Mengkudu
(Morinda citrifolia)
Traditional uses
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effective in promoting blood clotting
Leaves: applied on cuts and wounds for 3-4 days/
Fruit and leaves: eaten raw
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blood refining and post-natal care
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used for diabetes and hypertension treatment
Leaves: decoction
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for an energy booster
Fruit and leaves: decoction
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for hair
Fruit: sliced and rub on hair
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for weight loss
Fruit: make juice and consume without sugar in the morning
Preparation/ part of plants used
Common name
-mengkudu (Malay)
-indian mulberry (English)
-hai ba ji, wu ning luo ling kuo (Chinese)
-nunaakai, nanavu (Tamil)
Description
-belong to Rubiaceae family
-a shrub or small-medium sized tree with quadrangular or rounded branches and evergreen​​
-leaves are large, simple, alternate, broadly elliptic to oblong shape, dark green, glossy, wavy and prominently-veined
-fruit is ovoid, ellipsoid or roundish, slightly wrinkly, waxy, semi-translucent skin
-fruit turns from green to yellow and to almost white as it ripens; the pulp is fleshy and juicy
Chemical constituents
Phenolic compounds:
anthraquinones, which include damnacanthal, morindone, morindine, rubiadin, 2-methoxy-1, 3, 6-trihydroxy anthraquinone, alizarin 1-O-methyl ether 4-dihydroxy-2-methoxy-7-methyl anthraquinone, anthragallol 1, 3-di-O-methyl ether, anthragallol 2-O-methyl ether, austrocotinin, 5, 15-dimethyl morindol, 6-hydroxyanthragallol-1, 3-di-O-methyl ether, morindone-5-O-methyl ether, 2-hydroxyanthraquinone and 2-methoxyanthraquinone
Organic acids:
caproic acid, caprylic acid, lauric acid, linoleic acid, 2-methyl butanoic acid, 2-methylthiopropanoic acid, myristic acid, nonanoic acid, oleic acid, octanoic acid and palmitic acid
Alkaloid:
xeronine and the other major compounds include scopoletin and β-sitosterol
octanoic acid and hexanoic acid, alcohols (3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol), esters (methyl octanoate and methyl decanoate), ketones (2-heptanone) and lactones [(E)-6-dodecenoγ-lactone] found in ripe fruit