Herb Bark (皮 pí / 树皮 shù pí)

Sang Bai Pi

Mulberry root bark · 桑白皮

Morus alba L. · Cortex Mori

Sang Bai Pi (Mulberry root bark) plant

Images shown are for educational purposes only

White mulberry root bark is a widely used herb for clearing heat from the lungs and relieving cough and wheezing, especially when caused by an accumulation of heat. It also helps reduce fluid retention and swelling by restoring the lungs' ability to regulate water in the body. It is the key ingredient in the classic children's formula Xiè Bái Sǎn (Drain the White Powder).

Category Herbs that relieve coughing and wheezing (止咳平喘药) Phlegm-transforming herbs (化痰药)
Therapeutic focus Respiratory Health Cough and Phlegm Relief Fluid Retention and Edema Blood Pressure Support

TCM Properties

Temperature

Cold

Taste

Sweet (甘 gān)

Channels entered

Lungs, Spleen

Parts used

Bark (皮 pí / 树皮 shù pí)

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What This Herb Does

Every herb has a specific set of actions — here's what Sang Bai Pi does in the body, explained in both everyday and TCM terms

Therapeutic focus

In practical terms, Sang Bai Pi is primarily used to support these areas of health:

Respiratory Health Cough and Phlegm Relief Fluid Retention and Edema Blood Pressure Support

TCM Actions

In TCM terminology, these are the specific therapeutic actions that Sang Bai Pi performs to restore balance in the body:

Clears Lung Heat Stops Cough and Calms Wheezing Promotes Urination and Reduces Edema Descends Lung Qi and Stops Cough

How these actions work

'Drains Lung Heat' means Sāng Bái Pí clears excess heat that has accumulated in the Lungs. When heat lodges in the Lungs, it disrupts their normal downward-directing function, leading to cough with thick yellow phlegm, fever, and a feeling of fullness in the chest. The herb's cold nature and sweet taste enter the Lung channel to clear this heat gently, without being as harsh as very bitter, cold herbs like Huáng Qín or Huáng Lián. This makes it especially suitable for children and people with delicate constitutions who cannot tolerate strong cold-bitter herbs.

'Calms wheezing and stops cough' refers to the herb's ability to restore the Lungs' natural descending function. When Lung Qi rebels upward (due to heat or fluid accumulation), it causes wheezing, rapid breathing, and persistent cough. Sāng Bái Pí redirects the Lung Qi downward, thereby calming these symptoms. It is a primary herb for cough and wheezing caused by Lung Heat, and is the star ingredient in the classic formula Xiè Bái Sǎn.

'Promotes urination and reduces edema' relates to the Lungs' role in regulating water metabolism. In TCM, the Lungs are described as the 'upper source of water,' governing the distribution of fluids throughout the body. When the Lungs are obstructed by heat or fluid, water accumulates and causes swelling of the face, eyes, and limbs. Sāng Bái Pí clears and descends Lung Qi, thereby restoring the Lungs' ability to regulate and direct fluids downward to the Kidneys and Bladder, which promotes urination and resolves edema.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony. Sang Bai Pi is used to help correct these specific patterns.

Why Sang Bai Pi addresses this pattern

Sāng Bái Pí directly addresses Lung Heat by entering the Lung channel with its cold, sweet nature. When heat lodges in the Lungs, it scorches fluids and forces Lung Qi to rebel upward, causing cough with yellow phlegm, wheezing, and fever. The herb's cold temperature clears the heat, while its sweet taste gently nourishes without creating dryness. Unlike strongly bitter cold herbs, it drains Lung Heat mildly, making it suitable even for lingering, 'hidden' (伏 fú) fire in the Lungs where the heat is not extreme but persistent.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Hypochondrial Pain That Is Worse On Coughing And Breathing

Cough with thick yellow phlegm

Wheezing

Wheezing and rapid breathing from heat

Fever

Skin feels warm to the touch, especially in the afternoon

Thirst

Thirst with desire for cold drinks

Commonly Used For

These are conditions where Sang Bai Pi is frequently used — but only when they arise from the specific patterns it addresses, not in all cases

Arises from: Lung Heat Lung Qi Rebellion

TCM Interpretation

TCM views asthma primarily as a disorder of the Lungs' descending function. In heat-type asthma, pathogenic heat accumulates in the Lungs, congealing fluids into thick phlegm that obstructs the airways and forces Lung Qi upward. This produces the characteristic wheezing, rapid breathing, and cough with thick yellow sputum. The Lungs, described as a 'delicate organ' (娇脏 jiāo zàng), are easily disrupted by both heat and cold, and restoring their descending function is central to treatment.

