Morinda citrifolia: A potent herb for various common illnesses

Herbal medicine has been used since long ago and within every society to inhibit and treat illness. In any human being culture, the materials used were those that were accessible within the geographical location and addressed local health concerns. With colonization and trade, cultural traditions were exposed and often overwhelmed by modern scientific concepts and medical practices. In this time of rising need for successful, reasonable health promotion and treatment strategies for our aging populations and growing problems posed by new and antibiotic resistant microbes, the history and character of herbal medicines must be examined in a rigorous and scientific way so that their bimolecular effects, if confirmed, can be translated into clinical benefit. Because of the strong associations among oxidative stress, aging, and disease, there is increasing interest in the bio-molecular effects of herbs, which may be related to antioxidant action. Although many herbal medicines are made by mixing different herbs, this book focuses on presenting the current scientific evidence of bio-molecular effects of Morinda citrifolia in relation to clinical outcomes.