Mulberry leaf supplementation improves glycemic control but not renal or cardiovascular markers in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine
White mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves have traditionally been used to improve glycemic control in diabetic and prediabetic individuals; however, their effects in hypertension remain insufficiently characterized. This study evaluated the impact of dietary mulberry leaf supplementation on blood biochemical parameters and on renal, cardiac, and vascular outcomes in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In addition, the content of the key bioactive compound 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) was quantified. Male SHRs, aged 4 months (n=10 per group), were assigned to receive either standard rat chow or chow supplemented with ground mulberry leaves (7% w/w; ~4.0 g/kg body weight; 1.46±0.07 mg DNJ/rat/day) for eight weeks. Mulberry leaves contained 1.15±0.01 mg DNJ/g dry weight, as determined by RP-HPLC-DAD. Supplementation significantly reduced glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c: 2.23% vs. 1.98%, p=0.021) and attenuated postprandial glucose elevation during oral glucose tolerance testing (112 vs. 94 mg/dL at 120 min, 0.85-fold; p=0.005). No significant effects were observed on renal, cardiac, or vascular biomarkers, as assessed by ELISA and standard blood analyses. Kidney histology, including vascular thickness and density, was unchanged. Vascular reactivity to acetylcholine and noradrenaline did not differ between groups, and no differences were detected in the isolated perfused heart model. These findings suggest a potential role for Morus alba leaves in dietary strategies targeting glu
Abstract
White mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves have traditionally been used to improve glycemic control in diabetic and prediabetic individuals; however, their effects in hypertension remain insufficiently characterized. This study evaluated the impact of dietary mulberry leaf supplementation on blood biochemical parameters and on renal, cardiac, and vascular outcomes in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In addition, the content of the key bioactive compound 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) was quantified. Male SHRs, aged 4 months (n=10 per group), were assigned to receive either standard rat chow or chow supplemented with ground mulberry leaves (7% w/w; ~4.0 g/kg body weight; 1.46±0.07 mg DNJ/rat/day) for eight weeks. Mulberry leaves contained 1.15±0.01 mg DNJ/g dry weight, as determined by RP-HPLC-DAD. Supplementation significantly reduced glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c: 2.23% vs. 1.98%, p=0.021) and attenuated postprandial glucose elevation during oral glucose tolerance testing (112 vs. 94 mg/dL at 120 min, 0.85-fold; p=0.005). No significant effects were observed on renal, cardiac, or vascular biomarkers, as assessed by ELISA and standard blood analyses. Kidney histology, including vascular thickness and density, was unchanged. Vascular reactivity to acetylcholine and noradrenaline did not differ between groups, and no differences were detected in the isolated perfused heart model. These findings suggest a potential role for Morus alba leaves in dietary strategies targeting glucose regulation in hypertension and underscore the need for longer-term and translational investigations.