Noni Juice and Hydrolyzed Fish Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Elasticity

Abstract

Morinda citrifolia, more commonly known as noni, is a tropical tree with fruit that has a wide variety of traditional uses and biological effects. It had been used for the maintenance of skin health by Pacific Islanders and has been found to promote collagen deposition in vivo. Oral ingestion of hydrolyzed collagen has also been shown to improve skin quality. A 21-day human intervention study was conducted to evaluate a dietary supplement containing a combination of noni fruit juice and hydrolyzed marine collagen, as well as other ingredients, on skin viscoelastic properties in healthy Japanese adults. Daily ingestion of the supplement significantly improved net elasticity and biological elasticity measurements of the cheek. This also accompanied a trend for lowered skin autofluorescence, a measurement of skin glycation. The results indicate that the combination of noni fruit juice and hydrolyzed collagen improved skin biomechanical properties through enhanced collagen and elastin deposition in the skin, reduced skin glycation and improved skin hydration, possibly from increased hyaluronic acid concentration. Noni fruit juice also effectively scavenged cumene hydroperoxide in vitro. The positive effects on skin quality are likely due, in part, to the antioxidant and antiglycative properties of the supplement, as well as its ability to induce fibroblast proliferation and influence extracellular matrix protein gene expression.