Anti-Inflammatory Activity of black mulberry

Mulberry plants belonging to the Moraceae family have been grown for the purpose of being the nutrient source for silk worm and raw materials for the preparation of jams, marmalades, vinegars, juices, wines, and cosmetics.

Mulberries contain 70% carbs, 14% fiber, 12% protein, and 3% fat — making them fairly high in protein compared to most berries. Mulberries are rich in many vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C and iron.

Morus nigra L. (black mulberry) is the Morus species with the highest chromosome number. It originated in Iran, but is grown throughout southern Europe, southwest Asia, the Mediterranean countries, and South America.

Black mulberry exhibited an excellent wide-spectrum of biological and pharmacological therapeutic effects including antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-melanogenic, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anticancer activities. Studies have shown that plants belonging to the Morus genus are rich in secondary metabolites such as flavonoids which are associated with important biological activities as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions.

Inflammation is defined as a set of physiological defense mechanisms taking place in the body. In these processes, a variety of chemical mediators are released from damaged tissue including excitatory amino acids, hydrogen ions, peptides, lipids, and cytokines. Primarily inflammation is essential to protect the body against pathogens or dangerous cells. However, abnormal regulation of this process can result in destruction of cells or disturbed cellular metabolism, which often contributes to chronic diseases characterized by a low grade of inflammation.

Studies have highlighted that regular consumption of natural plants with anti-inflammatory activities can help in the treatment of acute chronic inflammation. Black mulberries have been used as herbal medicines for animals and humans due to their analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.

Many studies have found that black mulberry is rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, which are responsible for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

A very recent study has shown that extracts of M. nigra pulps and leaves can improve survival rate and decrease the number of total leukocytes in bronchoalveloar lavage fluid in LPS-induced septic mice, indicating the reduction of inflammatory infiltrate in the lung (Oxid. Med. Cell Longev. 2018, 2018, 5048031).
Anti-Inflammatory Activity of black mulberry