Mulberry Leaf Extract Reduces Glucose Absorption and Improves Postprandial Blood Glucose Control

Abstract

Reduction of elevated blood glucose concentrations is the goal of the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Recent clinical trials, however, suggest that a factor other than integrated blood glucose concentrations (as measured by hemoglobin A1C) plays a role in the microvascular complications of diabetes. This factor may be the large postprandial fluctuations in blood glucose concentrations observed in diabetic subjects. Specific extracts of the mulberry leaf have been shown to reduce glucose absorption, an effect that reduces the peak postprandial blood glucose concentration and minimizes the glucose fluctuations that occur in diabetic subjects after ingestion of a carbohydrate-containing meal.