Noni, fruit of the Morinda citrifolia, description and medicinal properties

Morinda citrifolia is a common tree in Thailand, its fruit, Noni, is known worldwide for its medicinal properties.

Information on Morinda citrifolia

It is a tropical tree that belongs to the Rubiaceae family.

Morinda citrifolia is often presented as a tree from the Pacific Islands, but it is native to Asia.

A generous tree

It bears fruit less than a year after planting.

It reaches full maturity at two years of age, and provides up to 8 kg of NoniEach month, throughout the year.

Its fruits are green, then yellow, and become whitish when ripe.

They are recognisable by their distinctive, unpleasant smell and bitter taste.

In Thailand, the fruit is sometimes eaten green, as a substitute for papayain the Som Tam.

The leaves are delicious and often used fresh to eat laps (minced meat mixed with lots of spices) or cooked, surrounding fish terrines.

Medicinal properties of Noni

For internal use

• it stimulates and strengthens the body's natural immune defences against diseases and infections.
• it reduces the intensity of asthma and allergy attacks.
• it improves digestion and intestinal transit.
• it helps the body to fight degenerative diseases such as cancer.
• it delays the ageing of the skin.
• it cures certain poisonings caused by fish flesh.
• it relieves joint pain such as gout attacks.
• it has an antibacterial action and acts against acne or boils.
• it reduces hypertension.
• it acts on the regulation of sleep.
• its anti-inflammatory action relieves pain in cases of arthritis, headache, muscle pain, etc.
• it gives energy, greater endurance and better recovery after exercise.

As for the last point, I was able to see the effects of it, when I had done a cure by preparing the juice myself, I was surprised to be able to ride my bike for miles without the usual fatigue.

Some researchers believe that the therapeutic powers of the fruit come from the fact that it has high doses of proxeronine, an alkaloid that the body needs to produce xeronine, a substance that is thought to help all cells in the body fight inflammation and support normal cellular activity.

For external use

The ripe leaves or fruit are used for :

• accelerate the maturation of abscesses and panaris

With the global success of the noni juice from Polynesia, Thailand began to make the famous drink with many properties and it is now available in most herbal shops in Thailand.

Thai herbal medicine shop: Raan samounpaille

Making your own Noni juice

If you want to make your own juice, simply pick some ripe, white fruit, wash it and put it in a sterilised jar.

Then leave the jar for two months in the sun.

After two months, the fruit will turn dark and a light brown juice will come out, you will then have to press the fruit in a clean cloth and collect the juice in a sterilised bottle.

Then keep the bottle in the fridge.

You can take a tablespoon or two in the morning on an empty stomach.

I personally tried this recipe and I really felt an unusual energy, but it's really not good to drink.

Commercially available juices are usually mixed with other fruit juices to cover up the taste.

Video on the preparation of Noni juice

I had originally read that they should be left for several weeks without being too precise, he says two months in this video, so I corrected it.

Photos of Noni

Green and almost ripe white fruit

Morinda citrifolia

Morinda Flowers

Noni flowers

Fruits of Morinda citrifolia

See also :
Medicinal plants in Thailand