E Hō mai ka ‘Ike Kupuna no ke Ola: Links between Traditional Native Hawaiian Concepts of Health and Epigenetic Research

Abstract

Inherent in the traditional Native Hawaiian concept of health is the understanding that environmental factors, including nutrition and social behaviors, trans-generationally impact health outcomes in individuals and communities. Epigenetic mechanisms may now explain molecular links between these environmental factors and health outcomes. This article explores the epigenetic concepts present in ancestral Hawaiian wisdom of health as well as an example that this knowledge inspired further biological insight into the anticancer activities of noni (Morinda citrifolia). Noni is one of many medicinal plants that have been utilized for centuries by Native Hawaiian health practitioners, kāhuna lā‘au lapa‘au, to address various health ailments, including cancer. Here, we report a link between the anti-cancer effects of noni and epigenetic gene regulation, suggesting that the traditional Native Hawaiian concept of health likely included a mechanistic rationale for the role of the environment on physical health and wellness.