Why Sang Bai Pi Helps

Sāng Bái Pí is one of the primary herbs for heat-type asthma because its cold nature directly clears Lung Heat while its descending quality redirects rebellious Lung Qi downward, addressing the root mechanism of wheezing. Unlike harsh heat-clearing herbs, it is gentle on the Lungs thanks to its sweet taste. In the formula Xiè Bái Sǎn, it serves as the King herb, demonstrating its central role in clearing heat from the Lungs and calming wheezing. Modern pharmacological research has also identified mild bronchodilatory and anti-inflammatory properties in its active compounds.

Also commonly used for

Hypochondrial Pain That Is Worse On Coughing And Breathing

Especially productive cough with yellow phlegm due to lung heat

Bronchitis

Acute and chronic bronchitis

Pneumonia

Pneumonia with heat signs

Difficulty Urinating

Oliguria or dysuria with fluid retention

Diabetes

Used in classical formulas for wasting-thirst syndrome (xiao ke)

Whooping Cough

Pertussis (whooping cough)

Pleural Effusion

Exudative pleurisy with fluid retention

Herb Properties

Every herb has an inherent temperature, taste, and affinity for specific channels — these properties determine how it interacts with the body

Temperature

Cold

Taste

Sweet (甘 gān)

Channels Entered

Lungs Spleen

Parts Used

Bark (皮 pí / 树皮 shù pí)

Dosage & Preparation

These are general dosage guidelines for Sang Bai Pi — always follow your practitioner's recommendation, as dosages vary based on the formula and your individual condition

Standard dosage

6-15g

Maximum dosage

Up to 30g in severe Lung Heat with wheezing or acute oedema, under practitioner supervision. Standard range is 6-15g.

Dosage notes

Use lower doses (6-9g) for mild Lung Heat cough or as a supporting herb in combination formulas. Standard doses (9-15g) for Lung Heat cough and wheezing or mild oedema. Higher doses (15-30g) may be used for acute oedema with difficult urination or severe Lung Heat. Raw Sang Bai Pi (生桑白皮) is stronger for draining water and promoting urination. Honey-processed Sang Bai Pi (蜜炙桑白皮) is milder, more moistening, and better suited for chronic Lung Heat cough where harsh draining is not desired. The stir-fried form (炒桑白皮) has a slightly moderated cold nature.

Preparation

No special decoction handling required. Decocted normally with the other herbs in the formula.

Processing Methods

In TCM, the same herb can be prepared in different ways to change its effects — here's how processing alters what Sang Bai Pi does

Processing method

Honey is diluted with a small amount of boiling water, mixed with sliced Sāng Bái Pí, allowed to soak in, then stir-fried over gentle heat until the pieces turn deep yellow and are no longer sticky. Approximately 25-30 kg of refined honey is used per 100 kg of herb.

How it changes properties

Honey-processing moderates the cold, draining nature of raw Sāng Bái Pí. The result is a less cold herb whose ability to harshly purge the Lungs is reduced, but whose capacity to moisten the Lungs and stop coughing and wheezing is enhanced. The honey adds a moistening, Lung-nourishing quality that balances the herb's inherently draining action.

When to use this form

Use the honey-processed form when the goal is to calm wheezing and stop cough in patients with milder heat or when Lung dryness is a concern. It is preferred when the cold, purging action of raw Sāng Bái Pí would be too strong, such as in patients with some underlying deficiency. This is the default form dispensed in many pharmacies when the prescription simply writes 'Sāng Bái Pí.'

Common Herb Pairs

These ingredients are traditionally combined with Sang Bai Pi for enhanced therapeutic effect

Di Gu Pi
Di Gu Pi 1:1 (e.g. Sāng Bái Pí 10g : Dì Gǔ Pí 10g)

Sāng Bái Pí drains Lung Heat from the Qi level while Dì Gǔ Pí clears deep-lying (lurking) fire from the Yin level. Together, they clear both superficial and deep heat in the Lungs without causing dryness, since both are sweet and cold. This is the classic King-Deputy pairing in Xiè Bái Sǎn.

