PHARMACOLOGICAL OVERVIEW OF FREEZE DRIED ANDAMAN NONI (MORINDA CITRIFOLIA.L) AGAINST CANCER AND NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER

Noni (Morinda citrifolia) is one of the important traditional medicinal plants have been used by Polynesia over a period of 2000 years. Morinda citrifolia belongs to family Rubiaceae (Coffee family) which is an evergreen small sized tree, with glossy and deeply veined leaves found in tropical regions and islands of South Pacific, West Indies, India, Africa, and Australia.  Noni fruit juice traditionally  has been used in different disorders such as abnormal menstruation, acne/ boils, constipation, diarrhea,  arthritis, diabetes, fever, high blood pressure, gastric ulcers, sprains, mental depression, senility, poor digestion, atherosclerosis, blood vessel problems, and drug addiction. Noni consist of major chief chemical constituents such as alkaloid xeronine, scopoletin and dammacanthol, besides this it also contains Vitamin A and C and minerals like magnesium, potassium, iron, aminoacids, alizarin, ursolic acids. The review summarizes the pharmacological action and traditional uses of Noni along with the scientific researches and novel pathways to treat cancers and various neurological disorders. Noni can inhibit cancer via inhibition of ras a GTP binding protein and by modification of misfolded protein by one of its component named Xeronine. It also possesses antiangiogenic property approach via COX-2 inhibition, which is a promising approach in the treatment of cancer now a day. Taking into account its biological and pharmacological activity Noni proves itself a plant of high therapeutic potential against many diseases and has the potential to become a promising agent in the treatment of cancer