ABSTRACT
Morus alba L. is commonly known as white mulberry belongs to the family Moraceae. It is a fast-growing shrub or tree and is widely cultivated in many countries across the world. Mulberry tree has been extensively used as an antidiabetic therapy in the traditional medicine systems of different countries such as China, India, Jordan and Thailand. Mulberry leaves are generally known as folium mori and they are abundant in different iminosugars such as 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), N-methyl-DNJ, and 2-O-α-D-galactopyranosyl-DNJ. These iminosugars act as inhibitors of alpha-glucosidases that are implicated in the elevation of glucose levels characteristic of diabetes. Besides, the other parts of the mulberry including roots and fruits have also been reported to possess antidiabetic activities. In this book chapter, we will summarize the in vitro and in vivo studies on the antidiabetic efficacy of mulberry. Furthermore, the antidiabetic mechanism of action of mulberry crude extract and its active components will be discussed.
