Morinda citrifolia (Noni) Juice Augments Mammary Gland Differentiation and Reduces Mammary Tumor Growth in Mice Expressing the Unactivated c-erbB2 Transgene
Figure 6
TNJ treatment results in more days in the secretory phase of the estrous cycle over a 30-day period and in reduced serum progesterone levels. (a) Effects on estrous cycling were analyzed in virgin, tumor-free MMTV-neu mice over thirty days of treatment with 10% TNJ. The time spent in the proliferative (follicular) phase decreased and increased in the secretory (luteal) phase in females treated with 10% TNJ compared to the control animal over the 30-day period (between ages 2 and 3 months), by the Mann-Whitney test ( for each group). Vaginal smears in the morning were used to determine secretory phase stages (diestrus and metestrus) and proliferative phase stages (proestrus and estrus). (b) Serum 17β-estradiol (E2) levels for control () and 10% TNJ-treated females () were measured by radioimmunoassay in virgin, tumor-free 3-month-old MMTV-neu mice that were in estrus at necropsy. Serum levels were not significantly different between groups. (c) Serum progesterone (P4) levels for control () and 10% TNJ-treated females () were measured in the same mice analyzed for 17β-estradiol levels (in estrus). Serum progesterone levels, as analyzed by Student's t-test, were significantly reduced in mice receiving 10% TNJ for 1 month (). (d) For tumor study mice in estrus or in the secretory phase (metestrus and diestrus) at the time of necropsy, uterine wet weight normalized to body weight (Ut wt/BW) was not significantly different for the control and 10% TNJ-treated groups. Control estrus () and secretory phase (); TNJ estrus () and secretory phase (). Mice used for uterine weights in the tumor study were, on average, around 1 year of age and were euthanized for maximum age or tumor size. (e) For the 3-month-old females in the pretumor study, uterine wet weight normalized to body weight (Ut wt/BW) for mice in estrus just prior to necropsy were not significantly different for either treatment group; control (), TNJ (). (f) Body weights after euthanasia for young animals treated for 1 month (3-month-old mice, ) or aged mice (, control; , TNJ) in the tumor study in TNJ-treated and control groups were significant by 2-way ANOVA for age (), but not treatment. Mean ± SEM are shown; TNJ: Tahitian Noni Juice; *indicates significance, by Mann Whitney or Student's t-test.
