✵The article records the herb Mulberry Leaf—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—a single plant species, Morus alba L., and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant; the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the herb Mulberry Leaf; its pharmacological actions; medicinal efficacy; and administration guidelines.
Folium Mori (Mulberry Leaf)
Pinyin Name: Sānɡ Yè
English Name: Mulberry Leaf
Latin Name:Folium Mori Properties and Flavor: Lightly cold; sweet and slightly bitter
Brief Introduction:Folium Mori is the dried leaf of the white mulberry, Morus alba L. It is used (1) to disperse wind-heat in the treatment of wind-heat invasion; (2) to pacify the liver and brighten the eyes, for conditions such as hyperactivity of liver-yang with headache and acute conjunctivitis; and (3) to clear and moisten the lung, for dry cough due to lung dryness. The herb is commonly known as Folium Mori, Mulberry Leaf, or Sānɡ Yè.
Botanical Source:Folium Mori (Mulberry Leaf) is the dried leaf of Morus alba L., a deciduous tree belonging to the genus Morus, family Moraceae (mulberry or fig family), order Rosales. This widely used species is described below:
Morus alba L.
Botanical Description:Morus alba L. is commonly known as the mulberry tree, white mulberry, or Sānɡ Shù. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree, growing up to 3–15 meters tall. The bark is grayish-white with longitudinal fissures; the root bark is yellowish-brown or reddish-yellow and strongly fibrous. Leaves are simple and alternate; petioles measure 1–2.5 cm in length. Leaf blades are ovate to broadly ovate, 5–20 cm long and 4–10 cm wide; the apex is acute or acuminate; the base is rounded or nearly cordate; margins are coarsely serrate or crenate, sometimes irregularly lobed; the upper surface is glabrous and glossy; the lower surface bears short hairs along the veins and tufts of hairs in the axils; three primary veins arise from the base, branching into reticulate venation, prominently visible on the lower surface; stipules are lanceolate and caducous.
Flowers are unisexual and dioecious. Male and female inflorescences occur separately as axillary, spike-like catkins. Female catkins are 1–2 cm long, pilose, with peduncles 5–10 mm long. Male catkins are 1–2.5 cm long, pendulous, and sparsely pubescent. Staminate flowers have four perianth lobes and four stamens, with a sterile central staminode; pistillate flowers have four perianth lobes, connate at the base, and a bilobed stigma.
The fruit is an ovoid or oblong aggregate of numerous densely clustered achenes, 1–2.5 cm long. Immature fruits are green; upon maturity, they become pulpy and turn black-purple or red. Seeds are small. Flowering occurs from April to May; fruiting from May to June.
Growth Characteristics: Mulberry trees grow on mountain slopes, hillsides, fields, and around villages—mostly cultivated. They prefer a warm, humid climate and exhibit slight shade tolerance. Germination begins when temperatures exceed 12 °C (53.6 °F); optimal growth occurs at 25–30 °C (77–86 °F); growth is inhibited above 40 °C (104 °F) and ceases below 12 °C (53.6 °F). The species is drought-tolerant and arid-tolerant but intolerant of waterlogging. It exhibits strong soil adaptability.
Characteristics of the herb: The dried leaves are often wrinkled and fragmented. Intact leaves bear petioles 1–2.5 cm long. When flattened, leaves are oval or broadly oval, 8–15 cm long and 7–13 cm wide. The apex is acuminate; the base is truncate, rounded, or cordate; margins are serrate or crenate, occasionally irregularly lobed. The upper surface is yellow-green or light yellow-brown, sometimes bearing small verrucous protrusions; the lower surface is slightly paler, with prominent veins, reticulate veinlets, sparse hairs along the veins, and tufted hairs at the vein bases. The herb is brittle. It has a faint odor and a bland taste with mild bitterness and astringency.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) hypoglycemic effect; (2) hypolipidemic effect; (3) inhibitory activity against various pathogens, including Leptospira.
Medicinal Efficacy: Dispels wind and clears heat; moistens the lung to relieve cough; clears liver-fire and improves vision. Indicated for wind-heat cold (wind-heat syndrome), dry cough due to lung-heat, dizziness and headache, red and painful eyes, and blurred vision.
Administration of Folium Mori (Sānɡ Yè):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Folium Mori (Sānɡ Yè)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 5–9 grams; (2) water decoction, 1.5–3 qián (approximately 4.5–9 grams); also prepared as pills or powders. External use: Wash with decoction or apply as a mashed paste. (3) water decoction, 4.5–9 grams; processed into finely ground powder and formulated into pills or powders. External use: Apply an appropriate amount—either as a wash with decoction or as a mashed paste.
✵The article records the herb Mulberry Leaf—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—a single plant species, Morus alba L., and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant; the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the herb Mulberry Leaf; its pharmacological actions; medicinal efficacy; and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Sānɡ Yè
Botanical Description: Morus alba L. is commonly known as the mulberry tree, white mulberry, or Sānɡ Shù. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree, growing up to 3–15 meters tall. The bark is grayish-white with longitudinal fissures; the root bark is yellowish-brown or reddish-yellow and strongly fibrous. Leaves are simple and alternate; petioles measure 1–2.5 cm in length. Leaf blades are ovate to broadly ovate, 5–20 cm long and 4–10 cm wide; the apex is acute or acuminate; the base is rounded or nearly cordate; margins are coarsely serrate or crenate, sometimes irregularly lobed; the upper surface is glabrous and glossy; the lower surface bears short hairs along the veins and tufts of hairs in the axils; three primary veins arise from the base, branching into reticulate venation, prominently visible on the lower surface; stipules are lanceolate and caducous.
Growth Characteristics: Mulberry trees grow on mountain slopes, hillsides, fields, and around villages—mostly cultivated. They prefer a warm, humid climate and exhibit slight shade tolerance. Germination begins when temperatures exceed 12 °C (53.6 °F); optimal growth occurs at 25–30 °C (77–86 °F); growth is inhibited above 40 °C (104 °F) and ceases below 12 °C (53.6 °F). The species is drought-tolerant and arid-tolerant but intolerant of waterlogging. It exhibits strong soil adaptability.
Characteristics of the herb: The dried leaves are often wrinkled and fragmented. Intact leaves bear petioles 1–2.5 cm long. When flattened, leaves are oval or broadly oval, 8–15 cm long and 7–13 cm wide. The apex is acuminate; the base is truncate, rounded, or cordate; margins are serrate or crenate, occasionally irregularly lobed. The upper surface is yellow-green or light yellow-brown, sometimes bearing small verrucous protrusions; the lower surface is slightly paler, with prominent veins, reticulate veinlets, sparse hairs along the veins, and tufted hairs at the vein bases. The herb is brittle. It has a faint odor and a bland taste with mild bitterness and astringency.
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