title: In vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of extracts from Morus alba L. leaves, stems and fruits.
abstract: In this study, the aqueous and ethanolic extracts (leaves, stems and fruits) from Morus alba L., a traditional Chinese medicine, were evaluated for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Ethanolic extracts showed higher contents of both total phenolics and flavonoids than aqueous extracts. The total phenolic content was in the order of: leaf extracts > fruit extracts > stem extracts, whereas the total flavonoids was: leaf extracts > stem extracts > fruit extracts. Using DPPH assays, the concentrations providing 50% inhibition (IC(50)) values of aqueous extracts from leaves, stems and fruits were 7.11 ± 1.45 mg/ml, 86.78 ± 3.21 mg/ml and 14.38 ± 2.83 mg/ml, respectively, whereas the IC(50) values of ethanolic extracts were 3.11 ± 0.86 mg/ml, 14.62 ± 2.45 mg/ml and 12.42 ± 2.76 mg/ml, respectively. In sum, the antioxidant activities of ethanolic extracts from M. alba L. were stronger than the aqueous extracts, and in the order of: leaf extracts > fruit extracts > stem extracts. The ethanolic extracts exhibited moderate antimicrobial activities, whereas the aqueous extracts showed poor antimicrobial properties in our test system. This study validated the medicinal potential of M. alba L.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Hexing Road 26, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuangang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zu
authors.forename: Yujie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Efferth
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D031625:Morus / Q000737:chemistry*; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts