Antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory effects of morus sp. extracts

ANTIOXIDANT AND ENZYME INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF MORUS SP. EXTRACTS (Abstract): Morus leaves water extracts are used for a long time for its anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular disease-treating properties. Our research's objective was to evaluate the hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects of Morus leaves extracts obtained by using different solvents. Materials and methods: The extracts from Morus nigra and Morus alba leaves were obtained by ethanol-water extraction, respectively hot water extraction. We assess the enzyme inhibition (alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase) ability of extracts from Morus sp. leaves, and we correlate these effects with polyphenols and flavonoids content. Results: Total polyphenols content ranged between 89.4 mg gallic acid equivalents/g ethanol-water extract of Morus nigra leaves and 46.81 mg gallic acid equivalents/g aqueous extract of Mo-rus alba leaves. Ethanol-water extracts contain more polyphenols and flavonoids than aque-ous extracts. The most important effect on alpha-amylase was presented by the ethanol-water extract from Morus alba leaves (EC50 88.26 +/- 0.52 mu g/mL) and on alpha-glucosidase by the ethanol-water extract from Morus nigra leaves (EC50 69.86 +/- 0.03 mu g/mL mL). From the point of view of antioxidant effects, the extracts inhibit lipoxygenase, with the maximum ef-fect in the case of the ethanol-water extract from Morus alba leaves (EC50 23.75 +/- 1.77 mu g/mL). The ethanol-water extracts have a greater capacity to chelate the ferrous ion com-pared with aqueous extracts, the most active being the ethanol-water extract from the Morus nigra (EC50 213.32 +/- 0.26 mu g/mL). Conclusion: The conducted study highlights the ability of the analyzed extracts to control the enzymes involved in the digestion of carbohydrates and to reduce oxidative stress.