Mulberry polyphenols (ABRU) promote bone formation and alleviate bone loss via dual regulation of bone metabolism.

Linyuan Xue, Jiyixuan Li, Li Sun, Ting Liu, Ben Lam, Kunyue Xing, Bing Liang, Jiayi Hu, Zihan Zheng, Ying Yang, Yanghui Huo, Yutao Xiu, Jiazhen Xu, Dongming Xing

Molecular Medicine Innovation Center of Cancer Institute, School of Pharmacy, School of basic medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China. Electronic address: [email protected]. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) has a longstanding history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is recorded in the classic Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu) that mulberry possesses the efficacy to "strengthen muscles and bones". This traditional indication suggests a potential role in skeletal health, yet its scientific and pharmacological basis has not been fully elucidated. The present study provides the first experimental evidence that a standardized polyphenol extract from mulberry (ABRU) bidirectionally regulates bone metabolism, simultaneously promoting bone formation and inhibiting bone loss. This work not only validates a centuries-old ethnopharmacological claim with modern molecular and functional evidence but also identifies mulberry polyphenols as a promising candidate for developing natural product-based therapies for bone metabolic disorders like osteoporosis.

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Research summary

Mulberry polyphenols promote bone formation and inhibit bone loss through dual regulation of bone metabolism. The study addresses a potential intervention for bone metabolic disorders, which are relevant to aging and longevity by targeting the maintenance of skeletal health.

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