Pharmacokinetic study of Noni fruit extract

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Pharmacokinetics
• Nutraceuticals

Background:

• Morinda citrifolia (Noni) products are widely marketed for health benefits.
• There is a lack of scientific evidence regarding Noni's efficacy, safety, optimal dosage, and standardization.
• Scopoletin was identified as a potential bioactive marker for Noni exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the pharmacokinetic profile of scopoletin following oral administration of Noni fruit.
• To assess scopoletin as a potential biomarker for Noni product standardization and exposure.

Main Methods:

• Nine healthy volunteers received whole freeze-dried Noni fruit capsules at doses of 1,500 mg, 2,000 mg, or 2,500 mg.
• Plasma and urine samples were collected at multiple time points up to 8 hours post-dosing.
• Scopoletin concentrations were quantified using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with Photodiode Array (PDA) and Mass Spectrometry (MS) detection.

Main Results:

• Scopoletin was rapidly absorbed into plasma after Noni ingestion, with levels ranging from 0.5 to 5 ng/mL for up to 8 hours.
• Scopoletin exhibited low oral bioavailability.
• Significant inter-subject variability in scopoletin pharmacokinetics was observed.

Conclusions:

• Scopoletin serves as a suitable biomarker for Noni exposure in biological samples like blood and urine.
• Appropriate consideration of scopoletin's pharmacokinetics is necessary for its use in Noni product standardization and exposure studies.
• Further research is needed to establish Noni's clinical efficacy and safety.