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This study investigated the effect of high-pressure enzymatic treatment (HPET) on the quality characteristics such as soluble solid content, yield, flavonoid content, and phenolic acid content of mulberry fruits. Of particular note, first, the quality characteristics of the mulberry fruits were most significantly improved under the high-pressure treatment with mixture of Pectinex Be XXL and Ultra color. Second, in the flavonoids, a decrease in rutin content and increases in hyperoside and quercetin contents were confirmed by HPET, which may be the result of the two-step deglycosylation of rutin by pectinase activity. Finally, the extraction yield of mulberry fruits was maintained during HPET 0–36 h, and its bioactive compound profile was variously changed. Therefore, this study provided new clues as to how the HPET may promote changes in the extraction yield and bioactive substance profile of mulberry fruits and suggest the potential for use of natural materials based on mulberry fruit extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mulberry fruit is edible and medicinal, and it is commonly referred to as the "best health product of the 21st century". The purpose of this study was to find out whether different drying methods affect the quality of mulberry fruits and the main nature of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) they contain. This study used vacuum freeze-drying (VFD), vacuum drying (VD), sun drying (SD), hot-air drying (HAD), and microwave drying (MD) to treat fresh mulberry fruits. Gas-phase ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) was used to detect and analyze the VOCs in mulberry fruit samples treated with the different drying methods. There were 47 VOCs detected, with aldehydes and alcohols dominating. The obtained data were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), nearest neighbor fingerprint analysis, and partial least-squares regression analysis (PLS-DA). The conclusion was drawn that fresh mulberry fruits contain abundant VOCs, and mulberry fruits after VD contain many aldehydes; thus, VD promoted the synthesis of phellandrene and other compounds widely used in the preparation of cosmetics such as perfume and soap. HAD promoted the synthesis of esters commonly used in the preparation of fruit flavor and wine essence. The higher (E)-2-heptenal content with SD was conducive to the Maillard reaction. MD promoted the synthesis of heptanal and valeraldehyde with aroma characteristics such as fatty, green, fruity, grassy, and floral. According to the VIP results, VOCs (E)-2-heptenal, pentanal D, cyclohexanone, and 2-hexanone D influenced the VOCs in most of the mulberry fruit samples. The findings of this study provide an important reference for drying mulberry fruits, which, in turn, will help to ensure the safety and effectiveness of processed mulberry fruit products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food & Fermentation Industries is the property of Food & Fermentation Industries and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences between mulberry wine and mulberry fruit in terms of the phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of phenolic compounds in mulberry fruit, dry wine and liqueur were performed with HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. It was found that, anthocyanin-3-glucoside and anthocyanin-3-rutinoside were detected in mulberry fruit, dry wine and liqueur. Pelargonidin-3-rutinoside and 4-pyruvate-anthocyanidin-3-glucoside were detected only in mulberry dry wine and liqueur. The content of anthocyanin-3-glucoside and anthocyanin-3-rutinoside in both mulberry dry wine and mulberry liqueur was significantly lower than that in mulberry fruit. In addition, of the eight non-anthocyanidin phenolic compounds identified in mulberry fruit, only four were present in dry wine and liqueur. Compared to the mulberry fruit, mulberry dry wine and liqueur showed significantly higher contents of protocatechin, taxfolin and quercetin. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity of mulberry fruit was between mulberry dry wine and liqueur. In conclusion, there are significant differences between phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities in mulberry fruit and mulberry wine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing recognition of mulberries as a potent source of bioactive and nutritional compounds, coupled with their increasing global consumption, underscores the need for efficient off-season cultivation. This study explores the influence of both in-season and off-season cultivation on the yield, bioactive components, and antioxidant activity of 'Taiwan Changguosang' (Morus laevigata Wall.) in a greenhouse setting. Despite the lower fruit yield during the off-season, the off-season fruit exhibits higher levels of bioactive compounds, including total anthocyanins, polyphenols, and flavonoids compared to its in-season counterpart. Additionally, the off-season fruit demonstrates enhanced DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging and FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant power), attributed to climatic conditions during fruit development, particularly air temperature and solar radiation. Moreover, the off-season fruit proves to be more palatable, showcasing a favorable balance between sugar and acid. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis revealed a close association between antioxidant activity and the chemical contents of total polyphenols and flavonoids. This study underscores the feasibility and benefits of off-season cultivation for enhancing the nutritional profile and antioxidant potential of mulberries, providing valuable insights for optimizing cultivation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mulberry fruit is edible and medicinal, and it is commonly referred to as the “best health product of the 21st century”. The purpose of this study was to find out whether different drying methods affect the quality of mulberry fruits and the main nature of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) they contain. This study used vacuum freeze-drying (VFD), vacuum drying (VD), sun drying (SD), hot-air drying (HAD), and microwave drying (MD) to treat fresh mulberry fruits. Gas-phase ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) was used to detect and analyze the VOCs in mulberry fruit samples treated with the different drying methods. There were 47 VOCs detected, with aldehydes and alcohols dominating. The obtained data were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), nearest neighbor fingerprint analysis, and partial least-squares regression analysis (PLS-DA). The conclusion was drawn that fresh mulberry fruits contain abundant VOCs, and mulberry fruits after VD contain many aldehydes; thus, VD promoted the synthesis of phellandrene and other compounds widely used in the preparation of cosmetics such as perfume and soap. HAD promoted the synthesis of esters commonly used in the preparation of fruit flavor and wine essence. The higher (E)-2-heptenal content with SD was conducive to the Maillard reaction. MD promoted the synthesis of heptanal and valeraldehyde with aroma characteristics such as fatty, green, fruity, grassy, and floral. According to the VIP results, VOCs (E)-2-heptenal, pentanal D, cyclohexanone, and 2-hexanone D influenced the VOCs in most of the mulberry fruit samples. The findings of this study provide an important reference for drying mulberry fruits, which, in turn, will help to ensure the safety and effectiveness of processed mulberry fruit products.