When to use: Lung Heat with hidden fire: cough, wheezing, skin that feels warm to light touch (especially in the afternoon), and signs of Yin being gradually consumed by heat.

Ting Li Zi
Ting Li Zi 1:1 (e.g. Sāng Bái Pí 10g : Tíng Lì Zǐ 10g)

Both herbs drain the Lungs and move fluids downward. Sāng Bái Pí focuses on clearing Lung Heat and is better for yellow, heat-type phlegm. Tíng Lì Zǐ is more powerful at purging water and phlegm from the Lungs and is better for severe fluid accumulation with profuse thin mucus. Together they provide a comprehensive approach to both heat and fluid in the Lungs.

When to use: Severe wheezing with both heat signs and significant fluid retention in the Lungs, facial edema with difficult urination, and copious phlegm that may be both thick and watery.

Huang Qin
Huang Qin 1:1 (e.g. Sāng Bái Pí 10g : Huáng Qín 10g)

Sāng Bái Pí drains Lung Heat through its sweet, cold nature while Huáng Qín clears Lung Heat with its bitter, cold properties. The combination is more powerful than either alone for clearing fire from the Lungs, with Huáng Qín adding a stronger bitter-drying action against thick yellow phlegm and Sāng Bái Pí contributing its descending and fluid-regulating abilities.

When to use: Pronounced Lung Heat with heavy yellow phlegm, coughing with possible blood-streaked sputum, and fever.

Fu Ling Pi
Fu Ling Pi 1:1 (e.g. Sāng Bái Pí 10g : Fú Líng Pí 10g)

Sāng Bái Pí descends Lung Qi to open the water passages from above, while Fú Líng Pí promotes urination and resolves skin-level dampness from below. This top-down approach comprehensively addresses edema by treating both the Lung's regulatory failure and the accumulated fluid in the skin and tissues.

When to use: Generalized edema, especially facial and limb swelling with reduced urination. This is the core pairing mechanism in Wǔ Pí Yǐn (Five-Peel Drink).

Key Formulas

These well-known formulas feature Sang Bai Pi in a prominent role

Xie Bai San 泻白散 King

Xiè Bái Sǎn (Drain the White Powder) from Qián Yǐ's Xiǎo Ér Yào Zhèng Zhí Jué is THE defining formula for Sāng Bái Pí. It serves as King herb, paired with Dì Gǔ Pí, Gān Cǎo, and Jīng Mǐ to gently clear hidden fire from the Lungs. The formula perfectly showcases the herb's core identity: clearing Lung Heat and calming wheezing without harsh bitterness, making it safe even for children.

Wu Pi Yin 五皮饮 Assistant

Wǔ Pí Yǐn (Five-Peel Drink) showcases Sāng Bái Pí's fluid-regulating ability. In this formula of five 'peels' (Fú Líng Pí, Dà Fù Pí, Chén Pí, Shēng Jiāng Pí, and Sāng Bái Pí), the herb contributes by descending Lung Qi and opening the water passages from above, demonstrating its diuretic and edema-resolving properties rather than its heat-clearing function.

Comparable Ingredients

These ingredients have overlapping uses — here's how to tell them apart

Ting Li Zi
Sang Bai Pi vs Ting Li Zi

Both drain the Lungs to calm wheezing and reduce edema. Sāng Bái Pí is gentler and better suited for Lung Heat with yellow phlegm; it clears heat while descending Qi. Tíng Lì Zǐ is much more powerful and drastic, used for severe fluid accumulation with profuse watery phlegm or pleural effusion. Tíng Lì Zǐ is reserved for excess conditions with acute congestion, while Sāng Bái Pí is appropriate for more moderate Lung Heat patterns and can be used longer-term.

Pi Pa Ye
Sang Bai Pi vs Pi Pa Ye

Both descend Lung Qi and stop cough. Pí Pá Yè (loquat leaf) is bitter and neutral to slightly cool, and it excels at harmonizing the Stomach and stopping vomiting in addition to its Lung-descending action. Sāng Bái Pí is distinctly cold and specialized for Lung Heat with wheezing and edema. Choose Sāng Bái Pí when heat signs are prominent and there is fluid retention; choose Pí Pá Yè when cough accompanies Stomach Qi rebellion (nausea) or when the cough has a dry, less heat-driven quality.

