Use Noni for Pain Relief

Wednesday, May 12, 2010 by: William Rudolph
Tags: noni, pain relief, health news

(NewsTarget) Noni, also known as Morinda citrifolia, is a fruit that has been consumed for thousands of years and can be found in various parts of the world, but it is most well known today as the Polynesian superfood from Hawaii and Tahiti. It is capable of growing in difficult terrains including areas where volcanoes have erupted and deposited lava. This superfruit is truly volcanic in its ability to deliver a wide range of healing benefits. Of particular note is its potential for providing relief from pain.

Dr. Ralph Heinicke first began to study the compounds in noni in the 1970`s at the University of Hawaii. There, he discovered a key phytonutrient found in noni called xeronine, which he patented in 1981. He found that this ingredient, as well as proxeronine - which makes up the building blocks of xeronine - played a key role in noni`s ability to assist in the management of pain.

The body already makes some proxeronine, and subsequently, xeronine, but it tends to be in short supply relative to demands for it throughout the body. The primary function of xeronine in the body is to regulate the shape and rigidity of certain proteins and help manage a wide range of physiological responses. Normally, proxeronine is stored in the liver and is periodically released into the bloodstream for absorption by organs as needed. Human tissue cells contain receptor sites for the absorption of xeronine. Regarding pain relief, xeronine converts certain brain receptor proteins into active sites for the absorption of endorphins. Studies have shown an analgesic (pain relief) effect in mice, and in a 1990 study of 10,000 patients testing the efficacy of noni for a wide range of health issues, pain reduction was registered by 88% of the studies` participants.

While noni has only minimal amounts of xeronine, it has enormous quantities of proxeronine, which is the precursor for xeronine that provides the raw materials for its production. Dr. Heinicke also found that noni contains proxeroninase, an enzyme which plays a key role in the synthesis of xeronine and serotonin, a process which is enhanced even further when taken on an empty stomach.

Noni is most commonly consumed as a liquid. Considering that much of noni`s nutrient profile includes what is found in the pulp of the fruit, look for products that include the pulp. It can take a period of time to get acclimated to the taste of noni, as it tends to have a pungent odor and bitter taste, but the benefits are well worth it.

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noni

http://www.timewealth.com/xeron.htm

http://www.universal-tao.com/article/noni.ht...

http://www.straightfromtheclay.com/Noni-Frui...

http://www.noniresearch.org/united_states/en...

About the author

William Rudolph is a natural health enthusiast who enjoys researching and learning about natural health approaches and strategies, longevity techniques, and natural ways of achieving peak performance.