Postprandial Hyperglycemic Control Activity of Morus alba L. Leaf Extract
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Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease and serious public health problem. It is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and renal diseases and remains a serious cause of morbidity and mortality. Traditional doctors in various countries use the leaves of Morus alba L. or white mulberry to treat diabetes mellitus. Currently, it has been reported that Morus alba L. leaf extract could inhibit human and rat intestinal disaccharidase. In this study, the water extract (MA-W), 50% ethanolic extract (MA-AE), 95% ethanolic extract (MAE) and MA-E fractions [the water-soluble fraction (MAE-F1) and ethanol-soluble fraction (MAE-F2)] were tested for postprandial hyperglycemic control activity in normal and alloxan-diabetic rats, compared with chlorpropamide or acabose as a positive control. Orally given MA-W, MA-AE and MA-E could improve the oral sucrose tolerance of normoglycemic and alloxan-diabetic rats. All extracts exhibited excellent activity at 0.5 and 1 hour after sucrose administration and MA-E showed the highest activity. On the other hand, these extracts showed no significant effect on the ability to tolerate an external glucose load. A study on postprandial hyperglycemic control action of the MA-E fractions showed that orally given MAE-F1 exhibited significant effects on the oral sucrose tolerance of normoglycemic and alloxan-diabetic rats. MAE-F1 at doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg demonstrated postprandial blood sugar control activity approximately equal to that of acabose at the dose of 4 mg/kg in normal and alloxan-diabetic rats, respectively. However, MAE-F2 did not have any significant effects on the oral sucrose tolerance of normoglycemic rats. In addition, preliminary chemical screening of fraction MAE-F1 showed that it was composed of glycosides and flavonoids. In conclusion, these results indicated that Morus alba L. extracts could improve oral sucrose tolerance in normal and alloxan-diabetic rats, with the mechanism of action apparently being similar to acabose, which acts by inhibiting enzyme disaccaridase. The chemical composition of the active fraction comprised glycosides and flavonoids.
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References
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