and stem bark in internal abscess, piles and fistula-in-ano.
The plant contains antibacterial principles, spirochin and pterygospermm which are effective against both Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative bacteria.
The leaves contain nitrile glycosides, niazirin and niazirinin and mustard oil glycosides. The mustard oil glycosides showed hypotensive, bradycardiac effects and spasmolytic activity, justifying the use of leaves for gastrointestinal motility disorders.
The roots possess antibacterial, anti choleric and antiviral properties due to the presence of pterygospermin, Spiro chin and benzylisothiocyanate. The root extract exhibited significant anti- inflammatory activity in carrageenaninduced paw-oedema in rats.
The leaves exhibited hypoglycaemic activity, although the plasma insulin level did not alter much.
The root and bark showed antifertility activity through biphasic action on the duration of the estrous cycle of female rats.
Morus nigra Linn. 423
Dosage Leaf—10—20 ml. juice. (API, Vol. III) root bark—2—5 g powder; stem bark—2—5 g powder; seed—5—10 g powder (API, Vol. IV). Leaf, flower, fruit, seed, bark, root— 1—3 g powder; 50—100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)
Morus alba Linn.
Family Moraceae.
Habitat Native to China; cultivated in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Kashmir and North-Western Himalayas.
English Chinese White-Mulberry.
Unani Shahtuut,Tuut.
Action Fruit—cooling, mild laxative. Used for sore throat, dyspepsia and melancholia. Leaves and root bark—expectorant, diuretic, hypotensive. Bark extract—hypoglycaemic. Leaf— anti-inflammatory, emollient, diaphoretic. Used as a gargle in inflammations of the throat.
The plant is rich in phenolics. The leaves gave flavonoids (including rutin, moracetin); anthocyanins (cyanidin and delphinidin glucosides); artocarpin, cycloartocarpin and analogues. The root bark contained flavonoids including the kuwanons, sangennons, mulberrosides and mulberrofurans.
Hot water extract of the dried mulberry leaves fed to rabbits on 1% cholesterol diet exhibited significant hypolipidaemic or hypocholesterolaemic effect. In addition, suppression of hepatic enlargement and fat deposition in the hepatic cells was also observed.
An aqueous methanol extract of the root bark significantly reduced plasma sugar levels in mice.
The extract also showed anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activity in exudative, proliferative and
