Hypotensive, Hypolipidemic, and Vascular Protective Effects of Morus alba L. in Rats Fed an Atherogenic Diet

Abstract

Morus alba L. has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and almost all parts of this plant are useful in cardiovascular, liver and spleen disorders. The present study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effect of a water extract from Morus alba L. (WMA) on vascular dysfunction in rat models fed a high fat and high cholesterol diet. Male rats were fed an atherogenic diet consisting of food with 7.5% cocoa butter and 1.25% cholesterol, with or without 100 or 200 mg/day/kg WMA, for 14 weeks. Chronic treatment with low (100 mg/kg/day) or high (200 mg/day/kg) doses of WMA markedly attenuated hypertension and the impairments of acetylcholine-induced relaxation of aortic rings in rats fed an atherogenic diet. WMA reduced intima/media thickness in rats fed an atherogenic diet. WMA improved plasma levels of triglyceride (TG) and augmented plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL), but did not affect blood glucose levels. Interestingly, WMA suppressed increased cell adhesion molecules such as E-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression in the aorta. Taken together, these results suggested that Morus alba L. could improve an atherogenic diet-induced hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and vascular dysfunction through inhibition of cell adhesion molecules expression and induction of vascular relaxation.

Hypoglycemic Effects of Morus alba Leaf Extract on Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Treated with Sulfonylurea Hypoglycemic Agents

“…Blood glucose and insulin levels are also important for preventing oxidative stress in intravascular endothelial cells, and atherosclerosis. LEM has demonstrated a suppressive effect on atherosclerotic lesions in mice [7] and the protective effect on vascular system through the decreasing of oxidative stress and anti-glycation [18][19][20], suggesting that it should form part of the dietary therapy for type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus, and for other metabolic syndromes.…”

“…LEM does not directly stimulate insulin secretion, and suppress the glucose elevation. Furthermore, it improves anti-oxidative and anti-glycation activities in streptozotocin-induced chronic diabetic rat [18], also has the protective effects on vascular system in rats fed atherogenic diet [19], and on ocular functions in pups from diabetic mother rat [20]. So, the combinational use of SU-treatment and LEM is associated with the protection of systemic oxidative stress.…”

Beneficial effect of Combination with Korean Red Ginseng and Morus alba in metabolic syndrome

“…상엽 (Morus alba L. 뽕잎)은 한방에서 소갈증에 사용되 어 온 대표적인 약제로 소장에서 탄수화물의 소화에 관여하는 효소인 α-glucosidsae 활성을 억제하는데 기인하는 것으로 알려져 있으며 그 혈당강하 활성은 식후 혈당 조절과 관련 있 는 것으로 보고되어 있다 11,12) . 또한 고지혈증 동물모델에서 상엽은 혈당 강하 효과와 함께 콜레스테롤과 혈관 기능을 개 선하는 효과가 보고되었다 13) . 오늘날 만성질환 치료제는 그 효능과 함께 장기복용 및 투 여로 인한 부작용이 중요하게 고려되고 있으며, 합성 의약품 보다는 비교적 부작용이 적을 것으로 여겨지는 천연물 및 한 약재를 이용한 한방 치료 기술 개발에 대한 관심이 증가되고 있다 14) .…”

Mulberry leaf polysaccharides modulate murine bone-marrow-derived dendritic cell maturation

“…5 As documented, MLPs positively induced and activated both macrophages and neutrophils. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Dendritic cells (DCs) were first reported by Paul Langerhans in the late 19thcentury. 16 However, it was not until 1973 that Ralph M. Steinman and Zanvil A. Cohn coined the term "dendritic cell," introducing a new epoch in immunology.…”