Mulberry (Morus alba L.) has a long history of use as an edible fruit and traditional medicine in China. The purple Mulberry fruits are sweet when fully ripen and a bit sour when not.  Mulberry fruit is a great source of many nutritive compounds such as fatty acids, amino acids (including all essential amino acids), vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds, including anthocyanins, rutin, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, polysaccharides, etc. The extracts and active components of mulberry fruit have demonstrated many health benefits, including antioxidant, antiatherosclerosis, hypolipidemic, antihyperglycemic, and neuroprotective (1).

Antioxidant Property

    The antioxidant capacity of mulberry is dependent on the total phenolic, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents of the fruits. Lee et al. studied the protective effect of mulberry fruit in hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative injury of pancreatic β-cells. In their study, 70% ethanol extracts of mulberry fruit rescued pancreatic β-cell viability from 53.8% to 71.6% at a concentration of 400 μg/mL and inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. The mulberry extracts significantly inhibited hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptotic cell death (2).

Antiatherosclerosis Activity

    Chen et al. reported that feeding 0.5% or 1.0% mulberry water extract (containing 2.5% anthocyanins and 4.6% total phenol) for 10 weeks significantly decreased plasma triglyceride levels in the cholesterol-fed rabbits. The atherosclerotic lesion was significantly reduced by 42%−63% in the aorta of rabbits fed with 0.5% or 1.0% of mulberry water extract compared to the control (3).

Hypolipidemic Property

    The hypolipidemic activity of mulberry fruit freeze-dried powder was tested in hyperlipidemic Wistar rats that were induced using a high-fat diet. The powder effectively reduced serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, liver triglyceride, liver total cholesterol, and atherogenic index but increased serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (4). In a randomized study, 58 hypercholesterolemic subjects (aged 30-60 years) were recruited to receive either freeze-dried mulberry 45 g (325 mg anthocyanins) or no supplement per day for six weeks. After six weeks, mulberry consumption significantly decreased the level of total cholesterol (- 3.73 % vs. 3.33 %, p < 0.001) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (- 6.53 % vs. 0.15 %, p < 0.001) compared to the control group. The level of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly decreased compared to the control group, indicating that mulberry fruit could improve lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic patients (5).

Antihyperglycemic Activity

    The mice study showed that oral administration of mulberry fruit extract for 2 weeks significantly reduced fasting blood glucose and glycosylated serum protein in drug-induced hyperglycemia mice. Polysaccharides obtained from mulberry fruit also have shown inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and the diffusion of glucose in vitro, and exhibited antidiabetic activity in Type 2 diabetes mellitus rats (1).

Neuroprotective Property

    Kim et al. (6) investigated the neuroprotection of mulberry fruit extract in Parkinson's disease models. Mulberry fruit extract significantly protected neurons from neurotoxins through antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects in in vitro and in vivo models. The protective effects of mulberry fruit extract against neurotoxicity are also supported by in vivo experimental models of early Parkinsons's disease. Mulberry fruit extract was able to inhibit olfactory dysfunction and ameliorate motor deficits and the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons (7). Kaewkaen et al. found that dietary mulberry fruit extract supplementation could enhance memory, increase neuron density, and reduce AChE activity in rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (8).

    In addition to the antioxidant, antiatherosclerosis, hypolipidemic, antihyperglycemic, and neuroprotective activities, other therapeutic uses of mulberry fruit have been reported such as modulating immune function, protecting against cancer, protecting the liver, and promoting wound healing and better skin. All these health benefits have made mulberry one of the top nutritive fruits in China. As documented in the "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Mulberry, quenching thirst, benefiting the five internal organs and joints, and promoting blood qi. Long-term use will not feel hungry, soothing the soul and calming the spirit, making people smart..."

    Enjoying a handful of mulberry every day during mulberry's fruiting season would be beneficial for your health.

References:

1. Yuan, Q.; Zhao, L. The Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Fruit—A Review of Characteristic Components and Health Benefits. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2017, 65(48), 10383–10394.

2. Lee, J. S.; Kim, Y. R.; Park, J. M.; Ha, S. J.; Kim, Y. E.; Baek, N. I.; Hong, E. K. Mulberry fruit extract protects pancreatic β-cells against hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis via antioxidative activity. Molecules 2014, 19, 8904−8915.

3. Chen, C. C.; Liu, L. K.; Hsu, J. D.; Huang, H. P.; Yang, M. Y.; Wang, C. J. Mulberry extract inhibits the development of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits. Food Chem. 2005, 91, 601−607.

4. Yang, X. L.; Yang, L.; Zheng, H. Y. Hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of mulberry (Moms alba L.) fruit in hyperlipidaemia rats. Food Chem. Toxicol. 2010, 48, 2374−2379.

5. Sirikanchanarod, A.; Bumrungpert, A.; Kaewruang, W.; Senawong, T.; Pavadhgul, P. The effect of mulberry fruits consumption on lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic subjects: a randomized controlled trial. J. Pharm. Nutr. Sci. 2016, 1, 7−14.

6. Kim, H. G.; Ju, M. S.; Shim, J. S.; Kim, M. C.; Lee, S. H.; Huh, Y.; Kim, S. Y.; Oh, M. S. Mulberry fruit protects dopaminergic neurons in toxin-induced Parkinson's disease models. Br. J. Nutr. 2010, 104, 8−16.

7. Gu, P. S.; Moon, M.; Choi, J. G.; Oh, M. S. Mulberry fruit ameliorates Parkinson's-disease-related pathology by reducing αsynuclein and ubiquitin levels in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine/probenecid model. J. Nutr. Biochem. 2017, 39, 15− 21.

8. Kaewkaen, P.; Tong-Un, T.; Wattanathorn, J.; Muchimapura, S.; Kaewrueng, W.; Wongcharoenwanakit, S. Mulberry fruit extract protects against memory impairment and hippocampal damage in animal model of vascular dementia. Evid. Based Complement. Alternat. Med. 2012, 2012, 263520.