Medicinal properties of Morus alba for the control of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review

Abstract

Background: The objective of this review was to evaluate the medicinal potential of Morus alba leaves on the control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). The research question was: what is the therapeutic potential of Morus alba leaves for the control of DM2? Methods: This systematic review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The included studies were extracted from Scopus, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Scielo, and Google Scholar; January 2015 to July 2021. Key search terms were MeSH and DeCS: Morus alba, mulberry, hypoglycemic agent. The inclusion criteria were: studies in rats administered Morus alba leaf extracts; studies that included the dimensions of lipidemia and glycemia; studies that included indicators such as fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins, total cholesterol, and insulin resistance. Exclusion criteria: studies in which Morus alba leaves were administered with other plants; studies with other parts of the Morus alba plant; proteomic studies, cancer, duplicate studies, in vitro studies, and evaluation of included studies. All included investigations were evaluated for biases. Results: Of 253 studies found, 29 were included. The extracts of Morus alba leaves at the phytochemical level improve glucose uptake. Chlorogenic acid, isoquercitrin, and quercitrin, present in the leaves of Morus alba, have hypoglycemic properties and an ameliorating effect on diabetic nephropathy. This leaf has pharmacological effects such as glucose absorption, insulin secretion production, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activities, and obesity management. Conclusions: Morus alba leaves have pharmacological effects on DM2 that include glucose absorption, production of insulin secretion, antioxidant agent, antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activities, and obesity control. Beyond these results, there is a lack of studies on the potential and synergistic effects of Morus alba leaves' components, limiting the possibility of a more effective therapy using the plant's leaves.

Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD): a Mechanistic Approach

“…By using network pharmacology and docking analysis, mechanistic insights of Rhizoma coptidis were explored against T2DM which suggested to show anti-inflammatory effects thus proving to be competent in antidiabetic research [ 119 , 120 ]. In a systemic review, Morus alba reported to be a potential therapeutic target for T2DM though it lacks more studies on synergistic effects [ 121 ]. Apart from drugs, exercise was recommended for glucose management and T2DM control [ 165 ].…”

Nutraceuticals for Dyslipidaemia and Glucometabolic Diseases: What the Guidelines Tell Us (and Do Not Tell, Yet)

“…Within this context, especially for subjects with pre-diabetes, insulin resistance and moderate metabolic syndrome, or as an add-on to drug therapy, several nutraceutical products have been proposed for glycaemic control ( Table 3 ). These products include, for example, berberine [ 35 ], Morus alba extract [ 36 ] and other herbal extracts [ 37 ].…”

A Mixture of Morus alba and Angelica keiskei Leaf Extracts Improves Muscle Atrophy by Activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway and Inhibiting FoxO3a In Vitro and In Vivo

“…Morus alba L. (mulberry) has been used in traditional medicine to treat hyperglycemia, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes [ 25 - 27 ]. Many researchers have confirmed that M. alba contains various active ingredients, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and polysaccharides, which lower lipid levels while also regulating blood sugar levels and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities [ 27 , 28 ].…”