Phytochemical analysis and antidiabetic efficacy of Morus rubra

Abstract

Morus rubra (red mulberry) is a folk medicine used in management of diabetes. The aim of this article to investigate the antidiabetic activity of hydro alcoholic leaf extracts of Morus rubra in the sprague dawley male rats (SD) model. Authentication of plant material, total Phenolic contents, total flavonoid contents, HPLC analysis, in-vitro antioxidant activity, acute toxicity, in-vivo oral glucose tolerance test, in-vivo STZ induced antidiabetic activity along with biochemical parameters (triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, serum glutamate phosphotransferase, serum glutamate oxaloacetic acid transferase, urea and creatinine). The total phenolic contents 60.32 ​± ​0.80 ​mg/g GAE (gallic acid equivalent) were found higher in ethanolic extract. The total flavonoids 16 ​± ​0.42 ​mg/g QE (quercetin equivalent) were found in petroleum ether extract. M. rubra leaf extracts were tested by HPLC for qualitative and quantitative analysis. 100 ​mg of the dried powder of Morus leaves was dissolve in methanol: water (80:20, v/v) for analysis. Chromatograms of HPLC show the presence of chlorogenic acid 0.55 mg/gm, quercetin 1.90 ​mg/g, isoquercetin 0.68 mg/gm and rutin 0.10 mg/gm. IC50 (Inhibitory concentration) value has been found higher in chloroform extract (92.89 ​μg/ml). Metformin drug is used for positive control, which causes 14.6% improvement in glucose tolerance while M. rubra has been found 11.4. % at the dose of 300 ​mg/kg body wt in normal rats. In STZ treated diabetic rats, it reduces 13.0% blood glucose level while metformin reduces 21.9% up to dosing level of 300 ​mg/kg body wt. It produces reduction in biochemical parameters like, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), SGPT, LDL, urea, creatinine and SGOT while HDL has been increased. Results show the hydro-alcoholic leaves extract of Morus rubra exhibited antidiabetic, antioxidant and hypolipidemic properties. This suggests that M. rubra has great potential to develop novel antidiabetic drug to manage this disastrous disease.