Abstract
Depending on the extraction method, numerous compounds that have specific pharmacological effects can be obtained from M. alba L. There is a growing scientific interest in health problems related to aging. Efforts to develop safe immune-enhancing pharmaceuticals are increasing. This review aims to summarize and critically discuss the immunity enhancement effects and pharmaceutical efficacy of M. alba L. extracts. The scientific database search was conducted using Google Scholar, Web of Science, and PubMed until May 2021. Additional articles were identified and obtained from references in the retrieved articles. Ethanol or methanol extraction of various parts of M. alba L. identified a large amount of phenols and flavonoids, which are effective for immunosuppression, antioxidants, and cardiovascular diseases, and are antibacterial, and anticancer. Water extraction of M. alba L. enhanced the innate immune response based on immune cell activation. A polysaccharide and an alkaloid related to increased macrophage activity were isolated from M. alba L. fruit extracts. M. alba L. fruit water extracts primarily induced the production of pro-inflammatory substances, in model organisms, via TLR4 in immune cells. Water extracts have been shown to be effective in pathogen defense and tumor suppression by enhancing macrophage activity. Based on our literature review on the bioactivity of M. alba L. fruit extracts, particularly in relation to their immunity enhancement activity, we anticipate that M. alba-derived pharmaceuticals will have excellent potential in future medical research.
Highlights
The individual fruit of the mulberry is small and round, with several fruits grouped together to form a single long oval-shaped panicle
The results were equivalent to those reported in the P. ginseng experiment and were effective at the same concentrations as those in products that are marketed for immuneenhancing abilities. These results suggest that M. alba may be a suitable substitute for ginseng, which currently monopolizes the immunostimulant market
The effects of ingesting M. alba fruits were examined in health risk tests on adult humans and the results showed that there were no significant carcinogenic risks associated with consumption of M. alba fruits
Summary
The individual fruit of the mulberry is small and round, with several fruits grouped together to form a single long oval-shaped panicle. Various parts of M. alba, including the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits, have long been used in China, Japan, and Korea as herbal medicines due to their pharmacological effects [18,19,20,21]. In one study on immune activity, the phytochemicals in dried and crushed M. alba tissues were extracted using hot water, producing a yield of approximately 25–30% [25,129]. Hot water extracts of M. alba fruits play an important role in immunity-stimulating activities in the human body. The fruits of M. alba have been found to induce the highest immune-stimulating effect Foods 2021, 10, x FOcRomPEpEaRrRedEVtIoEWother plant parts. No systematic studies have been conducted on how immunity stimu activity effects on model organisms may change in relation to the extract source in of fruit maturity. Shin et al [7] reported that an M. alba polysaccharide can be used as an adjuvant in dendritic cell-based cancer immunotherapy, as it induces phenotypic maturation of dendritic cells [7]
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