Bankoro
Morinda littoralis Blanco
Other Common Names: noni, morinda, Indian mulberry, hog apple, canary wood
Latin Name: Morinda citrifolia
Local names: Apatot (Ilk.); apatot-nga-basit (Ilk.); bangkudo (Bis., Tag.); bangkuro (C. Bis.); bankoro (Tag., Mag.); bankuro (Tagb.); bankuru (Tag.); galongog (Sub.); lino (Bis., Tag.); nino (Sul., Tag., Bis.); rukurok (Kuy.); taeng-aso (Tag.); tumbong-aso (Tag.); Indian mulberry (Engl.).
Bankoro is found chiefly along or near the seashore throughout the Philippines. It also occurs in India to Polynesia.
This is an erect, smooth shrub or small tree 3 to 10 meters in height. The leaves are broadly elliptic to oblong, 12 to 25 centimeters long, and pointed or blunt at the tip. The peduncles are leaf-opposed, solitary, and 1 to 3 centimeters long. The flowers are not bracteolate and form dense, ovoid, or rounded heads, and are 1 to 1.5 centimeters in diameter. The calyx is truncate. The corolla is white and about 1 centimeter long; the limb is 5-lobed and 1 centimeter in diameter. The fruit is fleshy, white or greenish-white, ovoid, and 3 to 10 centimeters in length.
Herbal Remedies and Medicinal Cures for Diseases, Ailments & Illnesses that afflict Humans and Animals
Aloe Vera •
Astragalus •
Bankoro •
Bilberry •
Bitter Gourd (Ampalaya) •
Bitter Orange •
Black Cohosh •
Cat's Claw •
Chamomile •
Chasteberry •
Coconut •
Cranberry •
Dandelion •
Echinacea •
Ephedra •
European Elder Tree •
Evening Primrose •
Fenugreek •
Feverfew •
Flaxseed •
Garlic •
Ginger •
Ginkgo •
Ginseng (Asian) •
Golden Seal •
Grape Seed •
Green Tea •
Hawthorn •
Hoodia •
Horse Chestnut •
Kava •
Lavender •
Licorice •
Malunggay Moringa Oleifera •
Milk Thistle •
Mistletoe •
Passion Flower •
Peppermint Oil •
Red Clover •
Ringworm Bush (Akapulko) – Cassia alata •
Saw Palmetto •
St. John's Wort •
Tawa Tawa •
Turmeric •
Valerian •
Yohimbe •
accept the bitter to get better
Fruits and Leaves of the bankoro tree | |||
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Bankoro - Noni
- From the Republic of the Philippines
Department of Agriculture Bureau of Plant Industry
According to Burkill the fruit, which smells like decaying cheese, is eaten in Indo-China with salt. The bark of the roots is used for cleansing the hair and sometimes for cleaning iron and steel. The tree is used in Malaya and Siam as a support for pepper plants. Heyne says that the young leaves may serve as a vegetable in Java.
Wehmer records that the root0bark contains a crystal glucoside, morindine (C27H10O15), and coloring-matter, morindine. The fruit contains volatile oil (morinda oil). Wehmer quotes Van Romburh, who distilled a chemically curious volatile oil from the fruit containing 90 per cent of n-capron and n-capryl acids, and also paraffin, fatty acid, ethyl-alcohol, etc. Guerrero states that in the Philippines the fruit is used as an emmenagogue. The leaves, when fresh, are applied ulcers to effect a rapid cure. The sap of the leaves is anti-arthritic.
According to Nadkarni the roots are used in India as a cathartic. Ridley, calls a decoction of the bark a coarse, strong astringent and adds that it is used by the Malaya for ague. Dewere writes that in the Congo the bark is reputed to be a febrifuge because of the presence of morindine. Degener states that the leaves and bark of the stem are pounded, cooked, and strained. This liquid is then drunks a tonic. It is a reputed medicine against tuberculosis in Hawaii. Burkill and Haniff state that it is not uncommon throughout the Malaysia to heat and apply the leaves to the chest or to the abdomen for coughs, enlarged spleen, nausea, colic, and fever. Nadkarni, Dymock, Crevost and Petelot, and Dey regard the leaves as deobstruent and emmenagogue in Indo-China. Dymock adds that in Bombay the leaves are used as a healing application to wounds and ulcers and are administered internally as a tonic and febrifuge. Nadkarni adds that the charred leaves made into a decoction with a little mustard are said to be a remedy for infantile diarrhea; with aromatics, the decoction is given in dysentery. The expressed juice of the leaves is applied to relieve pain in gout.
According to Burkill the over-ripe fruit is used as an emmenagogue both in Malaya and in Cochin-China. Gimlette and Burkill state that the juice is recommended for leucorrhoea and sapraemia. It is also recommended by Rumpf for dysuria, and the fruit for diabetes. Heyne reports that the fruit is sometimes used internally in various preparations for swollen spleen, liver diseases, beriberi, hemorrhage, and coughs. Ochse says that in Java the seeds are removed from the ripe fruit; the pulp is mashed with sugar; and the mixture is drunk as a slightly laxative preparation. Degener says that the over-ripe fruit is used also as a poultice and in treating diseases of the kidney. Nadkarni remarks that in India, the fruit is also used as an emmenagogue and a deobstruent. The unripe berries, charred and mixed with salt, are applied successfully to spongy gums. The juice of the fruit made into a syrup and used as a gargle relieves sore throat.