Huang Qin
Sang Bai Pi vs Huang Qin

Both clear Lung Heat, but Huáng Qín (Scutellaria root) is bitter-cold and primarily a heat-clearing, fire-draining herb with broader anti-inflammatory action across multiple organs. Sāng Bái Pí is sweet-cold and specialized for the Lungs, with the additional ability to descend Lung Qi, calm wheezing, and promote urination. For Lung Heat with wheezing and fluid retention, Sāng Bái Pí is preferred; for general Lung Heat with strong fire signs and no fluid component, Huáng Qín may be more appropriate.

Identity & Adulterants

Related species and common adulterations to be aware of when sourcing Sang Bai Pi

The Chinese Pharmacopoeia specifies only Morus alba L. root bark as the authentic source. However, in some regions the root bark of related species such as Morus australis (鸡桑), Morus mongolica (蒙桑), and Morus cathayana (华桑) are used as local substitutes. These have similar appearance but may differ in chemical composition and therapeutic potency. The key distinguishing features of authentic Sang Bai Pi are: residual orange-yellow or brownish-yellow patches of cork on the outer surface, strong fibrosity that tears lengthwise with powder flying out, and a mildly sweet taste. Adulterants lacking the characteristic powdery quality or the correct colour should be rejected. Bark from trunks or branches rather than roots is sometimes mixed in and is inferior.

Educational content — always consult a qualified healthcare provider or TCM practitioner before using any herb.

Toxicity Classification

Classical Chinese pharmacopoeia toxicity rating for Sang Bai Pi

Non-toxic

Sang Bai Pi is classified as non-toxic in classical sources (the Ming Yi Bie Lu explicitly states "wu du" / non-toxic). Modern toxicological studies support this: oral and intraperitoneal administration of alcohol or water extracts at 10g/kg in mice, or intravenous injection at 5g/kg, caused no deaths. However, a purified yellow powder fraction obtained by repeated solvent extraction showed intravenous LD50 of 32.7mg/kg in mice, indicating that concentrated isolated fractions may have higher toxicity than the whole herb used in decoction. In standard clinical decoction form at recommended doses, Sang Bai Pi has an excellent safety profile with no significant toxic concerns.

Contraindications

Situations where Sang Bai Pi should not be used or requires extra caution

Caution

Lung deficiency without Heat (肺虚无火). Sang Bai Pi is cold in nature and drains Lung Qi. Using it when cough is caused by Lung deficiency rather than excess Heat will further deplete weak Lungs and worsen the condition.

Caution

Wind-Cold cough (风寒咳嗽). The cold nature of this herb is inappropriate for coughs caused by external Wind-Cold invasion, where warming and dispersing herbs are needed instead.

Caution

Frequent or copious urination (小便利者). Since Sang Bai Pi promotes urination, it should not be used in patients who already urinate excessively, as it may further deplete fluids and harm Yin.

Caution

Spleen and Stomach deficiency Cold. The cold, draining nature of this herb can damage an already weak digestive system, potentially causing loose stools, poor appetite, or abdominal discomfort.

Special Populations

Important considerations for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pediatric use

Pregnancy

Use with caution during pregnancy. Sang Bai Pi's cold nature and its strong draining and descending action on the Lungs may theoretically disturb fetal stability, particularly in women with underlying Spleen-Lung deficiency. Classical sources from the Qing dynasty note that children and pregnant women should use this herb cautiously. There is no specific evidence of teratogenicity, but the herb's potent fluid-moving and Qi-descending properties warrant care. Pregnant women should only use this herb under professional supervision.

Breastfeeding

No specific classical or modern contraindications for breastfeeding have been documented. However, as a cold-natured draining herb, prolonged or high-dose use could theoretically affect milk production in mothers with underlying Spleen-Qi deficiency by further depleting Qi. Short-term use at standard doses under professional guidance is generally considered acceptable. Monitor for any reduction in milk supply.

Children

Sang Bai Pi has a long history of paediatric use, most notably in Qian Yi's Xie Bai San (泻白散), designed specifically for children with Lung Heat causing cough and wheezing. Dosage should be reduced proportionally by age and body weight, typically one-third to one-half of the adult dose for children. However, because of its cold and draining nature, it should be used cautiously and for limited periods in children to avoid harming the Spleen and Stomach. Honey-processed Sang Bai Pi (蜜炙桑白皮) is gentler and often preferred for paediatric use.

Drug Interactions

If you are taking pharmaceutical medications, be aware of these potential interactions with Sang Bai Pi

Antidiabetic medications: Modern pharmacological research has demonstrated significant hypoglycaemic effects from mulberry root bark compounds, including alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (such as 1-deoxynojirimycin) and flavonoids (moracin M, mulberroside A). Concurrent use with oral hypoglycaemics (metformin, sulfonylureas) or insulin could theoretically potentiate blood sugar lowering and increase the risk of hypoglycaemia. Blood glucose should be monitored if used alongside antidiabetic drugs.

Antihypertensive medications: Animal studies have consistently demonstrated hypotensive effects of mulberry root bark extracts. Co-administration with antihypertensive drugs may enhance blood pressure lowering, potentially causing excessive hypotension. Monitoring is advisable.

Diuretics: Given the well-documented diuretic activity of Sang Bai Pi, concurrent use with pharmaceutical diuretics (furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide) could lead to excessive fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance.

Dietary Advice

Foods and dietary considerations when taking Sang Bai Pi

While taking Sang Bai Pi, avoid excessively cold and raw foods if the person has a weak digestive system, as the herb's cold nature combined with cold foods may aggravate Spleen-Stomach deficiency. Spicy, greasy, or heavily fried foods should be limited as these can generate internal Heat and Phlegm, counteracting the herb's Lung-clearing effects. Light, easily digestible foods that support Lung health are beneficial, such as pears, white radish, and lily bulb.

Botanical Description

Physical characteristics and morphology of the Sang Bai Pi source plant

Sang Bai Pi comes from the white mulberry tree (Morus alba L.), a deciduous tree in the Moraceae family that typically grows 3 to 10 metres tall, though some specimens reach greater heights. It has a broad, spreading crown with greyish-brown bark that becomes deeply furrowed with age. The leaves are alternate, broadly ovate, and variably lobed with serrated margins, famously used for feeding silkworms. In spring it produces inconspicuous greenish catkins, followed by fleshy fruits (mulberries) that ripen from green to deep purple-black in summer.

The medicinal part is the root bark, specifically the inner white bark layer after the yellowish-brown outer cork layer has been scraped away. The mulberry tree is widely cultivated across China and adapts well to hillsides, roadsides, and village edges. It thrives in warm, temperate climates with well-drained soil.

Sourcing & Harvesting

Where Sang Bai Pi is sourced, when it's harvested or collected, and how to assess quality

Harvesting season

Late autumn after leaf fall through early spring before buds emerge (秋末叶落时至次春发芽前).

Primary growing regions

Widely distributed across China. Major producing regions include Henan, Anhui, Sichuan, Hunan, Hebei, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Guangdong provinces. Henan and Anhui have the largest output. The herb from Bozhou (亳州) in Anhui province, known as "Bo Sang Pi" (亳桑皮), is considered the finest quality and regarded as the authentic daodi (道地) source material. It is prized for its superior powder content, thick white bark, and strong medicinal potency.

Quality indicators

Good quality Sang Bai Pi appears as twisted rolled tubes, troughs, or flat strips, 1 to 4mm thick. The outer surface should be white to pale yellowish-white and relatively smooth, with minimal residual patches of the original orange-yellow or brownish-yellow cork. The inner surface is yellowish-white with fine longitudinal striations. It should be light in weight, tough and fibrous, difficult to break but easy to tear lengthwise. A key quality test: when torn, fine powder should fly out (the more powdery, the better the quality). It should have a faint smell, slightly sweet taste with a mild bitterness, and a characteristic bean-like scent. The best grades are thick, very white, highly pliable, and richly powdery.

Classical Texts

Key passages from the classical Chinese medical texts that describe Sang Bai Pi and its therapeutic uses

Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (《神农本草经》)

Original: 桑根白皮，味甘，寒。主伤中，五劳六极，羸瘦；崩中；脉绝；补虚益气。

Translation: Mulberry root bark is sweet and cold. It treats internal damage, the five taxations and six extremes, emaciation, uterine flooding, severed vessels, and supplements deficiency to boost Qi.

