White Mulberry Leaf
Morus alba
The leaf of the white mulberry tree. A review of 12 trials found it lowered fasting blood sugar and HbA1c.
Safety at a glance
- PregnancyNothing recorded
- BreastfeedingNothing recorded
- MedicinesNothing recorded
- Who should avoid itNothing recorded
- AllergiesNothing recorded
- ToxicityNothing recorded
Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.
What is White Mulberry Leaf?
- Plant family
- Moraceae, the fig and mulberry family
- Parts used
- The leaves
- Genus
- Morus
- Species
- alba
Also called
Mulberry Leaf, White Mulberry
Traditionally used for
- Blood sugar (some evidence)
Traditionally described as
- Contains 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ)
Health topics
Where White Mulberry Leaf appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.
- High Blood Sugar
A 2023 review of 12 trials found it lowered fasting blood sugar and HbA1c.
Natural compounds
How it's prepared
Common ways White Mulberry Leaf is prepared or sold. This isn't advice on how to take it; see Safety below.
- Extract
In trials, people took mulberry leaf or mulberry leaf extract.[1]Review or trial
What does the research say?
Laboratory & animal research
Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.
Mulberry leaf contains 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), flavonoids and other compounds thought to help the body handle sugar, lower blood sugar and increase insulin release.[1]Review or trial
Research in people
A 2023 review of 12 trials with 615 adults found mulberry leaf or its extract lowered fasting blood sugar, HbA1c (a measure of average blood sugar) and fasting insulin. It worked better when taken for 8 weeks or more by people whose blood sugar was already high.[1]Review or trial
Technical detail: FBG −0.47 mmol/L; HbA1c −2.92 mmol/mol; fasting insulin −0.58 μIU/mL.
In a 2014 trial in people with prediabetes, mulberry leaf extract reduced the rise in blood sugar after eating, compared with a placebo.[2]Study
In short
No safety studies found.
Sources
- [1] Effect of mulberry leaf or mulberry leaf extract on glycemic traits: a systematic review and meta-analysis · DOI: 10.1039/d2fo02645gReview or clinical trial
- [2] Mulberry leaf extract improves postprandial glucose response in prediabetic subjects: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial · DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2014.3160Peer-reviewed study
This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.