494 | Page International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2319-8141 Full Text Available On www.ijupbs.com International Journal of Universal Pharmacy and Bio Sciences 2(6): November-December 2013 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UNIVERSAL PHARMACY AND BIO SCIENCES IMPACT FACTOR 1.89*** ICV 5.13*** Pharmaceutical Sciences REVIEW ARTICLE……!!! MORINDA CITRIFOLIA (NONI) – A DETAILED REVIEW Sridevi Nagalingam, Changam Sheela Sasikumar* and Kotturathu Mammen Cherian Department of Cellular & Molecular Biochemistry, Frontier Lifeline & Dr. K.M. Cherian Heart Foundation, R-30-C, Ambattur Industrial Estate Road, Mogappair, Chennai - 600 101. KEYWORDS: Morinda citrifolia; Noni; Polynesian; traditional medicine; nutritional value; therapeutic property; Xeronine. For Correspondence: Dr. C. Sheela Sasikumar* Address: Chief Scientific officer, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biochemistry, Frontier Lifeline Pvt. Ltd. & Dr. K.M. Cherian Heart Foundation, R-30-C, Ambattur Industrial Estate Road, Mogappair, Chennai - 600 101. ABSTRACT Morinda citrifolia Linn Rubiaceae also called as ‘noni’ is being used for many centuries as traditional medicine by Polynesians for over 2000 years. Morinda citrifolia is an evergreen shrub that originated in Southeast Asia and has been naturalized in many other regions around the world. Various communities throughout the world consume the fruit and leaves of this traditional medicinal plant for its versatile therapeutic nature. The fruit of this plant has a strong butyric acid smell and a cheesy flavor due to the presence of carboxylic acid, where as the leaves and roots are meant for many therapeutic processes and is also used as dyes. Morinda citrifolia is found to have a broad range of therapeutic effects like antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antitumor, anthelmintics, analgesic, hypotensive, anti-inflammatory, immune enhancing effect etc.; hence, the juice obtained from ripe and unripe fruit seems to be a more recent innovation that has been commercially exploited to a greater extent in recent times. Therefore this review will briefly investigate on the nutritional and therapeutic values of Morinda citrifolia.