• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.191-197
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• 2019

This study aims to evaluate the effects of the root bark of Morus alba (RMA) on the regulation of the Hippo-YAP pathway. Hippo-YAP signaling is a critical regulator in controlling organ size and tissue homeostasis. Hippo, the serine/threonine kinase phosphorylate the LATS. Phosphorylated LATS then phosphorylates and inactivates the YAP and TAZ, which are two closely related transcriptional co-activator. Here we report RMA activates the Hippo signaling, thereby inhibits the YAP/TAZ activity. First, we examine the cytotoxic effects of RMA by MTT assay. RMA was cytotoxic at concentrations higher than $50{\mu}g/ml$ in HEK293A cells. The reporter gene assay was performed to measure the activity of TEAD, a key transcription factor that controls cell growth and proliferation. RMA significantly suppressed the luciferase activity. By phos-taq gel shift assay, and western blotting, we showed that RMA enhanced the phosphorylation of YAP in wild type cells, but not in LATS1/2 knock out cells, which means RMA activates classical Hippo pathway. RMA induced the cytoplasmic sequestration of YAP. RMA also suppressed the mRNA expression of CTGF and CYR61; the two major YAP dependent genes. Taken together, RMA is considered to be a good candidate for proliferative disease such as cancer, by facilitating cell death through activating the Hippo signaling pathway.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2013

Objective : Morus alba Linne Root Bark (MRAL) is a medicinal herb in Korean Medicine, known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. However, its mechanisms of action and the cellular targets have not yet been found and the study was developed to investigate the allergic suppressive effect of MRAL. The purpose of this study is to investigate the allergic suppressive effects of MRAL on activation of MC/9 mast cells. Methods : Cytotoxic activity of MRAL (50, 100, 200, 400 ${\mu}g/mL$) on MC/9 mast cells measured using EZ-Cytox cell viability assay kit (WST reagent). The levels of interleukin-5 (IL-5), IL-13 and IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-13 mRNA expression were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time PCR respectively. The expression of transcription factors such as GATA-1, GATA-2, NFAT, AP-1 and NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 DNA binding activity were measured by western blot and electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA). Results : Our results indicated that MRAL (50 ${\mu}g/mL$, 100 ${\mu}g/mL$) significantly inhibited PMA/Ionomycin-induced production of IL-5 and IL-13 and the expression of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-13 mRNA in MC/9 mast cells. Moreover, MRAL (50 ${\mu}g/mL$, 100 ${\mu}g/mL$) inhibited PMA/Ionomycin-induced GATA-1, GATA-2, NFAT-1, NFAT-2, c-Fos protein expression and NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 DNA binding activity in MC/9 mast cells. Conclusions : In conclusion, we suspect the anti-allergenic activities of MRAL, may be related to the regulation of transcription factors GATA-1, GATA-2, NFAT-1, NFAT-2, c-Fos and NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 DNA binding assay causing inhibition of Th2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13 in mast cells.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2020

Diesel particulate matter (DPM) induces inflammatory cytokines in HaCaT and stimulates XRE promoter activity through AhR binding. Thus, it increases CYP gene family expression. In this study, we have elucidated inhibitory effect of LG Herbal Medicine Complex (LG-HMC) on DPM-induced XRE promoter activity and inflammatory cytokine expression. First of all, the XRE promoter activity was overexpressed by DPM treatment and the LG-HMC abrogated the XRE promoter activity. Morus alba bark extract, Scutellaria baicalensis root extract and constituents of LG-HMC, were found to be main effecters against DPM induced XRE promoter activation. We also found that DPM treatment elevated inflammatory cytokines in HaCaT and the treatment of LG-HMC, Morus alba bark extract and Scutellaria baicalensis root extract down-regulated the DPM induced inflammatory cytokine expression. Additionally, Morus alba bark extract and Scutellaria baicalensis root extract were found to act as free radical scavengers. In conclusion, we confirmed skin protective effect of LG-HMC and uncovered two components, Morus alba bark extract and Scutellaria baicalensis root extract, that play major role in protecting epidermal kertinocytes from damage.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.268-274
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• 2019

Morus alba L., known as white mulberry, is a medicinal plant belongs to family Moraceae. It has long been used commonly in Ayurvedic for the treatment of lung-heat, cough, asthma, hematemesis, dropsy and hypertension. In the present study, seven prenylated flavonoids, along with four benzofuran compounds were isolated by means of repeated column chromatography. The structures of the known compounds were identified as kuwanon G (1), kuwanon E (2), kuwanon T (3), morusin (4), sanggenon A (5), sanggenon M (6), sanggenol A (7), moracin R (8), mulberofuran G (9), mulberofuran A (10) and mulberofuran B (11), by comparing their spectroscopic data with those reported in the literature. For these isolates, containing trace compounds, the inhibitory activity against IL-6 production in $TNF-{\alpha}$ stimulated MG-63 cells was examined. All isolated compounds (1 - 11) showed excellent inhibitory activity against IL-6 production in $TNF-{\alpha}$ stimulated MG-63 cells. Especially this study is first time to report that sanggenon A (5), sanggenon M (6), sanggenol A (7), mulberofuran G (9), mulberofuran A (10) and mulberofuran B (11) showed the inhibitory activity of IL-6 production. Our study suggested the possibility of anti-inflammatory regulation by compounds (1 - 11) isolated from M. alba.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.145-151
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• 2009

