title: Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) fruit juice reverses age-related decline in neural-immune interactions in the spleens of old F344 rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various parts of the tropical plant, Morinda citrifolia L. (Noni), have been widely used in traditional medicine in South and Southeast Asia for several centuries. The therapeutic effects of the noni are believed to be mediated through several phytochemicals such as anthraquinones, iridoid, fatty acid glycosides, alcohols, etc.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of Morinda citrifolia fruit juice (noni fruit juice; NFJ) on neural-immune interactions through the involvement of intracellular signaling pathways both in vitro and in vivo in the splenic lymphocytes of young and old male F344 rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the in vitro study, splenocytes from young and old F344 rats were isolated and treated with 0.0001-1% concentrations of NFJ for a period of 24h, while in the in vivo study, old F344 rats were orally administered (5ml/kg body weight) with NFJ (5%, 10% and 20%) twice daily for 60 days. After the treatment period, concanavalin A (Con A)-induced lymphocyte proliferation, cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-6, and TNF-α) production, expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (p-TH), nerve growth factor (NGF), m-TOR, IκB-α, p-NF-κB (p50 and p65), p-ERK, p-Akt, p-CREB and lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl formation, nitric oxide (NO) production were examined in the splenocytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vitro NFJ incubation of splenic lymphocytes increased Con A-induced lymphocyte proliferation, IL-2 and IFN-γ production, and expression of p-ERK, p-Akt, and p-CREB in young and old rats. In vivo treatment of old rats with NFJ increased lymphoproliferation, IL-2 and IFN-γ production, the expression of p-TH, NGF, and NO production, and suppressed IL-6 production, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl formation, and the expression of IκB-α and p-NF-κB (p50) in the splenocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, these results suggest that Morinda citrifolia fruit juice enhanced neural-immune interactions and cell survival pathways while inhibiting inflammatory processes that may be useful in the treatment of age-associated diseases.
authors.affiliation: Integrative Medicine Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM University, Kattankulathur 603203, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Uday P
authors.initials: UP
authors.lastname: Pratap
authors.affiliation: Integrative Medicine Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM University, Kattankulathur 603203, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Lalgi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hima
authors.affiliation: Integrative Medicine Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM University, Kattankulathur 603203, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Hannah P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Priyanka
authors.affiliation: Integrative Medicine Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM University, Kattankulathur 603203, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: thyagarajan.s@ktr.srmuniv.ac.in.
authors.forename: Srinivasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: ThyagaRajan
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000067030:Fruit and Vegetable Juices; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D032066:Morinda / Q000737:chemistry*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D050050:Protein Carbonylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D009569:Nitric Oxide
keywords: Inflammation; NF-κB; Tyrosine hydroxylase; p-Akt; p-CREB; p-ERK