Mulberry Zuccarin by New Nordic

INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE

• Androgenic alopecia. Although there has been interest in using oral white mulberry for androgenic alopecia, there is insufficient reliable evidence about the clinical effects of white mulberry for this purpose.
• Common cold. Although there has been interest in using oral white mulberry for symptoms of the common cold, including cough and sore throat, there is insufficient reliable evidence about the clinical effects of white mulberry for this purpose.
• Diabetes. While research is mixed, most small clinical studies suggest that oral white mulberry does not reduce fasting blood glucose or glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes; however, it does seem to improve insulin resistance and postprandial blood glucose in these patients. Details: A meta-analysis of 4 small, mostly low-quality clinical studies in adults with impaired glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes shows that taking white mulberry extract for 12 weeks does not reduce HbA1c when compared with placebo, dietary education, or no treatment. White mulberry extract also does not reduce fasting plasma glucose but may improve glucose intolerance (110480). However, studies utilized heterogeneous dosing regimens, with doses ranging from 500 mg twice daily to 4.6 grams three times daily and 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) content in each dose ranging from 5-18 mg. Additionally, a small clinical study in adults with type 2 diabetes not included in the analysis above shows that taking white mulberry extract 300 mg twice daily for 12 weeks improves insulin resistance but does not reduce fasting blood glucose or HbA1c when compared with placebo (110481). Due to its small size, this study may have been inadequately powered to detect a difference between groups. One clinical study in adults with type 2 diabetes shows that taking powdered white mulberry leaf 1 gram three times daily for 4 weeks reduces fasting blood glucose levels by 27% compared with an 8% reduction with glyburide 5 mg daily. However, neither treatment significantly reduced HbA1c levels over the 4-week period (16494). The short study duration may explain the lack of significant HbA1c reduction. The effect of white mulberry on postprandial glucose levels has also been assessed. Taking a single 0.8-1.2 gram dose of powdered white mulberry leaf standardized to contain DNJ 1.5% or taking a single 250 mg dose of a specific white mulberry leaf extract (Reducose, Phynova Group) standardized to contain DNJ 4.5% to 5.5% reduces peak blood glucose levels after ingestion of 50-75 grams of sucrose when compared with placebo in adults with or without type 2 diabetes (16495,17051,105796).
• Hyperlipidemia. It is unclear if oral white mulberry is beneficial in patients with hyperlipidemia; the available research has mixed results. Details: A small clinical study in adults with type 2 diabetes shows that taking white mulberry extract 300 mg twice daily for 12 weeks does not decrease serum triglycerides, or levels of total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol when compared with placebo (110481). Due to its small size, this study may have been inadequately powered to detect a difference between groups. However, another small clinical study in adults with type 2 diabetes shows that taking white mulberry leaf 1 gram three times daily for 4 weeks reduces total cholesterol levels by 12%, triglycerides by 16%, LDL by 23%, and VLDL by 17% when compared to baseline. Plasma HDL was increased by 18% (16494). The validity of these findings is limited by the lack of a comparator group. White mulberry has also been studied in combination with other ingredients. In one small clinical study, taking a specific product (LopiGLIK, Akademy Pharma) containing white mulberry leaf extract 200 mg, berberine, and red yeast rice daily for 4 weeks reduced LDL cholesterol to less than 130 mg/dL in 57% of participants, compared with only 22% of those receiving a different combination product (Armolipid Plus, RottapharmSpA) that contains red yeast rice, berberine, and other ingredients, without white mulberry. Both products reduced triglycerides and total cholesterol to a similar extent (100624).
• Hypertension. Although there has been interest in using oral white mulberry for hypertension, there is insufficient reliable evidence about the clinical effects of white mulberry for this purpose.
• Impaired glucose tolerance (prediabetes). It is unclear if oral white mulberry is beneficial in patients with impaired glucose tolerance. Details: One small clinical study in obese patients with impaired glucose tolerance shows that taking white mulberry leaf powder 4.6 grams three times daily before meals for 12 weeks decreases fasting blood glucose by around 4 mg/dL and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) by 0.12% when compared to baseline. Neither measure was improved in the placebo group (103870). Although a statistically significant improvement in glycemic control was established, the observed reductions in fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c were modest and unlikely to be clinically meaningful.
• Joint pain. Although there has been interest in using oral white mulberry for joint pain, including joint pain associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of white mulberry for these conditions.
• Obesity. It is unclear if oral white mulberry can reduce body weight in patients who are obese or overweight. Details: A small clinical study in overweight and obese adults on a calorie-restricted diet shows that taking white mulberry extract 800 mg three times daily with meals for 90 days reduces body weight by about 10%, compared to a loss of about 3% with placebo (100627). However, a small clinical study in overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes shows that taking white mulberry extract 300 mg twice daily for 12 weeks does not decrease body weight when compared with placebo (110481).
• Osteoporosis. Although there has been interest in using oral white mulberry for osteoporosis, there is insufficient reliable evidence about the clinical effects of white mulberry for this purpose. More evidence is needed to rate white mulberry for these uses.

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POSSIBLY SAFE ...when used orally and appropriately. White mulberry powdered leaf or leaf extract has been used with apparent safety at doses of up to 4.6 grams three times daily for up to 12 weeks (16494,17051,100627,103870,105796,110480). There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of white mulberry berries.

PREGNANCY AND LACTATION:
Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

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ANTIDIABETES DRUGS Interaction Rating = Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Severity = Moderate •  Occurrence = Possible •  Level of Evidence = D Theoretically, white mulberry leaf might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.  Details Clinical research shows that white mulberry leaf can lower blood glucose levels (16494,16495,17051,103870,105796). Advise patients to monitor glucose levels closely.

ORGANIC CATION TRANSPORTER 2 (OCT2) SUBSTRATES Interaction Rating = Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Severity = Moderate •  Occurrence = Possible •  Level of Evidence = D Theoretically, white mulberry leaf might slow the elimination and increase the adverse effects of drugs which are OCT2 substrates.  Details Animal research shows that coadministration of white mulberry leaf extract with metformin, an OCT2 substrate, slows the renal elimination of metformin via inhibition of OCT2 activity (103869). OCT2 is expressed in the kidneys and is responsible for transporting cationic drugs into tubular epithelial cells in order to be excreted in the urine.

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General ...Orally, white mulberry leaf seems to be well tolerated.
Most Common Adverse Effects:
Orally: Transient bloating, constipation, flatulence, and loose stools.

Gastrointestinal ...Orally, white mulberry leaf powder 4. 6 grams three times daily for 4 weeks was associated with bloating and flatulence in 50% of patients, loose stools in 25% of patients, and constipation in 21% of patients in one clinical study. However, reports of these adverse effects decreased over the course of the 12-week study, suggesting that for some patients the adverse effects may be transient in nature (103870).

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