a b s t r a c t
Aim of the study: Noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia L.) juice has been used for more than 2000 years in Polynesia
as a traditional folk medicine. The aim of the present study was to finely characterize noni juice from
Costa Rica and to evaluate its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities.
Materials and methods: A microfiltrated noni juice was prepared with Costarican nonis. HPLC-DAD and
Electro Spray Ionization Mass Spectrometric detection (HPLC-ESI-MS) were used to identify phenolic
compounds and iridoids. The anti-oxidative activity of noni juice was measured in vitro by both Oxygen
Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging
methods. The anti-inflammatory effects of noni juice were investigated in vitro by: measuring its effect
on nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 production by activated macrophages, evaluating its inhibitory
activities on cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 and in vivo on a carrageenan-induced paw oedema model
in rats.
Results: Several polyphenols belonging to the coumarin, flavonoid and phenolic acid groups, and two
iridoids were identified. Noni juice demonstrated a mean range free radical scavenging capacity. Furthermore,
it also reduced carrageenan-induced paw oedema, directly inhibited cyclooxygenase COX-1
and COX-2 activities and inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandins E2 (PGE2) in
activated J774 cells, in a dose dependent manner.
Conclusions: This study showed that noni’s biological effects include: (1) anti-oxidant properties probably
associated with phenolic compounds, iridoids and ascorbic acid and (2) anti-inflammatory action through
NO and PGE2 pathways that might also be strengthened by anti-oxidant effects.