Characterizations of White Mulberry, Sea-Buckthorn, Garlic, Lily of the Valley, Motherwort, and Hawthorn as Potential Candidates for Managing Cardiovascular Disease-In Vitro and Ex Vivo Animal Studies

Cardiovascular diseases are a broadly understood concept focusing on vascular and heart dysfunction. Lack of physical exercise, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, thromboembolism, and kidney and lung diseases all contribute to the development of heart and blood vessel dysfunction. Although effective and important, traditional treatment with diuretics, statins, beta blockers, calcium inhibitors, ACE inhibitors, and anti-platelet drugs remains a second-line treatment after dietary interventions and lifestyle changes. Scientists worldwide are still looking for an herbal product that would be effective and free from side effects, either taken together with or before the standard pharmacological intervention. Such herbal-originated medication therapy may include Morus alba L. (white mulberry), Elaeagnus rhamnoides (L.) A. Nelson (sea-buckthorn), Allium sativum L. (garlic), Convallaria majalis L. (lily of the valley), Leonurus cardiaca L. (motherwort), and Crataegus spp. (hawthorn). Valuable herbal raw materials include leaves, fruits, seeds, and even thorns. This short review focuses on six herbs that can constitute an interesting and potential therapeutic option in the management of cardiovascular disorders.

Screening and Structure-Activity Relationship for Selective and Potent Anti-Melanogenesis Agents Derived from Species of Mulberry (Genus Morus)

Tyrosinase is a multifunctional, copper-containing and rate-limiting oxidase that catalyses crucial steps in the melanogenesis pathway and is responsible for skin-pigmentation abnormalities in mammals. Numerous tyrosinase inhibitors derived from natural and synthetic sources have been identified as an objective for the development of anti-melanogenesis agents. However, due to side effects and lack of expected efficiency, only a small percentage of them are used for medical and cosmetic purposes. This critical review focuses on searching for novel active substances and recently discovered plant-derived anti-tyrosinase inhibitors from the Morus genus (Moraceae family). A detailed analysis of their structure-activity relationships is discussed. The information contained in this article is crucial for the cosmetics and medical industries, in order to show new directions for the effective search for natural anti-melanogenesis products (with satisfactory efficiency and safety) to treat and cure hyperpigmentation.

The impact of Morus alba L. leaf extract on intestinal ion transport. An in vitro study

Morus alba L. (White mulberry), is an important and popular herbal plant of the Moraceae family. It has been widely used due to its therapeutic properties, which include antidiabetic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, and hypolpidemic activity. The present study evaluates the effects of aqueous white mulberry leaf extract on the transepithelial ion pathway in the rabbit colon epithelium (n = 48), using electrophysiological methods. In addition, the antioxidant potential and the chemical composition of the extract were determined. A mechanical-chemical stimulation with white mulberry in RH fluid (MB-RH) caused a statistically significant (p < 0.001) increase in the transepithelial electrical potential difference, from - 0.130 to - 0.685 mV. Gentle washing of the intestine with white mulberry in bumetanide, used as inhibitor of transepithelial chloride pathways, resulted in 14.8% shorter reaction than during MB-RH stimulation. There were no statistically significant differences between the electric potential values measured during stimulation with amiloride solution, used as inhibitor of transepithelial sodium pathways, and white mulberry in amilorid solution (p = 0.485). A short-term application of extract to the colon epithelium is responsible for local and reversible inhibition of chloride ion channels. The extract enhances sodium ion absorption and consequently changes the electrical potential. The effect of white mulberry extract on sodium ion transport may be related to the mechanism of hypoglycaemic activity of mulberry leaves.

New potential phytotherapeutics obtained from white mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves

The present work demonstrates the profound and unique phyto-pharmacological and nutritional profile of white mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves which containing considerable amounts of easy digestive proteins, carbohydrates, micro- and macronutrients, polyphenols, free amino acids, organic acids. The wide range of significant biopharmaceutical activities of the aqueous and polar organic solvents extracts from mulberry leaves - including antidiabetic, antibacterial, anticancer, cardiovascular, hypolipidemic, antioxidant, antiatherogenic, and anti-inflammatory - have been critically discussed. The main objective was to demonstrate the results of recently published study on the components of white mulberry leaves exhibiting their biological activity in the various pathological and health human ailments. In addition, we intend to drawn the attention of researchers and public health workers for the extended exploration of this deciduous plant leaves as the source of potential indigenous nutraceuticals and functional food products to enable development of alternative prevention and treatment protocols offered in therapy of the common non-communicable diseases and malignances.