Red mulberry fruit aqueous extract and silk proteins accelerate acute ethanol metabolism and promote the anti‑oxidant enzyme systems in rats.

Abstract

Red mulberry (Morusalba) fruit is rich in anthocyanins, and mulberry leaves are used by silk worms to make silk protein. We determined that the water and ethanol extract of mulberry fruit and silk amino acids accelerated ethanol degradation and suppressed temporal cognitive dysfunction in acute alcohol administered rats. The mechanism was explored in rats with acute oral administration of silk protein and mulberry fruit extracts. Rats were given 0.3g of dextrin (control) and water extract (WMB) and ethanol extract of mulberry (EMB), silk protein hydrolysates (SKA), and a commercial product (positive‑control) based on body weight. After 30min, rats were administered 3g ethanol/kg body weight and serum ethanol and acetaldehyde levels were measured. After 3h movements were measured with a video tracking system and at 5h cognitive function was measured by Ymaze test. WMB contain much higher rutin, luteolin and quercetins than EMB. In SKA rats, serum alcohol concentrations slowly increased until 60min, but were markedly elevated until 120min. However, WMB rats exhibited rapidly increased serum alcohol levels until 60min and showed the lowest peak of serum alcohol levels, indicating the highest degradation of alcohol. The patterns of serum acetaldehyde levels were similar to those of serum ethanol levels but WMB was more effective for reducing serum acetaldehyde levels than serum ethanol levels. WMB was most effective for increasing mRNA expression of alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. WMB and SKA decreased lipid peroxides by increasing activities of SOD and GSH‑Px in the liver and they also reduced pro‑inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor‑α and interleukin‑6. WMB and SKA exerted better anti‑oxidant effects than the positive‑control. WMB containing higher flavonoids reduced pro‑inflammatory cytokines better than SKA. In conclusions, both WMB and SKA might reduce acute alcohol‑induced hangover and liver and brain damage by lowering serum alcohol and acetaldehyde levels.