The present study aims to evaluate the quality of chemical, sensory properties and antioxidant potential of mulberry wine using selenium-enriched yeasts employing eight different methods (MW1–MW8). The selenium-enriched yeast significantly (p < 0.05) increased phytochemical profiles, flavor, quality and antioxidant capacity. The most effective method for raising the selenium level of mulberry wine was using L-seMC (MW5). Mulberry wine color was attributed to the anthocyanins and phytochemical composition with selenium content. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity varied with change in treatment methods suggesting their impact on antioxidant activity. Total selenium content on L-SeMC supplementation proved a significant correlation between selenium content with total anthocyanin content, total polyphenol content and flavonoid content. Sensory analysis by electronic nose exhibited MW2 with high response value in the W2S sensor showing high alcohol concentration. GC–MS analysis showed the presence of 57 volatile aromatic compounds comprehended by esters and alcohol (isoamyl alcohol, 2-methylbutanol, 2,3-butanediol, and phenethyl alcohol). Principal component analysis affirms the response values for four categorical score values with reliability and consistency for all the parameters, significantly. Thus, the workflow demonstrates a simpler, cost-effective traditional methodology for rationalized outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to evaluate the performance of eight elite fruit yielding mulberry genotypes for propagation and growth parameters. The results revealed that, genotype MI-0014 was found to be vigorous as it took less number of days (5.18) for sprouting, higher sprouting percentage (82.22), more leaves per sapling (9.07) at ninety days after planting and a higher survival percentage of 79.02. The genotype ME-0006 recorded longest shoot length (28.74 cm) and root length (13.61 cm) at ninety days after planting. Growth parameters indicated that, at sixty days after pruning, genotype ME-0006 recorded higher shoot length (130.49 cm) and single-leaf area (216.85 cm2). Whereas, the genotype MI-0014 recorded shorter internodal distance (4.58 cm) and more leaves per plant (181.33). While more branches per plant (13.23) were recorded in ME-0220 genotype. Based on the performance, two elite fruit yielding genotypes viz., MI-0014 (M-5) and ME-0006 (M. multicaulis) showed superiority in both propagation and growth parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food Research & Development is the property of Food Research & Development Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract The prevalence of dementia is increasing, and most of the causes are related to neuronal cell death. Unfortunately, no effective strategy is available for protecting against this condition. Based on the use of the synergistic concept together with the positive modulation effect of both mulberry fruit and mulberry leaf on dementia, we hypothesized that the combined extract of mulberry fruit and mulberry leaf (MFML) should mitigate neuronal cell death. Neuronal cell damage was induced in SH-SY5Y cells by exposure to hydrogen peroxide at a dose of 200 μM. SH-SY5Y cells were given MFML at doses of 62.5 and 125 μg/mL before induced cytotoxicity. Then, the cell viability was determined via MTT assay, and the possible underlying mechanisms were investigated via the alterations of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), malondialdehyde (MDA), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), together with apoptotic factors including (B-cell lymphoma 2) BCL2, Casapase-3 and Caspase-9. The results showed that MFML significantly enhanced cell viability. It also significantly decreased MDA level, NF-κB, TNF-α, Casapase-3, Caspase-9, but increased SOD, GSH-Px and BCL2. These data demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of MFML. The possible underlying mechanisms might occur partly via the improvement of the inappropriate apoptotic mechanisms via BCL2, Casapase-3 and Caspase-9 together with the decrease in neurodegeneration induced by the reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress. In conclusion, MFML is a potential neuroprotectant candidate against neuronal cell injury. However, toxicity, animal studies, and clinical trials are essential to confirm these benefits.

The fruit of Morus alba L. (MAF) has been consumed as a food worldwide. MAF has also been widely used in traditional medicine for thousands of years in East Asia, and its diverse bioactivities have been reported in numerous publications. However, no prokinetic activity has been reported for MAF or its components. In the present study, therefore, we investigated the effects of MAF on gastrointestinal motor function by measuring the intestinal transit rate (ITR) of Evans blue in mice in vivo. The ITR values accelerated by MAF were significantly higher than those accelerated by cisapride or metoclopramide, suggesting that MAF has potential as a new prokinetic agent to replace cisapride and metoclopramide. We also investigated the effects of MAF on myogenic and neurogenic contractions in human intestinal smooth muscles by measuring spontaneous contractions of smooth muscle strips, smooth muscle contractions induced by neural stimulation, and migrating motor complexes from intestinal segments in the human ileum and sigmoid colon in situ. MAF increased both myogenic and neurogenic contractions to enhance ileal and colonic motility in the human intestine. Taken together, these results indicate that MAF enhanced intestinal motility by increasing both myogenic and neurogenic contractions, thereby accelerating the ITR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of dementia is increasing, and most of the causes are related to neuronal cell death. Unfortunately, no effective strategy is available for protecting against this condition. Based on the use of the synergistic concept together with the positive modulation effect of both mulberry fruit and mulberry leaf on dementia, we hypothesized that the combined extract of mulberry fruit and mulberry leaf (MFML) should mitigate neuronal cell death. Neuronal cell damage was induced in SH-SY5Y cells by exposure to hydrogen peroxide at a dose of 200 μM. SH-SY5Y cells were given MFML at doses of 62.5 and 125 μg/mL before induced cytotoxicity. Then, the cell viability was determined via MTT assay, and the possible underlying mechanisms were investigated via the alterations of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), malondialdehyde (MDA), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), together with apoptotic factors including (B-cell lymphoma 2) BCL2, Casapase-3 and Caspase-9. The results showed that MFML significantly enhanced cell viability. It also significantly decreased MDA level, NF-κB, TNF-α, Casapase-3, Caspase-9, but increased SOD, GSH-Px and BCL2. These data demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of MFML. The possible underlying mechanisms might occur partly via the improvement of the inappropriate apoptotic mechanisms via BCL2, Casapase-3 and Caspase-9 together with the decrease in neurodegeneration induced by the reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress. In conclusion, MFML is a potential neuroprotectant candidate against neuronal cell injury. However, toxicity, animal studies, and clinical trials are essential to confirm these benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the main chronic diseases severely threatening human health, of which type 2 DM (T2DM) is the most common type. Traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in the treatment of T2DM. Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is a medicinal and edible plant that is well known for its rich nutrition and medicinal values. The medicinal parts of mulberry include leaf, twig, root bark, and fruit, all of which have remarkable hypoglycemic effects. In this paper, the extracts and compounds with hypoglycemic effects from four medicinal parts of mulberry are reviewed. It is found that the hypoglycemic compounds in mulberry are mainly flavonoids, polysaccharides, alkaloids, stilbenes, and Diels-Alder compounds. Their mechanisms of action are mainly related to the regulation of lipid profiles and glucose metabolism, protection of pancreatic β-cells, promotion of insulin secretion, antioxidation, inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B and α-glycosidase activities. In addition, mulberry treatment could change intestinal microbiota of mice, which are associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. This review provides reference for further research and development of different medicinal parts of mulberry for the treatment of DM.

