Preparation of Mulberry Leaf Extract by Adding Mugwort and Pine Needle and Effects on Lipid Composition in Rats Fed High Cholesterol Diets

This study investigated the effects of feeding mulberry leaf extracts on lipid composition in rats fed high cholesterol diets. An initial 30-person sensory evaluation of preparations containing various concentrations of mulberry leaf extract showed that a preparation containing 9% mulberry leaf extracts was the most highly preferred. In addition, subsidiary materials of pine needle extracts and mugwort extracts were added to weaken the unpleasant smell of mulberry leaf extract A preparation containing 9% mulberry leaf extract with 3% mugwort extract and 7% pine needle extract was given highest preference scores by the 30-person panel. When comparing the functional ingredients contents of the various preparations of mulberry leaf extracts, such as GABA, DNJ and flavonoids, no significant differences were found as a result of adding subsidiary materials (pine needle and mugwort extracts). Sprague-Dawley male rats weighing l00$\pm$10g were randomly assigned to one normal diet group, and to four high cholesterol diet groups containing 1% cholesterol, to elucidate the functionality of the mulberry leaf extract The four high cholesterol diet groups were classified into: a mulberry leaf extract diet group free of subsidiary materials (EB group); a mulberry extract diet group with pine needle extracts (EP group); a mulberry leaf extract diet group with mugwort extracts (EM group); and a control group (HC group). The mulberry leaf extracts were provided as drinking water; the diet and water were fed ad libitum. Hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride levels were higher, by 279% to 475%, in the high cholesterol groups compared to the normal diet groups, but were significantly lower in the three groups supplied with mulberry leaf extracts, compared with the high cholesterol control. There were no changes in functionality of the mulberry leaf extract preparations due to the addition of subsidiary materials. In conclusion, preparations of mulberry leaf extracts were shown to improve lipid metabolism in rats fed a high cholesterol diet, by reducing hepatic and plasma triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Also human palatability of the mulberry leaf preparation was improved by adding subsidiary materials such as pine needle and mugwort extracts.