Effect of Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Extract on Blood Flow Improvement

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the beneficial effects of mulberry extract (MBE) on blood flow improvement. The SC50 value for the DPPH radical scavenging activity of MBE was 89.36±5.46 μg/mL. Analysis of the cellular toxicity of MBE on RAW 264.7 and HepG2 cells showed no toxicity under a concentration of 2,500 μg/mL. We found that MBE inhibited the enzyme activity of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 as well as oxidation of human LDL. Western blotting analysis showed that MBE inhibited protein expression of COX-2 and 5-lipoxygenase in RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, MBE inhibited protein expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Furthermore, MBE reduced the serum levels of total cholesterol and C-reactive protein in a concentration-dependent manner. These results both in vitro and in vivo suggest that MBE can be employed for the improvement of blood flow