Being rich in anthocyanin is one of the most important physiological traits of mulberry fruits. Efficient and non-destructive detection of anthocyanin content and distribution in fruits is important for the breeding, cultivation, harvesting and selling of them. This study aims at building a fast, non-destructive, and highprecision method for detecting and visualizing anthocyanin content of mulberry fruit by using hyperspectral imaging. Visible near-infrared hyperspectral images of the fruits of two varieties at three maturity stages are collected. Successive projections algorithm (SPA), competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and stacked auto-encoder (SAE) are used to reduce the dimension of highdimensional hyperspectral data. The least squares-support vector machine and extreme learning machine (ELM) are used to build models for predicting the anthocyanin content of mulberry fruit. And genetic algorithm (GA) is used to optimize the major parameters of models. The results show that the higher the anthocyanin content is, the lower the spectral reflectance is. 15, 7 and 13 characteristic variables are extracted by applying CARS, SPA and SAE respectively. The model based on SAE-GA-ELM achieved the best performance with R2 of 0.97 and the RMSE of 0.22 mg/g in both the training set and testing set, and it is applied to retrieve the distribution of anthocyanin content in mulberry fruits. By applying SAE-GA-ELM model to each pixel of the mulberry fruit images, distribution maps are created to visualize the changes in anthocyanin content of mulberry fruits at three maturity stages. The overall results indicate that hyperspectral imaging, in combination with SAE-GA-ELM, can help achieve rapid, non-destructive and high-precision detection and visualization of anthocyanin content in mulberry fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Asia, mulberry has long been used to treat various infectious and internal ailments as a traditional medication. The compounds found in it have the potential to improve human health. Because there is no approved and defined evaluation procedure, it has not been formally or scientifically recognized. As a result of these investigations, a new frontier in traditional Chinese medicine has opened up, with the possibility of modernization, for the interaction between active components of mulberry and their biological activities. These studies have used current biotechnological technologies. For ages, mulberry has been used as an herbal remedy in Asia to cure various diseases and internal disorders. It has a high concentration of bioactive chemicals that benefit human health. The most abundant phenolic components extracted from white mulberry leaves are flavonoids (Kuwanons, Moracinflavans, Moragrols, and Morkotins), phenolic acids, alkaloids, and so forth. Flavonoids, benzofurans, chalcones, and alkaloids have been discovered to have cytotoxic effects on human cancer cell lines. There is growing evidence that mulberry fruits can potentially prevent cancer and other aging‐related disorders due to their high concentration of bioactive polyphenolic‐rich compounds and macro and micronutrients. Anthocyanins are rapidly absorbed after eating, arriving in the plasmalemma within 15–50 min and entirely removed after 6–8 hr. Due to a lack of an approved and consistent technique for its examination, it has yet to be formally or scientifically recognized. The mulberry plant is commercially grown for silkworm rearing, and less attention is paid to its bioactive molecules, which have a lot of applications in human health. This review paper discusses the phenolic compounds of white mulberry and black mulberry in detail concerning their role in cancer prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study was conducted during the year 2020 at the Food Technology Section of Postharvest Research Centre, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan on the value addition of short seasoned indigenous fruit for the development of black mulberry RTS drink. The nutritional quality and effect of storage on the keeping quality of drink was evaluated. Drinks were developed by using different percentage of pulp in final ceipe, filtered, pasteurized and filled in glass bottles. The physicochemical characteristics of the drinks during shelf life were studied. Four drinks with different mulberry fruit juice percentage were prepared and stored them at ambient temperature. The total soluble solids were found to be 13.03, 13.60, 13.86 and 14.20 ?Brix in T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. During the three months storage periods TSS was reached up to 14.06, 14.13, 14.16 and 14.63 for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. Reducing and total sugars % were increased and observed in the range of (7.20-7.47%), (7.65-7.89%), (7.75-7.89%), (8.26-9.25%) and (12.52-12.68%), (13.20-13.69%), (13.68-14.98%), (14.52-15.4%) for T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively. Non-reducing sugar percent was observed to be reduced from 5.32 to 5.21%, 5.89 to 5.63%, 6.23-6.11% and 6.26 to 6.20% for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively during three month storage period. Sensory evaluation showed all the treatments acceptable but highest scores for color, flavour, taste and overall acceptability were perceived in case of T4 with 25% fruit pulp at the end of storage period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosynthesis of metal-oxide nanoparticles using plant extracts has been attracting increasing interest. In this study, we focused on the green synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials using zinc acetate as a precursor and mulberry fruit extract as a green reducing agent and determined the antioxidant activity. Powder X-ray diffraction and UV-Vis and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FT-IR) spectroscopy were used for structure elucidation and to determine the crystallinity of the synthesized product. The morphology of samples was determined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Our results indicated the successful synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles. SEM findings revealed the nanoparticles to be spherical; they were found to agglomerate and showed a narrow space between particles, which could be indicative of improved activity. The antioxidant activity of ZnO nanoparticles was determined using a 2,2-Diphenyl-1-Picryl-Hydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging assay taking into account time and concentration. Our results indicated that ZnO nanoparticles with mulberry fruit extract that were synthesized using green chemistry could effectively scavenge the free DPPH radicals, thereby confirming their superior antioxidant activity.

Nan province, the biggest cultivation area of fresh mulberry fruit in Thailand is located in four districts: Chaloem Phra Kiat, Bor Klua, Tha Wang Pha, and Wiang Sa. The production yield of mulberry is about 848.6 kg/acre/year; however, it is mostly sold as frozen product. The Queen Sirikit Department of Sericulture intends to develop a new marketing channel for fresh mulberry fruit. The present study was to explore the current situation of mulberry fruit supply chain management in Nan province and to propose a new supply chain model for fresh mulberry. To gather information about supply chain management, the supply chain operation reference (SCOR) model was utilized to investigate four members of the mulberry supply chains, including growers, primary middlemen, secondary middlemen, and customers. The SCOR model possibly identifies critical points in the current supply chain and five obstacles in the distribution of fresh mulberries that are improperly handled, affecting market channels and product quality due to a lack of suitable knowledge and technology for postharvest handling. Active packaging technology of fresh mulberries from a previous study was introduced to design a new supply chain model, and it was found that this technology could extend the product’s shelf life and preserve its freshness. Although the cost of the active packaging technology leads to a much higher cost on the newly developed supply chain compared to that of the traditional supply chain, the developed model could enhance new market channels, including selling prices, and provide growers with more benefits than the traditional supply chain.

Research background. Anthocyanins possess valuable health-promoting activities with significant health benefits for humans. However, their instability is a limiting factor for their usage in functional foods and beverages. Experimental approach. In this work, a new method to enhance the stability of anthocyanins from mulberry fruit through acylation by using succinic acid as a selected acyl donor was explored. The Box-Behnken design of response surface methodology was applied to determine the optimized conditions for the acylation process. Results and conclusions. The highest acylation conversion rate was 79.04% at anthocyanins to succinic acid mass ratio 1:8.96, acylation duration 3 h and temperature 50 °C. Structural analysis of acylated anthocyanins revealed that succinic acid introduces a C-O-C bond and a hydroxyl group. The thermostability and light stability of mulberry anthocyanins were significantly improved after acylation, and the antioxidant activity expressed as total reducing power and Fe2+-chelating capacity of the acylated anthocyanins was also enhanced. Novelty and scientific contribution. Succinic acid acylation provides a novel method for stabilizing mulberry anthocyanins, as evidenced by the increased stability and antioxidant ability of anthocyanins, and thus facilitates its use in the food and nutraceutical industries.

