Compounds inhibiting hyperglycemia and cancer cell proliferation from Morus alba L

In traditional use, the root bark Morus alba L, Cortex Mori (Sangbaipi) is for the treatment of lung-heat, cough, hematemesis, dropsy, beriberi, difficulty in micturition and so on; the twig after processed, Ramulus Mori (Sangzhi), for dispelling wind-damp, easing joint movement, promoting diuresis and reducing swelling and edema, dysuria and painful limbs. Recently, M. alba was reported to have anti-HIV, anti-tumor and anti-hyperglycemic effects. Our results showed that some benzofuran and flavonoid compounds are responsible for these dual inhibitory effects on cancer cells' proliferation and hyperglycemia. Moracin M, steppogenin-4'-O-β -D-glucosiade, and mulberroside A presented anti- hyperglycemic effects on alloxan-diabetic mice in vivo. Steppogenin-7,4'- di-O-β-D-glucosiade inhibted the proliferation of human ovarian cancer HO-8910 cells in vitro. Moracin C and Moracin M inhibited the priliferation of adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells A549 and human breast cancer cells MCF-7.