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forefront of providing credible research to back the anecdotal evidence of noni across a wide array of health conditions." (Russell, 2003, pp. 1-2) Scientific American reported in 2000 that Filipino chemists from the University of Santo Tomas had found compounds in the noni leaf that were able to "kill the bacterium causing tuberculosis". The leaf extract steroids "killed 89 percent of Mycobacterium tuberculosis organisms exposed". The steroid structure found was very different to any used in TB drugs, and lead researcher Jonel Saludes was quoted as saying, "I hope that pharmaceutical companies will pay attention to this research and explore the noni plant as a potential source of drugs". (Leutwyler, 2002) However, there are repercussions for biodiversity if pharmaceutical companies patent substances found in plants. Researchers from the Université de Metz in France found the traditionally reported analgesic effects of noni to be proved in tests on mice. The animals were tested in various ways after being administered high doses of aqueous extract of Morinda citrifolia roots. The investigation showed that "these results are suggestive of sedative properties". No toxic effects were exhibited. (Younos et al.) Research chemist Joseph Betz from the FDA's Division of Natural Products, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, reported that noni had "been tested for a number of biological activities in animal and anti-microbial studies". The dried fruit was found to have "smooth muscle stimulatory activity and hista- minergic effects". (Wang et al., 2002, p. 1129) be useful as a therapeutic". The study aims to: "1. Determine the maximum tolerated dose of capsules con- taining 500 mg of freeze-dried noni fruit extract. 2. Define toxic- ities associated with the ingestion of noni. 3. Collect preliminary information on the efficacy of noni in respect to anti-tumor and symptom control properties to help select specific patients for subsequent Phase II studies. 4. Identify chemical constituents of the extract that can be used to characterize the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of noni food supplement." (The Noni Study, www.hawaii.edu/crch/CenStudyNoni.htm) ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE FOR NONI'S BENEFITS In his book, The Noni Phenomenon, Dr Neil Solomon reports on his extensive research into the effects of noni, for which he interviewed 50 doctors and health professionals representing over 10,000 people taking noni juice. An average of 78% of these peo- ple experienced some positive results. The highest percentage overall was 92% of people reporting increased energy levels. Other reported results from noni juice intake included decreased symptoms of allergy, arthritis, cancer, depression, heart disease, high blood pressure and pain. It was also said to help against age- ing, and improvements were noted with breathing, diabetes (types land ID), digestion, thinking, kidney health, alertness, sexuality, sleep, stress and well-being. It also reportedly aided in increasing muscle, losing weight and relieving stroke symptoms. The lowest score was for quitting smoking, in which 58% of people reported that noni had helped. It was noted that these results were a "pooled percentage of people who experienced objective and/or subjective improvement of their signs/symptoms after taking noni". Dr Solomon also advises that noni can be taken with med- ication and that less than 5% of people reacted negatively to noni, with symptoms such as "minor belching, loose stools, allergy or...mild rash". (Solomon excerpt from California Academy of Health, 2003) Dr Solomon also recently conducted a study regarding noni's use as "nature's Viagra®". Of the 1,545 individuals involved, "88% claimed their sex lives improved after drinking noni". Dr Solomon hypothesises that this may be because noni contains arginine—a substance thought to improve circulation and increase sperm count and motility in men, and increase the production of nitric oxide in women, leading to "improved engorgement and lubrication resulting in a more natural, enhanced sexual response". (INCC media release, 2003) NONI'S ANTICANCER PROPERTIES Several tests have been undertaken following claims that noni contains anticancer properties. Researchers from the University of Hawaii and Rutgers University undertook such a study, noting that noni was "one of the most effective medicinal plants utilized by native Hawaiians...for a variety of ailments, including the treatment of breast cancer by at least one Polynesian community". They also comment on the modern use of noni in Hawaii as "the second most commonly used ethnobotanical, mainly for the treatment of cancer, hypertension and diabetes". Extracts from noni fruit were tested on breast carcinoma, resulting in "inhibition of cancer cell growth". (Fong et al., 2001) Another study from the University of Illinois, at Chicago College of Medicine, was to test the hypothesis "that Morinda cit - rifolia possesses a cancer preventive effect at the initiation stage of carcinogenesis". Tahitian noni juice (TNJ) was tested on rats with liver injury induced by a liver carcino- gen, and researchers concluded "results sug - gest that prevention of carcinogen-DNA adduct formation and the antioxidant activi- ty of TNJ may contribute to the cancer pre- ventive effect of Morinda citrifolia". (Wang & Su, 2001; Wang et al., 2002, p. 1134) Liu et al. (2001) found that two novel glycosides extracted from noni fruit juice and administered to mice "...significantly prolonged the survival duration of inbred Lewis lung tumor-bearing mice. Juice of noni containing a polysaccharide-rich sub- stance known as 'noni-ppt' was suggested to suppress tumor growth through its regula- tion of the host immune system". Brian Issell from the University of Hawaii is currently undertaking a two-year study of the effects of noni on cancer patients, testing the hypothesis "that noni at a specific dosing provides cancer patients with a sufficient benefit to toxicity profile to NEXUS = 21 "Did you bring two mobile phones?" OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2003 www.nexusmagazine.com