title: Liver protective effects of Morinda citrifolia (Noni).
abstract: This study evaluated the protective effects of Noni fruit juice on acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) in female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Liver damage (micro-centrilobular necrosis) was observed in animals pretreated with 20% placebo (drinking water) + CCl(4). However, pretreatment with 20% Noni juice in drinking water + CCl(4) resulted in markedly decreased hepatotoxic lesions. Furthermore, serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were significantly lower in the Noni group than the placebo group. In a correlative time-dependent study, one dose of CCl(4) (0.25 mL/kg in corn oil, p.o.) in female SD rats, pretreated with 10% placebo for 12 days, caused sequential progressive hepatotoxic lesions over a 24 h period, while a protective effect from 10% Noni juice pretreatment was observed. These results suggest that Noni juice is effective in protecting the liver from extrinsic toxin exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, IL 61107, USA. mianwang@uic.edu
authors.forename: Mian-Ying
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nowicki
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Jarakae
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000293:injuries; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D032066:Morinda / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase