Bioactive compounds, health benefits and utilisation of Morus spp.– a comprehensive review

ABSTRACT

Plants play an important role in the well-being of human beings and have been witnessed by their presence in the Rigveda and Ayurveda. Among those plants, Morus spp. is the one having versatile nature because of the presence of numerous phytochemicals in its different parts and also termed as ‘Kalpa Vruksha’. A wide range of the phytochemicals present in the leaves, fruit, root and wood of Morus because of which they possess wide range of biological functions (antidiabetic, antiobesity, antiinflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiviral, cytoprotective and neuroprotective activities etc.). The plant is being utilised traditionally for development of different food products as well as treatment of various diseases. Recently, the researchers took a shift for the efficient utilisation of different parts of the plant for development of various value-added food products. The fruit-based products includes wine, vinegar, jelly, jam, biscuits, bread, squash, yoghurt, cosmetic cream, whereas, leaf-based products includes tea, toothpaste, pastry etc. However, the plant is still lacking its identity at the commercial scale. However, at commercial scale, a kind concern of the industrialists is required towards its effective and efficient utilisation as food, feed and value-added products with the aim to make it available throughout the year.

KEYWORDS:

• Morus
• phytochemicals
• health benefits
• utilisation

Acknowledgments

The authors are highly grateful to School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University Phagwara, Punjab, India for providing financial assistance and infrastructure for preparation of this review.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.