Disease chemopreventive effects and molecular mechanisms of mulberry leaf extract

Disease chemopreventive effects and molecular mechanisms of mulberry leaf extract

Recently, there has been increasing research on mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves due to their wide range of reported biological properties. Mulberry leaves contain many nutritional components including flavonoids, which are known to be powerful polyphenols and antioxidants. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have documented the chemopreventive effects of mulberry leaf extract (MLE) and mulberry leaf polyphenol extract (MLPE) including anti-atherosclerotic, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity and hepatoprotective effects. These function to regulate cell proliferation, cell death, cell differentiation, and metabolism through modulation of signal transduction, gene expression, protein function, and enzyme activity. Although the efficacies of MLE and MLPE in chemoprevention and clinical trials require further investigation, they provide great promise for improving human health. This review highlights the recent published data on MLE and MLPE in terms of chemopreventive potential and underlying mechanisms.