Exploring the impact of mulberry fruits on metabolic syndrome: A systematic review of current evidence

Background

Mulberries are rich in nutrients including a wide range of polyphenols that possess different bioactive properties. This systematic review illustrates mulberry's potential as a promising plant food for mitigating the perturbations associated with metabolic syndrome.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted on 1st March 2023 in Scopus and PubMed. A total of 15 eligible studies (in vitro and in vivo) studies evaluating the effect of mulberries on metabolic syndrome-related factors such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure were included.

Results

Predominantly, the studies have centred around its anti-visceral-obesity and lipid-reducing effects. The interventions in these studies spanned 8–12 weeks, employing modest oral doses—ranging from 10 to 800 of mg/kg of body weight per day—of mulberry extracts, powders, or freeze-dried fruits. The favorable effects of mulberry are predominantly ascribed to its rich polyphenolic content, which interacts with diverse metabolic pathways. In terms of its anti-visceral-obesity effect, these polyphenolic compounds, particularly anthocyanins, exhibit the capacity to modulate fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis, enhance mitochondrial function, and attenuate reactive oxygen species accumulation. In vivo, constituents such as resveratrol, rutin, and anthocyanins demonstrate efficacy in inhibiting lipid synthesis, accumulation, and oxidation, leveraging their free radical scavenging ability, while concurrently orchestrating metabolic modulation in tandem with prebiotic agents.

Conclusions

Based on these data, it can be inferred that the utilization of white mulberry holds greater promise in the management of ailments like hypertension and dyslipidemia. Conversely, black mulberry displays efficacy in addressing diabetes and obesity.