Acute intake of mulberry leaf aqueous extract affects postprandial glucose response after maltose loading: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study

• Mulberry leaf aqueous extract reduced postprandial glucose response.
• The effective dose was 2.5 to 5 g of MLAE.
• The effect was the same regardless of the intake time.

Mulberry leaf extract was investigated as a potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, especially for individuals with prediabetes. We evaluated the effect of the ingestion of mulberry leaf aqueous extract (MLAE) on postprandial glucose responses in healthy subjects. We carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the intake amount of MLAE (1.25, 2.5, or 5 g) and time necessary to impact postprandial blood glucose levels after 75 g of maltose loading in 50 healthy subjects. Ingestion of MLAE led to a decrease in postchallenge acute glucose levels following intake of 2.5 or 5 g of MLAE at 30 and 60 min (P = 0.0137 and 0.0423, respectively). There was no significant difference between pre- and simultaneous administration of MLAE. The ingestion of MLAE resulted in improved postprandial glycemic control in healthy subjects.