In order to find
the most advantageous bioactive compounds from
mulberry latex for drug development in the near future, this study
was conducted to characterize and evaluate antioxidant and antimicrobial
properties from four different mulberry lattices (BR-2, S-1, AR-14,
and S-146). The characterization of the lattices was performed by
scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy,
gas chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy, and Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy. Further, screenings of the antioxidant and
antimicrobial potential of selected lattices were performed in vitro
using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay and agar well diffusion
methods, respectively. Interestingly, the outcome of the current study
revealed that tested mulberry lattices contain a considerable amount
of bioactive phytoconstituents, particularly antimicrobial and antioxidant
compounds, as revealed by chromatographic analysis. BR-2 latex was
found to have significant antioxidant activity (75%) followed by S-146
(64.6%) and AR-14 (52.9%). The maximum antimicrobial activity was
found in BR-2 latex compared to other tested latex varieties. The
results of this investigation showed that mulberry latex from the
BR-2 type may successfully control both bacterial and fungal infections,
with the added benefit of having enhanced antioxidant capabilities.