A medium sized deciduous tree, bark of large trees dark greyish brown, rough, the fissures mainly vertical. Leaves varying markedly in shape according to the age of the tree, in young plants and on vigorous shoots of old plants the leaves are usually deeply lobed, normally they are unlobed and 2 to 3 inches long. Flowers unisexual, very small, greenish, the sexes separated on different axes (spikes) either on the same branch or on different branches or occasionally a tree produces only male spikes or only female spikes. Male spikes ½-1½ inches long, the flowers not densely crowded. Sepals 4, hairy 1/10 inch long. Female spikes shorter than the male, the flowers crowded. Sepals 4, not hairy or only slightly so on the edges. Fruit ½ to 1 inch long, sometimes white, but more often red becoming black when ripe.

The root is used as anthelmintic and astringent and the leaves as diaphoretic and emollient; hypoglycemic (root bark).

Morus alba
Plants for a Future

Alpha-amyrin, morusin and cyclomorusin (root bark); albanols A and B and mulberranol (bark); caffeic acid, chalcons, eugenol, simple phenols, benzophenones, quercetin and flavones (plant); acetic acid, beta-sitosterol, chlorogenic acid, choline, folacin, gaba, quercitrin (leaf); asorbic acid, beta-carotene, rutin (fruit);kaempferol, piceatannol, resorcinol, resveratrol (wood)

In indigestion, refrigerant in fever, dyspepsia, melancholia and sore throat (fruit); as an anthelmintic and astringent (root and leaf); as a gargle in inflammation of throat (leaf decoction); used for external use in bed sores (leaf paste with neem leaves).

This herb is contraindicated in cases with diarrhea due to cold and deficiency of the spleen and stomach.

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.