This study was performed to investigate the antioxidant activities and the whitening effect of mulberry (Morus alba L.) root bark extracts. The antioxidant activities of water and 70% ethanol extracts of mulberry root bark were 65.8% and 87.0% in the DPPH assay at $1,000\;{\mu}g/ml$ ; 89.3% and 77.1% in the ABTS assay at $1,000\;{\mu}g/ml$. Xanthine oxidase inhibition of water and 70% ethanol extracts were 100% and 96.2% at $1,000\;{\mu}g/ml$. Nitric oxide radical inhibition of water and 70% ethanol extracts showed 43.5% and 53.0% at $500\;{\mu}g/ml$, and it was similar to the BHA effect(43.8%). Tyrosinase inhibitory activities of water and 70% ethanol extracts were 79.6% and 93.5% at $1,000\;{\mu}g/ml$. These results confirm that mulberry root bark has the great potential to be a cosmeceutical ingredient with a natural antioxidant and a skin-whitening effect.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.963-967
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• 2009

This study evaluated the neuroprotective effect of extracts from the root bark of Morus alba (MA) against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in neuronal cells. Glutamate-induced cytotoxicity was shown by MTT reduction assay. The neuroprotective effects of methanol, ethanol, and acetone extracts from MA against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity were measured. Among the three extracts, the methanolic extracts showed the highest protective effect, as determined by the results of an morphological assay, a lactate dehydrogenase release assay. Furthermore, the methanol extracts were fractionated sequentially with hexane, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, and water layer according to degree of polarity. The hexane fractions exhibited a neuroprotective effect against glutamate-stressed N18-RE-105 cells. Therefore, these results suggest that extracts of MA could be a new potential candidate as a protective substance against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 1980

In our country there are five species of Morus genus including Morus alba L.. Also their varieties and hybrids are distributed so much. In sucession of previous report we collected control and marketing specimens of Mori Cortex Radicis, comparative experiments were pharmacognostically carried out to identify the control specimen by the differences of external and internal morphology. It was difficult to identify marketing specimens by external morphology, because they are similar in spite of conparating with control specimen which the origin is definite. In internal morphology, medullary ray is developed near the cambium to primary bark in control specimen A(Morus alba series) and C(M. Lhou series), but less developed in B(M. bombycis series). The difference of these three series was observed. The thickness of cork layer is almost the same($7{\sim}12$ layers) in A and C series, but B is thin layer and sample E(that on the market) is generally more thick and has a stick cork cell. The kinds of starch, Ca-oxalate and latex, cell centents were same, but it was easy to identify them by the differences of their distribution. The bast fibre of D(wild specimen) and E were light lignified, latex tube of A and C series was richer distributed than others. These results show that the origin of Mori Cortex Radicis on the market can be appreciated in four groups of Korean Morus genus which are M. alba, M. bambycis, M. Lhou series and the others.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.7
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• pp.1090-1099
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• 2015

Among the four different parts of mulberry (Morus alba L.) tree, ethanol extract of Morus root bark showed the highest ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}=12.01{\mu}g/mL$). Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethanolic extract of root bark by Diaion HP-20, silica gel, ODS-A, and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies led to the isolation of four compounds, including Compound (Comp.) 1 ($IC_{50}=5.22{\mu}g/mL$), Comp. 2 ($IC_{50}=1.78{\mu}g/mL$), Comp. 3 ($IC_{50}=2.94{\mu}g/mL$), and Comp. 4 ($IC_{50}=1.54{\mu}g/mL$) with strong ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Their chemical structures were elucidated as morusin (Comp. 1), kuwanon H (Comp. 2), chalcomoracin A (Comp. 3), and chalcomoracin B (Comp. 4) by UV and NMR spectral analyses. These results suggest that prenylflavonoid and mulberrofuran of Morus root bark may be useful as potential therapeutic agents for diabetes.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.9-12
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• 1999

A new glycoprotein was purified from the aqueous methanolic extract of the root bark of Morus alba which has been used as a component of antidiabetic remedy in Oriental Medicine. SDS-PAGE result shows that the molecular weight of the glycoprotein was approximately 20 kDa. This new glycoprotein was named as Moran 20K. The protein lowered blood glucose level in streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemic mice model and it also increased the glucose transport in cultured epididymis fat cells. The amino acid composition of the protein was analyzed, and the protein contained above 20% serine and cysteine such as insulin. The actual molecular weight of the protein was determined as 21.858 Da by MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.240-242
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• 2000

The immunomodulating activity of a polysaccharide isolated from Morus alba (PMA) root bark was examined in murine splenic lymphocytes. PMA enhanced proliferation of splenic lymphocytes in a synergistic manner in the presence of mitogens. However, PMA suppressed pri-may IgM antibody production from B cells, which was activated with lipopolysaccharide, a polyclonal activator, or immunized with a T-cell dependent antigen sheep red blood cells. Our observations showed that the immunomodulating activity of PMA increased lymphocyte proliferation and that PMA decreased antibody production from B cells, which was distinct from those of other plant-originated polysaccharides.