Morinda citrifolia, commonly known as noni, has been used in Polynesian folk medicine for centuries to manage pain and inflammation. While noni juice and leaf extracts have been studied before, less attention has been given to noni seeds, which are usually discarded during juice production. A 2021 study by Tanikawa et al. explored the anti-inflammatory effects of noni seed extract (MCS-ext) in a laboratory setting, using a well-established cell model.
🔬 The Study Setup
- Model used: RAW264 macrophage cells (mouse immune cells).
- Inflammation trigger: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial component that stimulates inflammatory responses.
- Extracts tested:
- Noni seed extract (MCS-ext)
- Noni seed oil (MCS-oil)
- Noni leaf extract (MCL-ext)
- Noni fruit extract (MCF-ext)
The researchers measured three main outcomes: nitric oxide (NO) production, expression of inflammatory mediators (iNOS and TNF-α), and cell viability.
📊 Key Findings
- Noni seed extract strongly suppressed nitric oxide (NO) production
- MCS-ext reduced NO levels in a dose-dependent manner, showing greater activity than seed oil, leaf extract, or fruit extract.
- No cytotoxicity observed
- Unlike some compounds that reduce inflammation but harm cells, MCS-ext did not reduce cell viability. In fact, treated cells showed improved survival compared to LPS-only controls.
- Reduced pro-inflammatory gene expression
- MCS-ext significantly lowered the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), two key drivers of inflammation.
- Comparison with other extracts
- Leaf and fruit extracts showed little effect on NO production.
- Seed oil had inconsistent effects depending on the concentration.
- The seed extract clearly outperformed all other tested parts of the plant.
📌 What This Means
The results suggest that noni seeds contain compounds with potent anti-inflammatory properties. By reducing NO, iNOS, and TNF-α without harming cells, noni seed extract demonstrated potential as a source of natural anti-inflammatory agents.
However, it’s important to note:
- This was an in vitro study (cell culture only).
- More research, including animal and human studies, is needed before clinical applications can be confirmed.
📝 Conclusion
The study highlights a new perspective on noni: while most products focus on the fruit and leaves, the seeds—typically discarded—may hold valuable bioactive compounds. These findings provide a scientific basis for further exploring noni seeds as a natural approach to managing inflammation.
✅ Keywords: noni seed extract, Morinda citrifolia anti-inflammatory, RAW264 cells inflammation, nitric oxide suppression, TNF-alpha inhibition, iNOS expression noni study.
Link to the study: Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Morinda citrifolia Extract against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation in RAW264 Cells
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