Question 1

What is Morinda coreia used for medicinally?

Accepted Answer

Morinda coreia is used in traditional Ayurvedic and folk medicine to treat gout, cysts, wounds, amenorrhoea, fevers, and dysentery. Its roots, bark, leaves, and fruits all contribute to these applications. The plant is classified as a purgative and is considered to have Amapachana and Rattapitta nashaka properties in classical Ayurveda.

Question 2

What is the Sinhala name for Morinda coreia?

Accepted Answer

Morinda coreia is known in Sinhala as Ahu (ඇහු). In Tamil it is referred to as Manchavanna, Mannanunai, or Mannanatti, and its Sanskrit name is Paphanah.

Question 3

Which family does Morinda coreia belong to?

Accepted Answer

Morinda coreia belongs to the family Rubiaceae, the same large plant family that includes coffee and many other tropical trees and shrubs. Its recognised synonyms include Morinda coreia var. tomentosa and Morinda exserta.

Question 4

Is Morinda coreia native to Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Morinda coreia is recorded as a native species in Sri Lanka. It grows primarily in dry-zone forests and scrubland, and is also found across the broader Indian subcontinent and parts of South Asia.

Question 5

What does the Morinda coreia tree look like?

Accepted Answer

It is a small tree typically reaching around 6 metres, occasionally up to 10 metres. It has pale to yellowish bark, elliptic leaves 6–12 cm long, white tubular flowers arranged in a rounded cluster, and a fused collective fruit (syncarp) roughly 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter.

Question 6

What parts of Morinda coreia are used in traditional medicine?

Accepted Answer

The roots, bark, leaves, and fruits of Morinda coreia are all used in traditional treatments. Different conditions call for different preparations — roots and bark are often made into decoctions for internal use, while leaves and bark may also be applied externally for wound healing.

Question 7

What does Amapachana mean in relation to Morinda coreia?

Accepted Answer

Amapachana is an Ayurvedic concept referring to the digestion or neutralisation of 'ama' — unprocessed metabolic waste thought to accumulate in the body. Plants described as Amapachana, including Morinda coreia, are traditionally used to support metabolic balance and prepare the body for more targeted therapies.

Morinda coreia

Other species in this genus