To understand the yield and quality of off-season mulberry fruits, which are cultivated in open fields from autumn, the biological characteristics, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activities of them were analyzed. Compared with mulberry fruits in normal season, the fruit length, fruit diameter, single fruit weight, fruit yield per meter strip, and the fruits yield per 667m² are significantly lower. The moisture content and juice yield of off-season mulberry fruits are lower than the mulberry fruits in normal season; the pH and soluble solids are higher. The contents of mass fraction of crude protein, total sugar, reducing sugar, total acids, total anthocyanins, and total flavonoids decreased significantly in all batches of off-season mulberry fruits compared with those of normal season. Of off-season mulberry fruits, the contents of glucose, fructose and sucrose, expression, anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, and antioxidant capacity are significantly lower than those in normal season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】The content of α-tocopherol in 32 main mulberry varieties in Southwest China was determined and analyzed, and the materials with high α-tocopherol content were screened out, which provided excellent materials for the breeding of mulberry varieties with high tocopherol content and laid the material foundation.【Method】 The α-tocopherol content in mulberry leaves and mulberry fruits were determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography（HPLC）. HPLC was performed on C18 chromatographic column（250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm） with gradient elution of pure methanol（A） and ultrapure water（B） as mobile phase. The sample volume was 10 μL, the flow rate was 1 mL/min, the column temperature was 20 ℃, the sample removal time was 35 min, and the detection wavelength was 294 nm. SPSS 23.0 statistical software was used for descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA analysis, Duncan multiple comparison and systematic cluster analysis. 【Result】 The α-tocopherol content in 32 mulberry leaves ranged from 13.44 to 64.14 μg/g, with the average content of 32.78 μg/g. The α-tocopherol content in 13 mulberry fruits ranged from 0.48 to 13.1 μg/g, the average content was only 5.48 μg/g, The average of α-tocopherol content in mulberry leaves was 5.98 times that in mulberry fruits. The variety with the highest content in leaves was ‘Nongsang 2’, which was 64.14 μg/g; The lowest variety was ‘Husang 14’, only 13.44 μg/g. From the perspective of mulberry family, the average content of α-tocopherol in leaves of Morus multicaulis ranged from 12.91 to 64.52 μg/g, with the average of 34.88 μg/g, and the average content of α-tocopherol in leaves of M.bombyilis and M.alba was 30.58, 31.51 μg/g, respectively. According to the content of α-tocopherol, the 32 mulberry leaf resources could be classified into three categories: Medium content, low content and high content. 【Conclusion】 Five varieties with high α-tocopherol content, including Nongsang 2, Yu 2, Leshan Honghua sang, Nongsang 8 and Heye Bai were identified, and 23 varieties with medium content and 4 varieties with low content of α-tocopherol were identified. This study provided a theoretical basis and technical support for the exploitation and utilization of mulberry resources and quality improvement and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is a climacteric and highly perishable fruit. Ethylene has been considered to be an important trigger of fruit ripening process. However, the role of ethylene in the mulberry fruit ripening process remains unclear. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of metabolomic and transcriptomic data of mulberry fruit and the physiological changes accompanying the fruit ripening process. Our study revealed that changes in the accumulation of specific metabolites at different stages of fruit development and ripening were closely correlated to transcriptional changes as well as underlying physiological changes and the development of taste biomolecules. The ripening of mulberry fruits was highly associated with the production of endogenous ethylene, and further application of exogenous ethylene assisted the ripening process. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that differential expression of diverse ripening-related genes was involved in sugar metabolism, anthocyanin biosynthesis, and cell wall modification pathways. Network analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics data revealed that many transcription factors and ripening-related genes were involved, among which ethylene-responsive transcription factor 3 (MaERF3) plays a crucial role in the ripening process. The role of MaERF3 in ripening was experimentally proven in a transient overexpression assay in apples. Our study indicates that ethylene plays a vital role in modulating mulberry fruit ripening. The results provide a basis for guiding the genetic manipulation of mulberry fruits towards sustainable agricultural practices and improve post-harvest management, potentially enhancing the quality and shelf life of mulberry fruits for sustainable agriculture and forestry. • Late stage of mulberry fruit ripening witnessed ethylene accumulation and physiological changes. • Late stage fruit ripening-specific differentially expressed genes and associated metabolic pathways highlighted. • Transcriptome and metabolome data interconnects ethylene signaling and mulberry fruit ripening. • M a ER F3 are important for ripening process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mulberry fruit is prized for its superior nutrition value and abundant color due to its high flavone content. To enhance comprehension of flavone biogenesis induced by external hormones, we sprayed exogenous ethylene (ETH), indoleacetic acid (IAA) and spermine (SPM) on mulberry fruit (Hongguo 2) during its color-changed period. The levels of anthocyanin, titratable acid, soluble sugar and endogenous hormones were determined after hormone treatment, integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis were performed for mechanism exploration. Our results indicated that exogenous ETH, SPM, and IAA play important roles in mulberry ripening, including acid reduction, sugar increase and flavonoid synthesis. • Exogenous SPM, ETH, and IAA could promote sugar accumulation and acid decrease in Hongguo2. • Combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis showed SPM, ETH and IAA treatment most impacted anthocyanin biogenesis in Hongguo2 during turning stage. • Exogenous SPM, IAA and ETH could promote quercetin accumulation rather than kaempferol accumulation in Hongguo2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated thirteen different black mulberry fruits (Morus nigra L.) grown in the Guangdong region in order to select the best cultivar for health benefits and commercial applications. The phenolic compounds were identified and quantified using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by three in vitro methods. Significant differences among samples were found regarding total soluble solids (6.20–15.83 °Brix), titratable acidity (5.82–48.49 mg CA/g), total phenolic contents (10.82–27.29 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid contents (1.21–2.86 mg RE/g) and total anthocyanin contents (2.91–11.86 mg CE/g). Fifty-five different phenolic compounds were identified, of which fifteen were reported in mulberry for the first time, but only forty-six of them were quantitated. The DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity and ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power varied significantly among the samples. Overall, cultivars with better combinations of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity were Qiong46 (M-2), Yuebanguo (M-4) and Heizhenzhu (M-10), which were recommended for commercial cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruit is a fruit with nutritional and medicinal value. It is widely cultivated in different regions of China, which may result in differences in its chemical composition. In this research, 25 mulberry fruit samples from six provinces in China were investigated. The contents of anthocyanins were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The contents of two main anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside (C3R), ranged from 0.656 ± 0.006 mg/g to 4.367 ± 0.243 mg/g and from 0.226 ± 0.007 mg/g to 1.649 ± 0.013 mg/g, respectively. Additionally, the contents of total phenolic, total flavonoid, vitamin C, titratable acids, reducing sugars and antioxidant capacity (FRAP, DPPH, scavenging and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity) were also assessed. The results and principal component analysis showed that the Zhongsang 5801 variety from Sichuan, Dechang had the greatest health value with the highest active compound contents. Based on our analysis, the variety from Sichuan, Dechang is a high-quality plant source for mulberry fruit cultivation. This research provides a basis for the rational development and utilization of mulberry fruit resources in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosynthesis of metal-oxide nanoparticles using plant extracts has been attracting increasing interest. In this study, we focused on the green synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials using zinc acetate as a precursor and mulberry fruit extract as a green reducing agent and determined the antioxidant activity. Powder X-ray diffraction and UV-Vis and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FT-IR) spectroscopy were used for structure elucidation and to determine the crystallinity of the synthesized product. The morphology of samples was determined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Our results indicated the successful synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles. SEM findings revealed the nanoparticles to be spherical; they were found to agglomerate and showed a narrow space between particles, which could be indicative of improved activity. The antioxidant activity of ZnO nanoparticles was determined using a 2,2-Diphenyl-1-Picryl-Hydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging assay taking into account time and concentration. Our results indicated that ZnO nanoparticles with mulberry fruit extract that were synthesized using green chemistry could effectively scavenge the free DPPH radicals, thereby confirming their superior antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) has attracted much attention due to its high biological activity, which have favorable anti-diabetic, anti-tumor, and anti-virus effects. In order to explore the effects of maturity, variety, and growth area on the DNJ concentration of mulberry fruit, we examined 146 varieties in this study. First, to explore the influence of maturity, we determined the concentration of DNJ from M. atropurpurea Roxb. and M.wittiorum var. mawa Koidz at different stages of maturity using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). On this basis, we next determined the DNJ concentration from 146 mulberry fruits to investigate the effect of variety and growth area, also by HPLC. Our results showed that DNJ existed mainly in the young tissues of mulberry fruit (MS-I). As the mulberry fruit matured, the concentration of DNJ decreased. The DNJ concentrations of 0.005 ~ 0.138 mg/g of fruit weight (FW) accounted for 97.28% of the 146 mulberry fruit varieties. The variety had a significant effect on the DNJ concentration of mulberry fruit, but plant origin did not. Among the varieties, M. atropurpurea Roxb planted in Guangdong had up to 0.1716 ± 0 mg/g FW. This work provides new strategies for the study of DNJ and advances our basic knowledge about DNJ in mulberry fruits.

