Abstract

ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-AGING PROPERTIES OF AQUEOUS AND METHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF MORUS ALBA (WHITE MULBERRY) LEAVES

Nupur S. Srivastava* and Deepshikha Dixit

ABSTRACT

Aim: To evaluate antioxidant capacity and check anti-antiaging properties of aqueous and methanolic extract from the leaves of Morus alba (White mulberry) using PC-12 cells. Materials and Methods: Fresh leaves from Morus alba were collected, cleaned, dried at 37°C. Aqueous and methanolic extracts were prepared by boiling in water and methanol etc. The crude extracts were examined for antioxidant potential by estimating Super oxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (Cat), Glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) , Glutathione-s-transferase (GST) , total Glutathione content (GSH) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels using Spectrophotometer. Similarly antiaging activity was evaluated using 4 -hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and determination of Lipofuscin content. Results and Discussion: Methanolic extract of Morus alba showed significant increase in the activity of enzymatic antioxidants (SOD, Cat, Gpx, GST) as compared to aqueous extract on treating the stressed cells with extracts. The levels of non- enzymatic antioxidant GSH was also significantly elevated in methanolic extract as compared to aqueous extract, whereas the lipid peroxidation levels were significantly lowered in the cells treated with methanolic extact of Morus alba. The anti-aging property was also studied by measuring the 4-HNE levels and lipofuscin content in the stressed cells as well as stressed cells co-incubated with methanolic extract of Morus alba. 4-HNE levels and Lipofuscin content was found to be significantly lowered in extract treated cells. Conclusion: Study indicates that, the methanolic extracts of Morus alba could be an important anti-oxidative agent as well as it can be used as an antiaging compound but further studies are needed before the pharmacological properties of Morus alba can be utilized in therapy.

Keywords: Morus alba, anti-oxidant, anti-aging, Lipid peroxidation, 4-hydroxynonenal.