistent, hard to kill plant that has a high tolerance for methoxy-1,3,6-trihydroxyanthraquinone, and beta- wind, fire, flooding and salt. (Kepler AK, 1983). sitosterol 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside. Taxonomical classification (Wagner WL, 2003) Nutritional Analysis of Noni Fruit Powder (Will Domain Eukarya Mcclatchey, 2002) Kingdom Planteae Per 1200 milligrams (mg) Phylum Magnoliophyta Protein 69.6 mg Class Magnoliopsida(dicot) Fat 15.5 mg Order Rubiales Carbohydrate 843 mg Family Rubiaceae TotalDietaryFiber 419 mg Genus Morinda Calories 3.00 Species Morinda citrifolia VitaminA 2.26 IU VitaminC 9.81 mg Synonyms / Vernacular names (Porcher, 1995) Niacin 0.06 mg Hindi: atchy,bartundi Iron 0.02 mg Malayalam: cada pilva,bangkudu,munnapavatta Calcium 0.88 mg Tamil: munja pavattay,nuna Sodium 2.63 mg Sanskrit: ashyuka Potassium 32.0 mg Telugu: maddi chettu,mogali Marathi: nagakunda Uses English : Indian mulberry , great morinda Indian mulberry is one of the earliest medicinal Kannada: tagase maddi plants cultivated and used traditionally in treating various Gujarati: surangi ailments. Polynesia traditional healers used noni for Oriya: pindre treating cuts, bruises and wounds. For topical application on wounds, poultice of noni leaves is commonly used. Bengali: hrudi Fruits of this plant are used both externally and internally Konkini : bartondi because of the nutrients it possesses. Unripe fruit is used China: baji tia for mouth sores, gingivitis, toothaches and abscesses. Australia: cheese fruit, canary wood Indian mulberry fruit is used in the treatment of various health problems such as high blood pressure, arthritis, Chemical Constituents of Noni (Morinda citrifolia) ulcers, depression, sprains, menstrual cramps, pain relief, Various components have been identified in the inflammation, burns, fever, food poisoning, intestinal noni plant, such as scopoletin, octanoic acid, potassium, worms and joint problems (Yanine C, 2006). vitamin C, terpenoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones (such as nordamnacanthal, morindone, rubiadin, rubiadin-1-methyl Selected Claims for Modern Noni Products (Will ether, anthraquinone glycoside), ß-sitosterol, carotene, Mcclatchey, 2002) vitamin A, flavone glycosides, linoleic acid, alizarin, Claims apparently based upon Polynesian traditional uses amino acids, L-asperuloside, caproic acid, caprylic acid, Inflammation (possibly extended to lupus) ursolic acid, rutin, and a putative proxeronine. Several Headache flavonol glycosides have also been identified, including an Fever iridoid glycoside from the noni leaves, a trisaccharide fatty acid ester, rutin, two novel glycosides, citrifolinoside, and Arthritis an asperulosidic acid from the fruit. Six anthraquinones, Sore gums, gingivitis, toothache, abscess including 5, 15-O-dimethylmorindol, and three iridoids, Respiratory disorders including morindacin, have also been isolated Sore throat with cough from Morinda citrifolia fruits (Will Mcclatchey, 2002) Infections (bacterial/fungal/viral/helminthic) The methanol extract of Morinda citrifolia fruits Tuberculosis contains 6alpha-hydroxyadoxoside, 6beta,7beta-epoxy-8- Diarrhea epi-splendoside, americanin A, narcissoside, asperuloside, Gastric ulcer asperulosidic acid, borreriagenin, citrifolinin B epimers a Indigestion and b,cytidine, deacetylasperuloside, Diabetes dehydromethoxygaertneroside, epi-dihydrocornin, d- High blood pressure glucose,d-mannitol, methyl alpha-d-fructofuranoside, Dermatological effects methyl beta-d-fructofuranoside, nicotifloroside, 2- Childbirth Menstrual cramps 1045 Santhosh Aruna M. et al. / International Journal of Biological & Pharmaceutical Research. 2013; 4(12): 1043-1049. Claims apparently based upon Heinicke Mandukhail et al., (2010) studied antidyslipidimic Xeronine and proxeronine are active ingredients. effect of noni fruit, leaves and root using their ethanolic Production of xeronine is promoted by noni juice. extracts. The data indicated that the three extracts caused Xeronine can regenerate cells, cause cellular repair, reduction in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels and the (anti-aging). effect was mediated through the inhibition of biosynthesis, Mental depression absorption and secretion of lipids. Atherosclerosis, blood vessel problems Drug addiction Immunostimulant activity Nayak S et al., (2010) reported immunostimulant Senility activity of noni fruit on T and B lymphocytes confirming Analgesia its cellular andhumoral immunostimulant properties. Claims presumably of more recent origin Anti-helminthes activity Immune system stimulant Brito DR et al., (2009) evaluated the anti- Menstrual cycle regulation/pregnancy helminthic activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of AIDS noni fruit in chicken which were naturally infected by Prevents activation of Epstein-Barr virus. Ascardiagalli and obtained satisfactory results in vitro. Antitumor/anticancer activity, specifically, breast cancer Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity Internal disorders Basu et al., studied analgesic and anti- Kidney problems inflammatory activity of fruit using 10% solution of freeze Lupus concentrated fruit and suggested that the fruit is effective Blood purifier/cleanser in reducing pain and joint destruction caused by arthritis. Weight loss Cleansing Anti-ischemic stress effect Nervous system Haradas et al., (2009) examined the effect of noni fruit juice on the brain damage caused by ischemic stress in Polio mice. The study suggests that noni fruit may have a PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS preventive effect against cerebral ischemic stress. Antipsychotic activity Junko muto et al., (2010) investigated effect of Pandy V et al., (2012) evaluated antipsychotic noni fruit juice on stress induced impairment of cognitive activity of methanolic extract of noni in mice. Results function. These findings