Nan province, the biggest cultivation area of fresh mulberry fruit in Thailand is located in four districts: Chaloem Phra Kiat, Bor Klua, Tha Wang Pha, and Wiang Sa. The production yield of mulberry is about 848.6 kg/acre/year; however, it is mostly sold as frozen product. The Queen Sirikit Department of Sericulture intends to develop a new marketing channel for fresh mulberry fruit. The present study was to explore the current situation of mulberry fruit supply chain management in Nan province and to propose a new supply chain model for fresh mulberry. To gather information about supply chain management, the supply chain operation reference (SCOR) model was utilized to investigate four members of the mulberry supply chains, including growers, primary middlemen, secondary middlemen, and customers. The SCOR model possibly identifies critical points in the current supply chain and five obstacles in the distribution of fresh mulberries that are improperly handled, affecting market channels and product quality due to a lack of suitable knowledge and technology for postharvest handling. Active packaging technology of fresh mulberries from a previous study was introduced to design a new supply chain model, and it was found that this technology could extend the product’s shelf life and preserve its freshness. Although the cost of the active packaging technology leads to a much higher cost on the newly developed supply chain compared to that of the traditional supply chain, the developed model could enhance new market channels, including selling prices, and provide growers with more benefits than the traditional supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Morus alba L. fruits are consumed since long for their nutritional and medicinal values. Although there were studies on the neuroprotective activity of the fruit extract, safety profile of the fruit extract is not yet explored as per the recommended standard guidelines over the central nervous system (CNS). The present work was aimed to assess the neurotoxicity profile of chemically characterized extract of M. alba L. fruits (MA) using validated OECD guidelines, i.e., 425 and 424 in rodents. Results Neurobehavioural parameters were examined for motor, sensory and behavioural responses using actophotometer, hot plate and light and dark box test, respectively as per OECD 424. Interestingly, no sign of mortality and/or adversity on mice treated per-orally with MA (2000 mg/kg) was observed during the limit test as per OECD 425. Further, rats treated with MA (1000, 300 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) for 28 days, showed insignificant (p < 0.05) changes in body weight, food consumption, neurobehavioural responses, organ weights and biochemical, haematological and histopathological features when compared with vehicle-treated animals. Conclusion The outcome of findings suggests that MA is safe in acute oral as well as sub-chronic (28 days) administration in mice and rats respectively. MA (1000 mg/kg) did not pose any toxic sign and symptoms on neurobehavioural responses in rats even after 28 days repeated treatment in compliance with OECD 424.

Abstract Background To gain a better understanding of anthocyanin biosynthesis in mulberry fruit, we analyzed the transcriptome of the mulberry varieties Da 10 (Morus atropurpurea Roxb., black fruit) and Baisang (Morus alba L., white fruit). Results We found that whereas Da 10 had high levels of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside (Cy), and pelargonidin 3-O-glucoside (Pg), Baisang contained only Cy, at low levels. Based on a comparative transcriptome analysis, we annotated more than 27,085 genes (including 1735 new genes). Genes that were differentially expressed between Da 10 and Baisang were detected at three stages of fruit development: S1 [4256 genes, 10 days post-anthesis (DPA)], S2 (5612 genes, 19 DPA), and S3 (5226 genes, 28 DPA). Anthocyanin biosynthesis was found to be associated with the expression of 15 core genes and 5 transcription factors. Relative to Baisang, Da 10 showed a significant upregulation of genes involved in the early stages (production of the intermediate compounds chalcone and dihydroflavonol) and late stages (production of Cy and Pg) of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Baisang showed a significant downregulation of the genes involved in the early stages of anthocyanin biosynthesis and overexpression of flavanone 3-hydroxylase (FLS), resulting in the generation of quercetin and/or myricetin but not anthocyanins. Conclusions The biosynthesis of anthocyanin in mulberry fruit is initiated from the precursor, phenylalanine, and mediated by the upregulation of dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, anthocyanidin synthase, anthocyanidin 3-O-glucosyltransferase, and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside 2-O-glucuronosyltransferase, and downregulation of FLS to produce Cy and Pg.

