TITLE:
Characteristics of Morus alba L. Cultured by In-Room Hydroponics
AUTHORS:
Misato Sakurai, Shinji Sato, Tomoko Fukushima, Tetsuya Konishi
KEYWORDS:
Hydroponic Culture, Morus alba L., DNJ, Anti-Diabetic Function, Functional Manipulation
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.13 No.1,
January
26,
2022
ABSTRACT: Morus alba L., (cv Ichinose) was
cultivated by in-room hydroponics. The flavor and texture of leaves were
markedly improved enough to be edible. When the contents of 1-deoxynojirimycin
(DNJ) and polyphenols were measured in the hydroponic cultivar, DNJ increased
in the leaf compared to the field grown M. alba. However, polyphenols,
in contrast, decreased compared to the field cultivar. HPLC profiling revealed
marked difference in leaf components between hydroponic and field cultivars
indicating relative contents of lipophilic
polyphenols were increased. The polyphenols contents, especially, lipophilic polyphenols in the root were remarkably
high compared to So-Haku-Hi (Sang Bai Pi in Chinese). The anti-obesity
effect of the hydroponically grown Morus was further studied in rats by feeding high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) diet with
and without supplementation of dried leaf and root powders for 15 weeks. As the
result, both the leaf and root from the hydroponic cultivar showed potential
anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemic functions through amelioration of insulin
resistance. Differential effects of leaf and root powders indicated that
besides DNJ, the lipophilic polyphenols may play a crucial role in the
anti-diabetic function of hydroponically grown Morus alba L. The hydroponics will provide an
alternate way to cultivate a novel resource of Morus for developing functional foods and medicines.