Anti Diabetic Effect of Fruit Juice of <i>Morinda Citrifolia</i> (Tahitian Noni Juice®) on Experimentally Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

This study investigated the therapeutic use of Tahitian Noni Juice® (TNJ) or noni juice in controlling hyperglycaemia as claimed in folk medicine. Twenty adult male Sprague–Dawley rats with body weights ranging from 145 to 230g were used for the experiment. They were randomly allocated into 4 groups of five, rats each. The first group, (Group A) served as control and received standard rat chow and water, thoughout the duration of the study. The second group (Group B) received pretreatment with noni juice for 4 weeks, prior to introduction of diabetes. This group continued treatment with noni juice for further 4 weeks after induction of diabetes. Group C received noni juice treatment, after induction of diabetes, for 4 weeks. Group D was given distilled water at dose of 1ml/150mg body weight for 4 weeks before induction of diabetes with alloxan and distilled water at dose of 1ml/150ng body weight for 4 weeks after induction of diabetes with alloxan and distilled water at dose of 1ml/150ng body weight for 4 weeks after induction of diabetes with alloxan Levels of glycaemia of animals in all 4 groups were monitored and compared. Rats which had noni juice prophylaxis, (group B), prior to induction of diabetes by allotan had the best glycaemic control and best treatment outcome, However, stoppage of treatment with noni juice resulted in a return of hyperglycaemia. Our findings suggest that noni juice has blood glucose lowering activity following experimentally induced diabetes in Sprague–Dawley rats. Keywords: Diabetes, Morinda citrifolia, Rats Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol. 7 (2) 2008: pp. 34-37