Noni

Noni is a plant found in Polynesia used for a variety of maladies. According to Want, it is a small tree that grows in open regions at sea level. It has bright green leaves, white flowers, and the fruit itself has a distinct shape. Based on the history of the Polynesian islands, noni is not native, but was introduced when the people first inhabited the islands.

The entire noni plant is used for medicinal issues.
It has been used for over 2000 years and "is reported to have a broad range of therapeutic effects, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antitumor, andtihelmin, andalgesic, hypotensive, anti-inflammatory, and immune enhancing effects" (Wang). At the inquiry conference, Daniel Hansen talked about having a sore throat in Tonga. His host family gave him a tincture of noni and he was healed the next day. The people of Polynesia love noni and use it for almost anything they can. According to Fahs, the plant is used mostly for open sores and oral infections, but has been known to also treat the eyes and stomach aches. To use it, extracts are drawn from the leaves and the flower. The plant grows well in almost any area with any soil and can withstand multiple climates. It resists high concentrations of salt well, and can therefore grow near the ocean. The seeds perform best when ripe and have an air bubble in them and consequently float in water.

Because my project will ideally be about plants and their medicinal uses, and in class we keep talking about how important it is to learn everything we can before traveling abroad, I need to know what plants are used and how, if I can find out. This well help me distinguish between what can be done in a library and what can only be done on the islands.