Mulberry: A review of bioactive compounds and advanced processing technology. (January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wen, Peng; Hu, Teng-Gen; Linhardt, Robert J.; Liao, Sen-Tai; Wu, Hong; Zou, Yu-Xiao
• Is Part Of: Trends in food science & technology. Volume 83(2019)
• Page Start: 138
• Page End: 158
• Publication Date: 2019-01
• Subjects: Mulberry -- Bioactives -- Extraction -- Separation; Food industry and trade -- Periodicals; Food -- Biotechnology -- Periodicals; 664.005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2018.11.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0924-2244

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Historically, mulberry has been effectively used as a traditional medicine in Asia for the treatment of various infectious and internal diseases. It is a rich source of bioactive compounds that can promote human health. However, to date, it has not been officially or scientifically recognized because of a lack of accepted and standardized methodology for its evaluation. Numerous studies have been conducted by applying modern biotechnological tools to explore the relationship between the active ingredients in mulberry and their biological activities to solve ambiguities in their mechanism of action, opening a new horizon in traditional Chinese medicine with the potential for modernization in the near future. Scope and approach: This paper presents a concise overview on mulberry by examining its major bioactive components, including anthocyanins, polysaccharides, phenols, alkaloids and flavonoids. Recent technical advances are discussed for extraction (solid-liquid extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, supercritical-fluid extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasonic assisted extraction, enzymatic assisted extraction, solid-phase extraction) and separation (macroporous resins adsorption, silica gel chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography, preparative liquid chromatography, countercurrent chromatography). Key findings and conclusions: The mystery behind mulberry lies in various bioactivities that have been explored by modern technologies. Studies employing efficient, systematic, and practical protocols for sample preparation and isolation integrated with various analytical systems have been applied to discover, separate, and identify analytes in natural plants especially traditional Chinese medicines and to explore the scientific principles that will benefit the standardization and modernization of natural product research. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Mulberry is an excellent natural matrix due to its various and significant bioactive potential. Hidden knowledge about mulberry is valuable to study and apply in functional foods and medicines. Structure and bioactivities of main ingredients from mulberry are described. Multidisciplinary approaches have been summarized to explore the mystery behind mulberry. Reference for the modernization of natural product research is provided.