Significantly hypoglycemic effect of a novel functional bread rich in mulberry bark and improving the related functions of liver, pancreas, and kidney, on T2D mice.

To develop a novel functional food with lowering blood glucose for diabetics, the mixed bread containing mulberry branch bark powder (MBBP) was used for the oral administration of the type 2 diabetic (T2D) mice induced by streptozocin (STZ), high-fat and high-sugar diet for 7 weeks. 5%, 10%, and 15% MBBP bread diets had a significatively positive influence on the biochemical indicators, histological examination, and immunohistochemistry observations in T2D mice. The 15% MBBP-rich bread diet evidently retarded loss weight of T2D mice, and decreased in FBG by about 55% and in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels by about 30%. Its glucose tolerance and serum insulin levels were very close to normal level. The abnormal lipid metabolism and insulin-related index of T2D mice in both the 10% and 15% MBBP bread diet groups were partly reversed. The Western blotting results showed that the expression levels of key proteins in PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were decreased and expression levels of immunoproteins PPARγ, TNF-α, P65, and IL6 were increased. In general, oral MBBP bread diets effectively restored some functions and repaired damage to the pancreas, liver, and kidney in T2D mice. Therefore, MBBP is potential to develop into a novel functional food additive with significantly hypoglycemic effect.