Bankoro - Noni: What the Science Says from the: National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
- In laboratory research, noni has shown antioxidant, immune-stimulating, and tumor-fighting properties. These results suggest that noni may warrant further study for conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, noni has not been well studied in people for any health condition.
- NCCAM-funded research includes a study on noni for cancer to determine its safety and potential effects on tumors and symptoms, as well as a laboratory study of noni’s effects on prostate cancer cells. The National Cancer Institute is funding preliminary research on noni for breast cancer prevention and treatment.
Bankoro - Noni: Side Effects and Cautions as per the: National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
- Noni is high in potassium. People who are on potassium-restricted diets because of kidney problems should avoid using noni.
- Several noni juice manufacturers have received warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about making unsupported health claims.
- Few side effects from noni have been reported, but its safety has not been adequately studied.
- There have been reports of liver damage from using noni. It should be avoided if you have liver disease because it contains compounds that may make your disease worse.
- Tell all your health care providers about any complementary health practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care. For tips about talking with your health care providers about complementary and alternative medicine, see NCCAM's Time to Talk campaign.
News about Noni or Bankoro
The Big Benefits of the Little Noni Fruit
- By Ambika Behal
Noni or Indian Mulberry, the fruit of the Morinda Citrifolia tree, is actually a species of the coffee family - and like coffee, it is a stimulator, but not in the way you would imagine. Native to Southeast Asia and Australasia, the Noni fruit has been particularly well revered in Hawaii, where it is a part of many traditional medicinal remedies.
The noni plant is a source of antioxidants, Vitamin C, and potassium. Every part of the shrub - from leaves to roots, has been used to treat a variety of ailments.
Many of the medicinal benefits though, are largely attributed to the fact that the noni plant is a source of phytonutrients - which have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial compounds, known to boost the immune system as well as repair cellular damage.
In India, ancient ayurvedic texts mention noni, or ashyuka in Sanskrit, as a remedy to stimulate internal cleansing by treating parasitic infections of the stomach and for asthma, as well as a an external remedy to treat joint pains and for the skin ailments and as an anti-ageing solution.
Traditional healers in the Pacific Islands have been using noni for centuries, as a general wellness tonic - to cure almost any ailment. Today, noni is also considered to be a treatment for Cancer and HIV, though the U.S. based Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it requires further scientific evidence before approving the medicinal value of these claims.
The potato-sized noni fruit itself is not pleasant in taste, and does give off a slightly strong odor, so it is more commonly taken in the form of juice. For those who don't have access to the fresh fruit, juices are available by the bottle. However as the juice is quite bitter, producers will often sweeten it for sale, so it is always advisable to check the quantity of sugar added in the ingredients, before purchasing. The beneficial properties decrease with added sugar and processing.
- The Healing Powers of Noni
Although the fruit eaten as is provides the best remedy, the juice is the most practical option for most people.
Fruit Juice: When used externally, it works on head lice. When you drink it, it helps with diabetes, high blood pressure, headaches, stomach ailments, heart disease, gastric ulcers, circulation problems, to stimulate menstruation, lowering cholesterol, fever, cough and cold, relieve high blood pressure, arthritis, AIDS, cancers, and poor digestion, stroke, weight loss, and any sort of infection. It is even considered to be an excellent treatment for senility and depression.
In the US, experiments have been done with giving noni juice to rehabilitate drug addicts. There are positive claims that it works well as a treatment.
Noni Tea: Made from the leaves, noni tea contains antioxidants and works as an anti-ageing treatment. It is also beneficial for digestive issues, and works as a cure for diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, food poisoning, and intestinal worms.
The preparation of the tea, however, is unlike the juice, and has higher sugar content - so can actually be harmful for those with diabetes and liver problems. Some also say noni tea used externally is also beneficial for preventing greying for those with darker hair, as well as a hair-loss treatment.
Noni Leaves: Wrapping noni leaves around affected areas can cure arthritis, sore and swollen joints, stomachache and headache. A mixture of raw fruit and leaves is a cure for skin infections such as boils, and bruising.
In the Polynesian Islands, root preparations were used to heal sting-ray and jellyfish wounds. The bark was also traditionally used as an aid for mothers giving birth.
However, since noni is a stimulant, it does cleanse the body, in order to heal it. This means though that if one has weak liver or kidneys, it is advisable to refrain from taking noni internally. This also applies for those taking blood-thinning medications or anti-water-retention pills. Pregnant women should not take noni.
Bankoro - Noni: Eyes or bumps
The bankoro or noni fruit is a "multiple" fruit. The fruit is not formed from a single flower. Each flower of the bankoro or noni bears a seed and as it matures it leaves an eye. There are multitudes of these flowers. The flowers do not come up all at one time. The flowers come up a few at a time to form the "final" fruit. That is why the bankoro or noni looks bumpy with lots of eyes like the pineapple.