Effect of mulberry (Morus indica L.) therapy on plasma and erythrocyte membrane lipids in patients with type 2 diabetes

Antimicrobial activity of 2-arylbenzofurans from Morus species against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Nine 2-arylbenzofurans isolated from Morus species were tested for their antimicrobial activities against methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Among these compounds, chalcomoracin (a leaf phytoalexine of mulberry tree) exhibited considerable antibacterial activity against MRSAs (MICs 0.78 mug/ml).

Effects of dietary mulberry, Korean red ginseng, and banaba on glucose homeostasis in relation to PPAR-alpha, PPAR-gamma, and LPL mRNA expressions

Despite lack of scientific evidences to support its therapeutic efficacy, the use of herbal supplements has significantly increased. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of traditional anti-diabetic herbs on the progress of diabetes in db/db mice, a typical non-insulin-dependent model. Five different experimental diets were as follows: control diet, 0.5% mulberry leaf water extract diet, 0.5% Korean red ginseng diet, 0.5% banaba leaf water extract diet, and 0.5% combination diet (mulberry leaf water extract/Korean red ginseng/banaba leaf water extract, 1:1:1). Blood levels of glucose, insulin, HbA1c, and triglyceride were measured every 2 weeks. At 12 weeks of age, animals were sacrificed, and tissue mRNA levels of PPAR-alpha, PPAR-gamma, and LPL were determined. Results indicated that mulberry leaf water extract, Korean red ginseng, banaba leaf water extract, and the combination of above herbs effectively reduced blood glucose, insulin, TG, and percent HbA1c in study animals (p<0.05). We also observed that the increased expressions of liver PPAR-alpha mRNA and adipose tissue PPAR-gamma mRNA in animals fed diets supplemented with test herbs. The expression of liver LPL mRNA was also increased with experimental diets containing herbs. The efficacy was highest in animals fed the combination diet for all of the markers used. These results suggest that mulberry leaf water extract, Korean red ginseng, banaba leaf water extract, and the combination of these herbs fed at the level of 0.5% of the diet significantly increase insulin sensitivity, and improve hyperglycemia possibly through regulating PPAR-mediated lipid metabolism.

Traditional Chinese Medicine improves dysfunction of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein on abnormalities in lipid metabolism in ethanol-fed rats

We report the effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on alcohol-induced fatty liver in rats. TCM consists of Astragalus membranaceus, Morus alba, Crataegus pinnatifida, Alisma oriental, Salvia miltiorrhiza and Pueraria lobata. The rats were separated randomly into five groups; the CD group (n=10), which was fed a control diet for 10 weeks, the ED group (n=10), which was fed an isocaloric liquid diet containing ethanol for 10 weeks and given daily oral doses of TCM (0.222 g/kg/day; TCM222, 0.667 g/kg/day; TCM667, and 2.000 g/kg/day; TCM2000, n=10, respectively) over the last four weeks of the study. The ED group developed fatty livers, as determined by their lipid profiles and liver histological findings. Compared with the control group, liver/body weight, plasma triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC), liver TG and TC, plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartic aminotransferase (AST) significantly increased in the ED group. Also, free fatty acids (FFA) levels increased in both plasma and liver during the administration of ethanol. On the other hand, when rats were administrated with TCM, their liver/body weight, plasma TG, TC and FFA, liver TG, TC and FFA, plasma ALT and AST decreased significantly and the degree of hepatic lipid droplets was markedly improved compared with those in the ED group. Proper function of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) is essential for the regulation of hepatic fatty acid metabolism. Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) is essential for the secretion of triglycerides from the liver. mRNAs for PPARalpha and MTP were reduced in the livers of ethanol-fed rats. TCM restored the mRNA levels of PPARalpha and MTP, and prevented development of fatty livers in ethanol-fed rats. Impairment of PPARalpha and MTP function during ethanol consumption contributes to the development of alcohol-induced fatty liver, which can be overcome by TCM.

Folium mori increases cell proliferation and neuropeptide Y expression in dentate gyrus of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The possibility has been raised that Folium mori is clinically effective for the treatment and prevention of diabetes. In the present study, the effects of Folium mori on cell proliferation and expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the dentate gyrus of rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes were investigated by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) immunohistochemistry and NPY immunohistochemistry. In rats with STZ-induced diabetes, cell proliferation and NPY expression in the dentate gyrus were suppressed, and treatment with Folium mori was shown to increase new cell formation and NPY expression in the dentate gyrus in both normal rats and those with STZ-induced diabetes. In light of previous studies, this result appears to indicate that increased expression of NPY in the dentate gyrus induced by treatment with Folium mori is associated with the observed effect of Folium mori extract on cell proliferation. Based on the present results, it is suggested that Folium mori treatment may aid in the recovery from the central nervous system complications of diabetes mellitus.

Administration of Folium mori extract decreases nitric oxide synthase expression in the hypothalamus of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Folium mori, the leaves of Morus alba L., has traditionally been used for the treatment of diabetic hyperglycemia. It has been shown to induce enhanced NOS expression in the hypothalamus of rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. In the present study, the effect of Folium mori on the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the hypothalamus of STZ-induced diabetic rats was investigated via nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry. Enhanced NAPDH-d expression was detected in the paraventricular nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, and lateral hypothalamic area of the hypothalamus in the STZ-induced diabetes group. Administration of the aqueous extract of Folium mori to rats with STZ-induced diabetes resulted in decreased NADPH-d positivity. These results suggest that Folium mori treatment is effective in curbing the desire for food under diabetic conditions via modulation of NO expression in the hypothalamus.