Mulberry / mulberry tree – ingredients, effects and application

The mulberry tree is a very old cultivated plant. Since the silk moth caterpillar feeds on mulberry leaves, the trees have been used for silk production for thousands of years. The fruits are among the healthiest fruits, and the leaves also have multiple healing effects.

Characteristics

• Scientific name: Morus (genus)
• Common names: Mulberry, Mulberry tree
• Family: Mulberry family (Moraceae)
• Distribution: Subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere, especially in North America and Asia; widespread in Europe since Roman times, especially in warmer regions and wine-growing areas (Central Europe)
• Plant parts used: fruits, bark and leaves
• Ingredients: Flavonoids (astralagin, quercetin, rutin and kaempferol), anthocyanins, phenolic acids, terpenoids, alkaloids (1-deoxynojirimycin), stilbenoids (resveratrol), coumarins, vitamins (vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C), minerals and trace elements

Areas of application: against colds, fever, cystitis, urinary tract infections, digestive problems, inflammation, cough, asthma, high blood pressure, sleep problems, for the health of the heart, liver and kidneys, potentially for arteriosclerosis, diabetes, obesity and cancer

The mulberry tree – an overview

• The black mulberry (Morus nigra) and the white mulberry (Morus alba) are species from the mulberry genus that are also cultivated in Europe.
• The white mulberry can tolerate winter frost better than other species; in Central Europe it thrives particularly in warm and sunny regions.
• Silkworms eat the leaves of the white mulberry, and silk has been produced on these trees in China for thousands of years.
• All parts of the plant contain diverse and effective ingredients that make the mulberry a popular medicinal plant.
• Flavonoids and alkaloids as well as other plant substances in mulberries have, among other things, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic and antimicrobial effects.
• The leaves of various mulberry trees are boiled as tea and used as a variety of remedies, for example against cold symptoms, fever, inflammation and digestive problems but also to calm you down.
• The fruits (berries) of the black and red mulberries can be used in the same way as blackberries – as juice, syrup, jam, in mueslis, yoghurts or desserts.

ingredients

The nutrients and bioactive ingredients of the mulberry differ depending on the species. According to a review (2022), the effective ingredients include flavonoids, anthocyanins, alkaloids and phenolic acids. Also included are terpenoids, stilbenoids and coumarins.

Mulberries also contain protein, amino acids and a variety of vitamins, such as vitamin A, B vitamins (B1, B2, B5, B6, B7, B9) and vitamin C. Minerals and trace elements are also contained in higher amounts, including potassium and calcium , phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper and selenium.

The composition of the components differs in the individual parts of the plant. A thesis on the pharmaceutical aspects of Morus alba (2023) explains that the fruits contain the most chemical compounds. 1-Deoxynojirimycin (alkaloid compound), which is medically valuable as an α-glucosidase inhibitor, is found primarily in the leaves and roots.

Other secondary plant substances contained are stilbenoids, which also include the antioxidant resveratrol, as well as flavonoids with antioxidant properties, such as quercetin, astralagin, rutin and kaempferol.

How healthy is mulberry?

The high proportion of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals make mulberries a very healthy food. The human organism cannot produce many of these substances itself, but needs them for the nervous system, immune system, blood health, digestion, metabolism, skin health and fluid balance, among other things.

Mulberries contain antioxidants such as quercetin and resveratrol. These are substances that slow down oxidation processes in the organism and thus protect the body from certain harmful oxygen compounds (free radicals). If metabolic processes take place in the body that lead to an increased presence of oxidants, this is referred to as oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress is associated with the development of many diseases, such as changes in cell membranes, proteins and enzymes. Due to possible damage to the genetic material, the possible development of cancer is linked to oxidative stress. It also appears to be involved in the aging process.

Changes to cells can also cause damage to blood vessels, which has a negative effect on blood circulation. Antioxidants are said to have a protective effect against heart attacks, strokes and hardening of the arteries, as well as counteract the development of cancer.