Objectives: Although mulberry fruit possesses some biological activities, it is not known how it protects neuronal cells in neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we examined whether mulberry fruit extract (MFE) protected neuronal cells against oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration. Methods: In this experiments, glutamate challenged hippocampal neuronal HT-22 cell lines as an in vitro model and scopolamine-induced memoty-impairment mice model were used. Results: MFE improved cell viability and glutathione level as well as reducing reactive oxygen species level in glutamate-treated HT-22 cells. Additionally, MFE suppressed apoptotic bodies and mitochondrial depolarization through regulating expression of apoptosis-related proteins. Furthermore, MFE elevated expression of p-TrkB, p-Akt, p-CREB, BDNF, and antioxidant enzymes as well as nuclear translocation of Nrf2. In contrast, the inclusion of K252a, a TrkB inhibitor, or MK-2206, an Akt selective inhibitor, neutralized the neuroprotective actions of MFE. Separately, MFE attenuated scopolamine-induced amnesia via regulating the activities of enzymes related with cholinergic function and the antioxidant system in mice. Additionally, MFE protected neuronal cells in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions in brain of mice. Conclusions: MFE protects neuronal cells against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis through upregulating the expression of BDNF and antioxidant enzymes by stabilizing the activation of the TrkB/Akt pathway. Such an effect of MFE, which includes rich polyphenols, may provide information for its application as a food supplement for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Mulberry fruits are rich in anthocyanins, which are important secondary metabolites that give mulberries their bright color, favorable taste and high nutritional quality, making them a popular fruit. However, few studies have focused on the molecular mechanism underlying anthocyanin accumulation in mulberries and the gene regulatory networks of anthocyanin biosynthetic pathways remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with anthocyanin accumulation between two mulberry genotypes (‘Zi Jing’, ZJ and ‘Zhen Zhu Bai’, ZZB, with purple and white fruit flesh, respectively) at 5, 18, 27 and 31 days after flower. Using transcriptome analysis, we explored several key DEGs involved in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway, including the structural genes: CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR1, DFR2 and ANS, known as MBW complex genes: MYB (M.alba_G0017209), MYB (M.alba_G0017689), bHLH (M.alba_G0012659), bHLH (M.alba_G0009347) and bHLH3 (M.alba_G0016257) and the ethylene response factor: ERF (M.alba_G0016603). Of these, changing trends related to expression pattern and anthocyanin content showed their most positive correlation at the post-flowering stage in both genotypes. Our results indicated that ethylene enhances anthocyanin accumulation in mulberry fruits. Furthermore, qRT-PCR was performed to confirm the above-mentioned genes’ expression (except for MYB (M.alba_G0017689) and bHLH (M.alba_G0009347) was significantly up-regulated under ethylene treatment at 300 mg/L. These findings help uncover the gene regulatory networks of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway and will contribute to engineering purposes in future mulberry breeding programs.

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a reproductive toxin produced by cyanobacteria in the aquatic environment and can be ingested by humans through drinking water and the food chain, posing a threat to human reproductive health. However, the toxic mechanisms and prospective interventions for MC-LR-induced ovarian dysfunction at environmental doses are unknown. The mulberry fruit is a traditional natural product of plant origin, with various pharmacological effects, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Here, mice were exposed to MC-LR (10, 100 μg/L) in drinking water for 90 days, during which mice were gavage 600 mg/kg/week of mulberry fruit extract (MFE). It was found that MC-LR can accumulate in mouse ovaries, causing sexual hormone disturbance, inflammatory infiltration, and ovarian pathological damage. Results from RNA-seq were shown that CCL2, a chemokine associated with inflammatory response, was significantly increased in mouse ovary after MC-LR exposure. Further investigation revealed that MC-LR exposure aggravates apoptosis of granulosa cells via the CCL2-CCR10 axis-mediated Jak/Stat pathway. Importantly, MFE can significantly ameliorate these ovarian dysfunction phenotypes by inhibiting the activation of the CCL2-CCR10 axis. This study broadened new insights into the ovarian toxicity of MC-LR and clarified the pharmacological effects of mulberry fruit on ovarian function protection. [Display omitted] • Inflammatory infiltration is a key manifestation of MC-LR-induced ovarian toxicity. • The CCL2-CCR10 axis regulates activation of Jak/Stat/apoptosis signaling pathway. • Exogenous CCL2 aggravated MC-LR-induced apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells. • Dietary mulberry fruit effectively ameliorates ovarian dysfunction caused by MC-LR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild mulberry (Morus nigra L.) is a kind of berries that has a high content of anthocyanin pigment. Anthocyanin is a natural pigment that has good biological activity so that widely be used as both food and drug ingredients. There are many studies conducted that have isolation anthocyanin from mulberry extract, but most of them used various expensive methods and the process included several steps that make them not cost-effective nor time-efficient. This research was conducted in order to do an isolation of anthocyanin from wild mulberry through a single step. The extraction of compounds was done by maceration and the isolation was done by thin layer chromatography method. The isolation product was identified with reagents, consisting of ferric chloride and sodium hydroxide, and with spectrophotometry methods, consisting of UV-Vis and infrared spectrophotometry. As result, this research was able to isolate anthocyanin from wild mulberry fruit by thin layer chromatography method. The identification with spectrophotometry methods indicated that the isolated compound hypothetically was anthocyanidin-3-O-rutinoside.

Mulberry (Morus alba) has been used in traditional oriental medicine since ages. Recently, it has been reported that mulberry produces hypotensive effects through the eNOS signaling pathway. However, the mechanism underlying the hypotensive effects of mulberry is not entirely clear. Moreover, the effects of mulberry on vascular remodeling events such as hyperplasia, an important etiology in the pathogenesis of hypertension and arteriosclerosis, are also ambiguous. Here, we hypothesized that an ethanolic extract of mulberry fruit (EMF) has beneficial effects on vascular remodeling and produces hypotensive effects. The effects of a 6-week oral administration of EMF were examined in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The animals were divided into four groups: normotensive control (Wistar Kyoto rats), non-treated SHR, low-dose (100 mg/kg) EMF-treated SHR, and high-dose (300 mg/kg) EMF-treated SHR. Our results showed that the EMF-diet normalizes hypertension in SHRs in a dose-dependent manner, by preventing smooth muscle proliferation, thickening of the tunica media, and vascular hyper-reactivity. The endothelial functions were not substantially affected by the EMF diet in our experimental setting. In conclusion, we suggest that the mulberry fruit could act as a food supplement for reducing blood pressure in hypertensive subjects through its effects on smooth muscle proliferation and vascular contractility.

