Glycoside flavonoids of genus Morus: Phytochemistry, Biosynthesis and
Pharmacological activities
- Maryam Fatima,
- Mohd Nadeem Bukhari,
- Jehangir Shah Syed Bukhari,
- Mudasir A. Dar,
- Zhen Ouyang
Abstract
Traditional natural products have been the focus of research to explore
their medicinal properties. One such medicinally important plant is
Morus alba, which is growing very quickly, especially in Asia, and has
tremendous pharmacological activities due to the presence of
phytochemicals in various parts of this plant. In this review, we
provide a comprehensive summary of the phytochemistry, biosynthetic
pathways, and pharmacological activities of glycoside flavonoids in the
leaves of Morus alba has been studied. In the past centuries, mulberry
has been considered a food source for silkworms, and its leaves are used
to feed animals for livestock. However, in recent years, mulberry has
attained a special place in research because of its phytochemical
composition and benefits to human health, including antioxidant,
anticancer, antidiabetic, and immunomodulatory effects. Phytochemicals
are bioactive compounds present in plants that work with nutrients and
dietary fiber to protect against diseases. Morus alba also contains many
phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, phenols, and anthocyanins. The
biosynthetic pathway is greener and more efficient for producing
structurally diverse natural products. This pathway acts as an
alternative to chemical synthesis and microbial transformation, which
suffer from complex routes, difficult isomer separation, and high cost.
The mechanism of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in mulberry leaves
is not yet clear, and currently, this is a much-needed topic for
scientists to explore.