Mulberry: A Versatile Plant, its Potential Applications in different Industries

Mulberry is a perennial plant that grows quickly and belongs to the genus Morus of the family Moraceae. It is an economically important plant and is extensively grown in the Asian countries to provide feed to the monophagous silkworm Bombyx mori L (Bhat et al., 2024) which only feeds on the mulberry leaves, thus making mulberry an essential and crucial component of Sericulture Industry (Acharya et al., 2022). Besides its importance in sericulture, the treasured constituents present in the mulberry plant has made an important application of this plant in various other industries (Jan et al., 2021). According to the Chinese Ministry of Health in 1985, M. alba was recognized as the first fruit that was both therapeutic and edible (Yuan and Zhao, 2017), and its leaves and fruits were regarded as both pharmaceuticals and food (Wang et al., 2014). The quantity and quality of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and the types of vitamins present inside any edible plant product are the primary factors that determine its nutritional content; in this regard, the Mulberry plants are highly valued. (Jan Bet al., 2021). Mulberry is well off with carbohydrates (Tantray al 2021), which can be found as simple sugars, starch, soluble and insoluble fibers, or both. They contain a lot of water and few calories. Fruits are mostly discovered to include iron, a good amount of potassium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Additionally, they contain a lot of plant substances like anthocyanins, which give them the color and have beneficial health effects (Yu et al., 2018). Mulberry fruits and leaves include significant components that make the plant eligible to be classified as a functional food that serves a purpose for health besides to its primary nutritional role. (Kadam et al., 2019). Among the various species Morus alba (white mulberry), Morus nigra (black mulberry), and Morus rubra (red mulberry) are all well-known species in the genus Morus for their excellent medicinal capabilities. M. alba is one of the prominent species among all the others (Ercisli et al., 2007). The food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries may all gain from the valuable bioactive elements found in mulberry roots, bark, leaves, fruits stem and twigs (Ercisly et al., 2007). In India this mulberry plant is called as “Kalpa Vruksha” for its flexible productiveness (Jan Bet al., 2021). The fruit is also known by the names toot and shahtoot (King's or "superior" mulberry). With numerous pharmacological qualities, almost all mulberry plant variants are traditionally acknowledged in Ayurveda, Unani, and Chinese systems of medicine. The M. nigra fruits are one of the key ingredients of Tutiaswad, a Unani remedy thought to have anti-cancerous properties (Nursalam et al., 2016). Anthocyanins belongs to the class of naturally occurring phenolic compounds that give fruits, flowers, and leaves their color. They are the best source of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant chemicals for health benefits. Chinese use mulberry fruit as a natural treatment. To help with urination, treat fever, strengthen the joints, control blood pressure, and protect against liver damage. Its fruits, leaves, and barks have been used in traditional Turkish Folk medicine as an antihelminthic agent, expectorant, urinary aid, blood pressure reducer, folk cure to treat dental disorders, diarrhea, and as a laxative, as well as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, and anemia (Ozgen et al., 2009). (Altaf et al., 2024).