Mulberry fruit (Morus alba L.) contains phytochemicals, including 1-deoxynojirimycin, quercetinglucoside, kaempferol-glucoside, and anthocyanins, which have antioxidant effects. In this study, mulberry fruit extract was prepared at various temperatures (25–100°C) and water/ ethanol solvent concentrations (0%–100% ethanol). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and circular dichroism (CD) data indicated that the content of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and flavonoids was lower in 100% ethanolic extracts than in 30%–50% ethanolic extracts. Radical scavenging activity determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-di-3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays was highly correlated with polyphenol and flavonoid content. In conclusion, 30%–50% ethanolic extracts contained the highest contents of bioactive compounds and exhibited high levels of radical scavenging activity. These findings may inform the use of mulberry fruit extract as a functional food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated thirteen different black mulberry fruits (Morus nigra L.) grown in the Guangdong region in order to select the best cultivar for health benefits and commercial applications. The phenolic compounds were identified and quantified using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by three in vitro methods. Significant differences among samples were found regarding total soluble solids (6.20–15.83 °Brix), titratable acidity (5.82–48.49 mg CA/g), total phenolic contents (10.82–27.29 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid contents (1.21–2.86 mg RE/g) and total anthocyanin contents (2.91–11.86 mg CE/g). Fifty-five different phenolic compounds were identified, of which fifteen were reported in mulberry for the first time, but only forty-six of them were quantitated. The DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity and ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power varied significantly among the samples. Overall, cultivars with better combinations of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity were Qiong46 (M-2), Yuebanguo (M-4) and Heizhenzhu (M-10), which were recommended for commercial cultivation.

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruit is a fruit with nutritional and medicinal value. It is widely cultivated in different regions of China, which may result in differences in its chemical composition. In this research, 25 mulberry fruit samples from six provinces in China were investigated. The contents of anthocyanins were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The contents of two main anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside (C3R), ranged from 0.656 ± 0.006 mg/g to 4.367 ± 0.243 mg/g and from 0.226 ± 0.007 mg/g to 1.649 ± 0.013 mg/g, respectively. Additionally, the contents of total phenolic, total flavonoid, vitamin C, titratable acids, reducing sugars and antioxidant capacity (FRAP, DPPH, scavenging and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity) were also assessed. The results and principal component analysis showed that the Zhongsang 5801 variety from Sichuan, Dechang had the greatest health value with the highest active compound contents. Based on our analysis, the variety from Sichuan, Dechang is a high-quality plant source for mulberry fruit cultivation. This research provides a basis for the rational development and utilization of mulberry fruit resources in China.

Mulberry is a health-promoting fruit with abundant phenolic compounds. The effects of vacuum drying (VD) and vacuum freeze-drying (VFD) on oxidation resistance and polyphenols, including extractable and non-extractable phenols, were compared in the present work. The total polyphenols and antioxidant capacity of mulberry fruits treated with VFD were higher than those treated with VD. Thirteen phenolic compounds in fresh and dried mulberry fruits were identified and quantified by UPLC-QqQ/MS. The content of extractable phenol was significantly higher than that of non-extractable phenol. In addition, correlation analysis showed that flavonoids cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and phloretin were closely related to the total polyphenols and antioxidant activity. These results provide the basis for further development of dried mulberry products containing high contents of total polyphenols and antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) has attracted much attention due to its high biological activity, which have favorable anti-diabetic, anti-tumor, and anti-virus effects. In order to explore the effects of maturity, variety, and growth area on the DNJ concentration of mulberry fruit, we examined 146 varieties in this study. First, to explore the influence of maturity, we determined the concentration of DNJ from M. atropurpurea Roxb. and M.wittiorum var. mawa Koidz at different stages of maturity using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). On this basis, we next determined the DNJ concentration from 146 mulberry fruits to investigate the effect of variety and growth area, also by HPLC. Our results showed that DNJ existed mainly in the young tissues of mulberry fruit (MS-I). As the mulberry fruit matured, the concentration of DNJ decreased. The DNJ concentrations of 0.005 ~ 0.138 mg/g of fruit weight (FW) accounted for 97.28% of the 146 mulberry fruit varieties. The variety had a significant effect on the DNJ concentration of mulberry fruit, but plant origin did not. Among the varieties, M. atropurpurea Roxb planted in Guangdong had up to 0.1716 ± 0 mg/g FW. This work provides new strategies for the study of DNJ and advances our basic knowledge about DNJ in mulberry fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruit is a delicious, fleshy, succulent berry, which is served as a famous fruit in many countries and as traditional herb in China. In our current study, three new (1, 44, 47) and forty-seven known compounds were isolated and identified from mulberry fruit. Anti-neuroinflammatory, antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of these compounds were evaluated in vitro. Compound 7 significantly inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in microglia cells (BV-2) with the IC50 value of 10.09 ± 0.51 μM. Compounds 1, 5, 7, and 14 dose-dependently reduced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Simultaneously, they could block LPS-induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Moreover, phenols from mulberry fruit displayed evidently antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. These results suggested that reasonable consumption of mulberry might assist people to prevent and reduce the occurrence of neuroinflammatory and oxidative related diseases.

Mulberry (Morus sp.) fruits provide high levels of anthocyanins, quercetin glycoside, and chlorogenic acid. Recently, mulberry’s polyphenols and their functionalities are spotlighted in different ex vivo and in vivo studies. Meanwhile, the deficiency of systematic knowledge on the health effects and polyphenols composition greatly hinders the development of mulberry as a sustainable fruit. This review briefly summarises the polyphenol compositions, metabolism, health benefits, and their stability in different mulberry production steps. These claimed health effects include anti-oxidative, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, anti-obesity, and other related effects. However, although the current evidence is promising, further clinical studies are needed to evaluate the role of mulberries' polyphenols to support human health. Besides, the mechanisms by which they confer the health benefits, the bioavailability studies on mulberry’s polyphenols are also scarce. We compile the research findings from the available literatures within the last two decades, and we also suggest some future perspectives in this review.

