J Nutr Health.  2023 Feb;56(1):24-34. 10.4163/jnh.2023.56.1.24.

Antidiabetic effects of water extracts of mulberry (Morus alba L.) twig by inhibition of disaccharidase activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice

• Ahn E
• Shin S
• Choi SW
• Kim E

• KMID: 2540104
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4163/jnh.2023.56.1.24

Abstract

Purpose
The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) continues to increase worldwide, and blood glucose control may reduce mortality from diabetic complications and healthcare costs. Mulberry twig (MT) has been used as a herbal medicine in Asia, and its antidiabetic efficacy has recently been reported, but research in this area is still limited. This study examined the antidiabetic effects of water extracts of MT in diabetic animals.
Methods
Six weeks old male ICR mice were divided randomly into three groups; normal control (NC, n = 10), DM control (DC, n = 10), and MT (n = 10). Streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/ kg/day) was injected intraperitoneally into mice in the DC and MT groups for 5 consecutive days. After 10 days of the last STZ injection, the mice in the MT group were administered orally with MT water extracts (5 g/kg body weight) for 16 days.
Results
The MT water extracts ameliorated the swelling of the liver in the diabetic mice and reduced the elevated levels of fasting blood and plasma glucose, total cholesterol (T-CHO), low density lipoprotein-CHO, and the ratio of high density lipotrotein (HDL)-CHO/T-CHO. The liver triglyceride (TG) and glycogen contents were also significantly lower in the MT group mice than in the DC group. The small intestine disaccharidase activity was analyzed to understand the therapeutic effects and the mechanism of MT water extracts in diabetic animals. MT group mice showed reduced lactase and sucrase activity in the proximal part of the small intestine. On the other hand, body weight, plasma insulin, TG, HDL-CHO, and hepatic T-CHO levels were similar in the DC and MT groups.
Conclusion
These results suggest that MT water extracts have antidiabetic effects and can be developed as a functional source to reduce the postprandial blood glucose or to prevent DM incidence.

Keyword

diabetes mellitus; type 1; (Morus alba L.); mulberry twig; streptozotocin; disaccharidase