Noni: A Powerful Painkiller

Lucille Fifield
Dec 22, 2025
5 min read

This was very much a last-minute, “why not?” decision; a 14-day Caribbean cruise, booked on a cheap, cheap deal. Too good to refuse.

It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time. Sun, rest, warmth, and not having to cook for 14 whole days!! My vitamin D levels were quietly rejoicing, and yes, I will talk about sunlight and health another time… but not today. I promise.

Because alongside resting, I had a very practical mission.

I needed to replenish my stock of Noni..

Now, while most people come home from a cruise with souvenirs, fridge magnets, or an alarming number of duty-free perfumes, I came home with something far more valuable; photographs and a fresh supply of a fruit that most people avoid standing too close to once it ripens.

The noni fruit I picked with the leaves for a tea.

The images you’ll see throughout this blog were taken in Tortola, however Noni grows abundantly in all the Caribbean, not in neat bottles on health shop shelves, but on trees by the roadside, in gardens, and seemingly wherever it fancies.

Noni tree growing amongst the boulders in seawater, Tortola.

My relationship with Noni didn’t begin on this cruise, however. It began years ago in Jamaica, in the early hours of the morning, with a fierce toothache… and a firm personal vow never to repeat a particular dental experience ever again.

And that is where this story really starts.

A Toothache, a Lesson, and a Very Firm Decision

Some of you may know that we spent time in Jamaica, travelling back and forth between there and the UK. For reasons still not entirely clear, I only ever seemed to get toothache while I was in Jamaica... perhaps too much sugar cane and not quite enough brushing.

On one occasion, I went to a dentist. It was, without exaggeration, one of the worst experiences of my life. When the anaesthetic wore off after the tooth extraction, the pain was so intense it felt as though one side of my face was melting away.

So when I developed toothache again on a later visit, I was determined not to repeat that experience.

Turning to What Was Growing Around Me

Instead, I reached for a wonderful book called In My Backyard, written by a group of siblings, Janice, Manifa and Paul Riley who documented the medicinal uses of plants commonly found around the Caribbean.[1] The book's subtitle is rightly called Powerful Herbs & Foods of the Caribbean.

I went straight to the index, looking for pain relief, and one entry stood out immediately: Noni: sometimes referred to as the Pain Killer Tree.

It described Noni as a powerful natural analgesic and antibiotic. I was in pain, it was growing nearby, and frankly, I was willing to try anything.

How I Used It

I picked ripe Noni fruit and took:

one in the early hours of the morning,
one at midday,
and one in the evening before bed.

Within 24 hours, the pain had subsided significantly.

Not wanting a repeat performance of toothache, I wanted to annihilate the pain, I continued using it for seven days, gradually weaning myself down to one fruit a day. I’m pleased to say that since then, I have never had toothache again. To this day, whenever I experience extreme pain, particularly inflammation or acute discomfort, Noni is one of the first remedies I reach for... if I have it in store.

So What Is Noni?

Noni (Morinda citrifolia and Morinda officinalis) is native to French Polynesia and belongs to the Rubiaceae (Madder) family. Around the world, it is known by many names, including:

Bai Ji Tian, Bajitian, Cheese Fruit, Indian Mulberry, Mengkudu, Morinda, Nhau, Nono, Nonu, Pain Killer Tree, Tahitian Noni.

Traditionally, the fruit is most commonly used, but the leaves can also be dried and powdered, and other parts of the plant, including bark and roots, have been used in various cultures.

Health Benefits of Noni [2]

Research and traditional use suggest that Noni may support multiple systems of the body, including:

🫀 Cardiovascular Health

May help lower elevated blood pressure
May help reduce the severity of ischaemic stroke
Traditionally used for circulatory weakness and varicose veins

🌿 Digestive & Metabolic Support

May relieve constipation
May help regulate blood sugar levels
May support liver detoxification
Traditionally used to combat fatigue and low stamina

🧠 Nervous System & Pain Relief

Acts as a natural analgesic
May help reduce anxiety and stress
Traditionally associated with increased resilience and willpower

🛡 Immune & Cellular Support

Exhibits antibacterial and antiviral properties
Contains compounds studied for their anti-inflammatory and cellular protective effects

✨ Skin & Connective Tissue

May support collagen production
Traditionally used to support skin integrity and ageing concerns

These properties are attributed to Noni’s rich natural compounds, including scopoletin, proxeronine, damnacanthal, iridoids, anthraquinones, flavonoids, and vitamin C.

Why Fresh Matters

Noni is best consumed fresh. While fermented Noni juice is widely available, most commercial products are pasteurised for shelf life. Heat, as you know, destroys enzymatic activity and significantly reduces effectiveness.

When I travel, I bring back fresh Noni fruit, allow it to ripen fully, vacuum-pack it, and store it in the freezer. This way, it’s always available for myself, my family, and Manna House when required.

A Final Thought

Noni isn’t attractive. It doesn’t smell pleasant. It does not taste particularly nice either and it sizzles in the mouth as you suck the flesh from the seeds. And it certainly won’t win any popularity contests.

But it works.

Nature often hides her most effective remedies in the most unassuming forms. This fruit is one of them; quietly growing, largely ignored and repulsed by Caribbeans, yet profoundly useful when you know how to use it.

And that, perhaps, is the real lesson. Sometimes the most powerful medicine really is growing in plain sight.

Noni to You

Many of the remedies we trust today didn’t come from laboratories or marketing departments. They came from our grandparents, from a local village herbalist, or from someone quietly saying, “This helped me, give it a go.”

Much of what we know about natural health has been learned the same way, through personal trial, observation, and experience passed on from one generation to the next.

If you have your own experience of using Noni, or another simple plant remedy that proved itself when you needed it, I’d love you to share it. Feel free to share in the comments, or pass this on to someone who appreciates the value of simple, time-tested remedies.