A green, rapid and controllable synthesis of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) was achieved using the mulberry fruit (MF) extract as reducing and capping agent at room temperature. Obtained Au NPs were characterized by ultraviolet–visible spectrum, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. It could be found that Au NPs had a small size of 4.2–20.1 nm, face-centered cubic crystalline structure and homogeneous dispersion, indicating strong reducing and capping capacities of the MF extract. Meanwhile, the morphology (quasi-sphere/sphere) of Au NPs could be controlled only by adjusting the MF extract concentration. Furthermore, based on the 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction reaction, as-prepared Au NPs exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity and stability in 30 days. Under sunlight irradiation, 4-NP could be completely reduced in 4 min and its rate constant could reach up to 0.91 min−1. And the rate constant could be linearly adjusted by the MF extract concentration or the amount of Au NPs hydrosol. In addition, it could also be found that the light source with short wavelength could obviously elevate the photocatalytic activity of Au NPs, attributed to the hot-electron effect. Clearly, as-obtained Au NPs can have great potential applications in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To gain a better understanding of anthocyanin biosynthesis in mulberry fruit, we analyzed the transcriptome of the mulberry varieties Da 10 (Morus atropurpurea Roxb., black fruit) and Baisang (Morus alba L., white fruit). Results: We found that whereas Da 10 had high levels of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside (Cy), and pelargonidin 3-O-glucoside (Pg), Baisang contained only Cy, at low levels. Based on a comparative transcriptome analysis, we annotated more than 27,085 genes (including 1735 new genes). Genes that were differentially expressed between Da 10 and Baisang were detected at three stages of fruit development: S1 [4256 genes, 10 days post-anthesis (DPA)], S2 (5612 genes, 19 DPA), and S3 (5226 genes, 28 DPA). Anthocyanin biosynthesis was found to be associated with the expression of 15 core genes and 5 transcription factors. Relative to Baisang, Da 10 showed a significant upregulation of genes involved in the early stages (production of the intermediate compounds chalcone and dihydroflavonol) and late stages (production of Cy and Pg) of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Baisang showed a significant downregulation of the genes involved in the early stages of anthocyanin biosynthesis and overexpression of flavanone 3-hydroxylase (FLS), resulting in the generation of quercetin and/or myricetin but not anthocyanins. Conclusions: The biosynthesis of anthocyanin in mulberry fruit is initiated from the precursor, phenylalanine, and mediated by the upregulation of dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, anthocyanidin synthase, anthocyanidin 3-O-glucosyltransferase, and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside 2-O-glucuronosyltransferase, and downregulation of FLS to produce Cy and Pg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruit is a rich source of polyphenolic compounds; most of these are anthocyanins. Obesity is intimately related to low-grade inflammation, with increased pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and macrophage infiltration in white adipose tissue (WAT). This study investigated whether mulberry fruit extract (ME) has beneficial effects on obesity-induced inflammation and skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups and fed either a low-fat diet (LFD), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD + 5 g/kg of ME (ME-L), or HFD + 10 g/kg of ME (ME-H) for 14 weeks. ME alleviated dyslipidemia and lipid accumulation, as well as pro-inflammatory cytokine production such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1) in the WAT. ME mitigated nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) phosphorylation and macrophage infiltration in WAT. Notably, microRNA (miR)-21, miR-132, and miR-43 expressions were downregulated in the WAT of the ME groups compared to the HFD group. Moreover, ME increased the mitochondrial size and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content, as well as key genes’ expression related to mitochondrial function, including sirtuin (SIRT)1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1β (CPT-1β), and uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3), and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/SIRT activities in skeletal muscle. These results suggested that ME might alleviate obesity-induced inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction by regulating miR-21, miR-132, and miR-43 expression in WAT, and by activating the PGC-1α/SIRT1 pathway in muscle.

Mulberry (Morus alba) has been used in traditional oriental medicine since ages. Recently, it has been reported that mulberry produces hypotensive effects through the eNOS signaling pathway. However, the mechanism underlying the hypotensive effects of mulberry is not entirely clear. Moreover, the effects of mulberry on vascular remodeling events such as hyperplasia, an important etiology in the pathogenesis of hypertension and arteriosclerosis, are also ambiguous. Here, we hypothesized that an ethanolic extract of mulberry fruit (EMF) has beneficial effects on vascular remodeling and produces hypotensive effects. The effects of a 6-week oral administration of EMF were examined in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The animals were divided into four groups: normotensive control (Wistar Kyoto rats), non-treated SHR, low-dose (100 mg/kg) EMF-treated SHR, and high-dose (300 mg/kg) EMF-treated SHR. Our results showed that the EMF-diet normalizes hypertension in SHRs in a dose-dependent manner, by preventing smooth muscle proliferation, thickening of the tunica media, and vascular hyper-reactivity. The endothelial functions were not substantially affected by the EMF diet in our experimental setting. In conclusion, we suggest that the mulberry fruit could act as a food supplement for reducing blood pressure in hypertensive subjects through its effects on smooth muscle proliferation and vascular contractility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The aim of this work was to gain insights into the molecular mechanisms and dynamics of the mulberry (Morus atropurpurea) fruit response to Ciboria carunculoides infection. A transcriptomic and proteomic study was carried out based on RNA sequencing and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification analysis, respectively. These data were then validated using quantitative real-time PCR and multiple reaction monitoring assays. Comparative analyses revealed that 9.0% of the transcriptome and 20.8% of the proteome were differentially regulated after C. carunculoides infection at the early stage (stage 1) and middle stage (stage 2), but correlation analysis revealed that only 145 genes were differentially regulated at both the transcriptome and proteome levels. The combined transcriptome and proteome analysis showed that plant hormone signal transduction, calcium-mediated defense signaling, transcription factors, and secondary metabolites were stimulated, whereas photosynthesis and cellular growth–related metabolism were suppressed after C. carunculoides infection. These finding provide theoretical foundation for disease resistance breeding of C. carunculoides. Biological significance Ciboria carunculoides is a major fungal pathogen that infects mulberry fruit, leading to extensive damage and productivity loss. Despite this major impact, the mulberry fruit response to C. carunculoides infection has yet to be characterized. This study provides the first system-wide datasets with which to examine changes in the transcriptome and proteome after C. carunculoides infection in mulberry fruit. The results showed that plant hormone signal transduction, calcium-mediated defense signaling, and other pathways were stimulated, whereas photosynthesis and cellular growth–related metabolism were suppressed by C. carunculoides. These results will lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms triggered in mulberry fruit in response to C. carunculoides infection and will provide new molecular targets for regulating defense responses to fungal pathogens in berry fruits. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights In the present work, we • surveyed the response of mulberry fruit to C. carunculoides infection at the gene and protein level. • detected 9.0% of the transcriptome and 20.8% of the proteome were differentially regulated. • found only 145 genes that were differentially regulated at both the gene and protein levels. • showed that plant hormone signaling, calcium-mediated defense signaling, and transcription factors were stimulated. • revealed that photosynthesis and cellular growth–related metabolism were suppressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of drying method on flavor profiles of mulberry fruit using purge and trap (P&T) flavor extraction followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and descriptive sensory analysis using a highly trained sensory panel. Mulberry fruit samples were prepared at different temperatures (−20, 0, 50, and 60 °C). The results showed that more diverse volatile compound profiles were produced overall and had increased levels of benzaldehyde, nonanal, and 3,3-dimethylhexane in Sample 3 and 4, which were dried at higher temperature (50 °C and 60 °C). The mulberry fruit samples that received heat treatment had higher grape juice, raisin, and sour aromatics, while samples that did not received heat treatment were characterized as having cucumber, green/grassy, and sweet aromatics.