The diverse ingredients of the mulberry tree are contained in varying amounts in all parts of the plant and offer a wide range of effects. Tried-and-tested uses in the form of teas are widespread. (Image: dmitry-bukhantsov/unsplash/own editing heilpraxis.de)

Mulberries – Medicinal Effects

Mulberries have a wide spectrum of effects due to the diverse ingredients in different compositions in the species and parts of the plant.

In addition to the antioxidant properties, the 2022 review also lists anti-inflammatory effects. These effects are said to help against diseases such as cancer, nerve damage, obesity, diabetes and memory loss. Anti-aging effects and protective effects for the liver and kidneys as well as effects against bacteria and viruses are also known.

Another pharmacological review (2016) also listed a wide variety of medical effects of the substances contained in mulberries (white mulberries): Flavonoids, the main components of the leaves, showed antioxidant, cytotoxic and anti-diabetic effects, as well as effects against microbes, arteriosclerosis and obesity. Heart health should also be promoted.

The anthocyanins and alkaloids in the fruits also have an antioxidant effect, against diabetes, obesity and arteriosclerosis. In addition, there are said to be protective effects for the liver.

Ingredients of the root bark, especially flavonoids, alkaloids and stilbenoids, have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties and have a skin-lightening effect.

Other effects described include effects against asthma and depression as well as strengthening the immune system.

However, further studies are needed in order to use the potential effects of the Morus ingredients in herbal medicines in the future.

Effects against diabetes

Various studies have examined the antidiabetic effects of Morus, focusing, among other things, on the effects of the alkaloid compounds it contains, such as 1-deoxynojirimycin, and the flavoniodes (e.g. rutin and quercetin). Promising mechanisms of action against postprandial hyperglycemia as well as other good hypoglycemic effects were discovered.

According to a review (2022), mulberry (white mulberry) can lower glucose and insulin levels after eating, but evidence of a safe effect on lowering blood sugar levels is still lacking. Further research is still needed here.

Medical applications

The leaves, which are prepared as tea, have the highest medicinal potential. This tea is drunk as a remedy for irritations of the nervous system such as flickering before the eyes or vertigo, as well as for tinnitus, drowsiness and anxiety / nervous excitement. The tea is also said to help lower blood pressure and promote sleep.

In Asia, a tea made from mulberry tree leaves is traditionally used for colds and fever. It is also said to help with cystitis, urinary tract infections, diabetes and high blood pressure.

The dried fruits are particularly a dietary supplement to provide the body with complete nutrients. The berries are also said to reduce the appetite for sweets and thus help you lose weight. Traditional use also claims to have effects against edema, tooth decay and coughing.

Tea made from the dried fruits is used against inflammation in the mouth and throat. The juice is drunk against fever and to remedy digestive problems.

The mulberry tree bark is boiled as a tea for at least 20 minutes and then used to promote expectoration for coughs, to expel urine and to relieve headaches.

Folk medicine and cultural history

The ancient Greeks saw the fruit as food for the gods; for the Romans, the mulberry trees were a symbol of wisdom. Mulberries have been cultivated in China / East Asia for thousands of years, including in the Mediterranean region in ancient times.

Chinese silk production was long a secret in Central Europe. When it became known that the silkworm produces the raw material and that this moth larva feeds exclusively on the leaves of the mulberries, the trees were introduced together with the caterpillars. In the 18th century, the Prussian King Friedrich I developed systematic silk production in Central Europe and had plantations of white mulberry trees planted.

In Central Europe too, the health effects (which have been known in China for thousands of years) came to the fore at an early stage. Dried mulberries were considered a means of protecting the liver and its function.

Tea made from the fruits and leaves was drunk for fever, coughs and sore throats. During the heat optimum of the High Middle Ages, mulberries thrived in what is now Central Europe. In the following Little Ice Age, which reached its peak in the 16th-18th centuries. By the turn of the century, the area of ​​mulberry cultivation shifted south.

Chinese medicine…