Becker's Muscular Dystrophy (BMD)
Becker's muscular dystrophy (Bmd) is an inherited disorder characterized by slow and progressive muscle weakness of legs and pelvis. The disorder is inherited with an X-linked recessive inheritance pattern -- the gene is located on X chromosome. Since women have two X chromosomes, if one X chromosome has the defective gene, the second X chromosome will have a working copy of the gene to compensate. In these cases, some women have much milder symptoms because of this ability to compensate.
Men have an X and a Y and because they do not have another X to compensate for the defective gene, they will develop symptoms, if they inherit the defective gene.
The clinical symptoms are
- Muscle weakness, slowly progressive.
- Difficulty with muscle skills (running, hopping, jumping)
- Progressive difficulty in walking
- Ability to walk may continue into adulthood (up to age 40)
- Frequent falls
- Breathing Problems
- Cognitive dysfunction
- Skeletal deformities, chest and back (scoliosis)
- Muscle deformities
- Contractures of heels, legs
- Pseudohypertrophy of calf muscles
- Fatigue
- Heart disease
Role of Noni in B M D
Noni, (Morinda citrifolia) or the Indian mulberry plant, is included in the ancient Indian Vedanta for its healing power and is used to treat various diseases for hundreds of years. Herbal and natural products of folk medicine are used for centuries in every culture throughout the world. Scientists and medical professionals showed increased interest in this field as they recognized the true health benefits of these remedies. "Let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food" was advised by father of medicine, Hippocrates, over two millennia ago. It's still true today that "you are what you eat.”
Major components
A number of major components are identified in Noni plant like scopoletin, octoanoic acid, potassium, vitamin C, terpenoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones (such as damnacanthal, morindone, rubiadin, and rubiadin-1-methyl ether, anthraquinone glycoside), -sitosterol, carotene, vitamin A, flavone glycosides, linoleic acid, Alizarin, amino acids, acubin, L-asperuloside, caproic acid, caprylic acid, ursolic acid, rutin, and a putative proxeronine.
A research group led by Dr. Chi-Tang Ho at Rutgers University, USA is searching for new novel compounds in Noni plant. They have successfully identified several new flavonol glycosides, an iridoid glycoside from Noni leaves, a trisacharide fatty acid ester, rutin and an asperulosidic acid from the fruit. Two novel glycosides and a new unusual iridoid named citrifolinoside showed inhibiting effect on AP-1 transactivation and cell transformation in the mouse epidermal JB6 cell line.
Antioxidant Property of Noni Helps a lot in BMD
Antioxidant formulae combine vitamins, minerals and enzymes which help protect the body from formation of free radicals. Some studies suggested that oxidative stress caused by free radicals might play a role in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies. An imbalance occurs where number of free radicals increases. This increase can be due to stress, ageing or environmental factors. Free radicals are altered oxygen molecules that are damaging to cell components such as cell membrane and DNA. They are normal by-products of metabolism and are 'mopped up' by body's own antioxidants. Studies show that supplementing the diet with antioxidants may increase levels of antioxidants in the body and have a protective effect. Antioxidants prevent breakdown of substances by oxygen. They include substances like vitamins, enzymes, various trace minerals, bioflavonoids and lot of phytochemicals. In the body, their role is to scavenge 'free radicals'. As antioxidants help protect cells against damage from free radicals, a diet that is high in antioxidant rich foods and antioxidant supplements, may be sensible.
Noni acts as powerful antioxidants. It was hypothesized that the antioxidant activity of Noni protects individuals from oxygen free radicals and consequent lipid peroxidation. To examine this hypothesis, the antioxidant activity of Noni was analyzed. The study was designed to measure how well Noni scavenged superoxide anion radicals (SAR) and quenched lipid peroxides (LPO) by TNB assay and LMB assay, respectively. SAR scavenging activity was examined in vitro by tetrazolium nitroblue (TNB) assay. In TNB assay, SAR reduces TNB into formazan blue, which absorbs at 602 nm. A SAR scavenger, such as Noni, reduces absorbency by reacting with SAR. In this assay, a standard curve is produced when SAR are generated from NADH under aerobic conditions with phenazine methosulfate as a catalyst. In LMB assay, LPO oxidizes leucomethylene to methylene blue in presence of haemoglobin. The resultant blue color can be quantified spectrophotometrically at 660 nm.
(a) In vitro, Noni showed a dose-dependent inhibition of both LPO and SAR. The SAR scavenging activity of Noni was compared to that of three known antioxidants: Vitamin C, grape seed powder and Pycnogenol at the daily dose / serving level recommended by US RDA's or manufacturer's recommendations. Under the experimental conditions, the SAR scavenging activity of Noni showed 2.8 times that of vitamin C, 1.4 times that of Pycnogenol and 1.1 times that of grape seed powder. Therefore Noni has a great potential to scavenge reactive oxygen free radicals.
A recent study showed that a high intake of Noni has potential for warding off muscle cell death and deterioration and thus decreased muscle wasting. There is an increase in oxidative damage when dystrophin is abnormal and it is suggested that noni acts as powerful antioxidant and helps to combat oxidative stress.
Xeronine system of Noni plays an important role in BMD
Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and BMD, an X-linked lethal muscle wasting disease, have abnormal expression of protein dystrophin within their muscle fibres. According to Dr. Ralph Heinicke, the Noni fruit contains a natural precursor of Xeronine (the alkaloid of Noni), the Proxeronine. Proxeronine is converted to the alkaloid, Xeronine, in the body by an enzyme Proxeroninase. His hypothesis is that Xeronine modifies the molecular structure of proteins. Xeronine has a wide range of biological activities. When a protein like an enzyme, receptor, or signal transducer is not in the appropriate conformation, it will not work properly. Xeronine interacts with protein and makes it fold into its proper conformation. The result is a properly functioning protein. Whenever a problem arises in the cell due to a protein structural problem, Xeronine's presence would be beneficial. His hypotheses explain how Noni helps in many health problems in different ways. He obtained several patents for Xeronine. This alkaloid is a critical normal metabolic coregulator. In case of BMD, Noni may help to modify the abnormal expression of protein dystrophin to its normal conformation.
Recommended Dosage
Divine Noni Concentrate
5ml morning and 5ml evening for 3 days. Then
10ml morning and 10ml evening for next 3 days. Then
15ml morning and 15ml evening for next 15 days. Then
20ml morning and 20ml evening for next 8 months.
