Morus alba (white mulberry) extracts can be used to suppress appetite and manage body weight

Researchers from the U.S. and South Korea ability of flavonoids from Morus alba (white mulberry) to inhibit cannabinoid (CB1) ligand binding and suppress appetite in rats and obese mice. Their findings were published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

• The global prevalence of obesity is increasing, making the disease a global burden with limited treatment options.
• According to studies, controlling the appetite of obese individuals is a potential strategy for inducing weight loss and reversing metabolic disturbances.
• After screening more than 8,000 plants for CB1 receptor antagonists, the researchers identified M. alba as an excellent source.
• They isolated kuwanon G and albanin G from the root-bark of M. alba and reported that they showed 92 percent and 96 percent CB1 receptor ligand binding inhibitory activity, respectively.
• The researchers then tested the appetite-suppressing activity of the M. alba extract on rats given oral doses of 250 and 500?mg/kg body weight.
• They also evaluated the extract’s ability to reduce food intake and induce weight loss by giving obese mice 250 and 500?mg/kg oral doses of the extract for seven weeks.
• The researchers observed statistically significant and dose-dependent reductions in food intake in both rats and mice after short- and long-term administration of M. alba extracts.
• At 250?mg/kg, the flavonoid-rich extract reduced food intake by 58.6 percent and 44.8 percent one and two hours post-food provision, respectively.
• At 500?mg/kg, the researchers noted 50.1 percent and 44.3 percent reductions, respectively.
• The extract also caused a 20 percent reduction in daily calorie intake in obese mice.
• Compared with obese mice given a blank, those who received M. alba extracts experienced 10.4?g (22.5 percent) and 7.1?g (16.5 percent) weight loss at week 7 and baseline, respectively.
• These benefits were observed together with statistically significant reductions in biochemical markers and visceral fat deposit.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that M. alba extracts rich in kuwanon G and albanin G can be used alone to control appetite, manage body weight and improve metabolic disturbances.

Journal Reference:

Yimam M, Jiao P, Hong M, Brownell L, Lee YC, Kim HJ, Nam JB, Kim MR, Jia Q. MORUS ALBA, A MEDICINAL PLANT FOR APPETITE SUPPRESSION AND WEIGHT LOSS. Journal of Medicinal Food. 10 July 2019;22(7):741–745. DOI: doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2017.0142