Ming Yi Bie Lu (《名医别录》)

Original: 去肺中水气，唾血，热渴，水肿，腹满胪胀，利水道，去寸白，可以缝金疮。

Translation: It removes water-Qi from the Lungs, treats blood in the sputum, Heat-thirst, oedema, abdominal fullness and distension, promotes urination, expels intestinal parasites, and can be used to seal wounds.

Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》, Li Shizhen)

Original: 桑白皮，长于利小水，乃实则泻其子也，故肺中有水气及肺火有余者宜之。

Translation: Mulberry root bark excels at promoting urination; this follows the principle of 'when the mother is excess, drain the child.' Therefore it is suitable when there is water-Qi in the Lungs or excess Lung Fire.

Lei Gong Pao Zhi Lun (《雷公炮炙论》)

Original: 凡使桑白皮，采十年已上嫩根，铜刀剥上青黄薄皮一重，只取第二重白嫩青涎者，用铜刀锉了，焙令干，勿使皮上涎落，涎是药力。此药恶铁并铅。

Translation: When using mulberry root bark, select tender roots from trees over ten years old. Use a copper knife to peel away the first layer of greenish-yellow thin bark, and take only the second layer of white, tender, mucilaginous bark. Cut it with a copper knife, dry it by baking, and do not let the mucilage drip off, for the mucilage is where the medicinal power resides. This herb is incompatible with iron and lead.

Historical Context

The history and evolution of Sang Bai Pi's use in Chinese medicine over the centuries

Sang Bai Pi has an ancient pedigree as a medicinal substance. It was first recorded in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (the earliest Chinese materia medica, compiled in the Han dynasty), where it was classified as a middle-grade herb. At that time it was primarily described as supplementing deficiency and treating exhaustion conditions. The name "Sang Bai Pi" literally means "mulberry white bark," referring to the white inner root bark revealed after stripping away the yellowish outer cork.

Over subsequent centuries, its clinical identity shifted toward its Lung-draining and water-promoting functions. The Song dynasty physician Qian Yi (钱乙), a famous paediatrician, created the formula Xie Bai San (泻白散, "Drain the White Powder") pairing Sang Bai Pi with Di Gu Pi (Lycium root bark) to clear smouldering Lung Heat in children with cough and wheezing. Li Shizhen in the Ben Cao Gang Mu later praised this formula as "the standard among all formulas for draining the Lungs." The Yuan dynasty physician Luo Tianyi further described Sang Bai Pi as draining hidden Fire from the Lungs while simultaneously supporting the body's upright Qi, summarizing the principle as "draining the pathogen is itself a way of supporting the correct."

The mulberry tree itself holds deep cultural significance in China, intertwined with the millennia-old silk industry. Because mulberry trees were planted everywhere for sericulture, their root bark was readily available, making Sang Bai Pi one of the most accessible and commonly used herbs throughout Chinese medical history.

Modern Research

4 published studies investigating the pharmacological effects or clinical outcomes of Sang Bai Pi

1

Pharmacological studies on root bark of mulberry tree (Morus alba L.) — Preclinical animal study, 1976

Hikino H, Mizuno T, Oshima Y, Konno C. Japanese Journal of Pharmacology, 1976, 26(4), 461-469.

This foundational pharmacological study compared the effects of mulberry root bark fractions with its traditional clinical uses. Both butanol-soluble and water-soluble fractions showed diuretic, antitussive, anti-oedema, sedative, anticonvulsant, analgesic, and blood pressure-lowering effects in mice, rats, guinea pigs, and dogs. The results correlated well with the herb's traditional indications in Chinese medicine for cough, oedema, and hypertension.

PubMed
2

Bioassay-guided discovery of potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitors from Morus alba root bark — Preclinical study, 2024

Tian LL, Bi YX, Wang C, Zhu K, Xu DF, Zhang H. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2024, 322, 117645.

This study identified the root bark of Morus alba as an extremely rich source of flavonoid-type alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. Multiple novel potent inhibitors were discovered through bioassay-guided fractionation and tested in diabetic mice. The findings support the traditional use of Sang Bai Pi in managing blood sugar and suggest it is a promising candidate for developing natural antidiabetic agents.

PubMed
3

Multiple in vitro biological effects of phenolic compounds from Morus alba root bark — In vitro study, 2020

Grienke U, Mair CE, Kirchmair J, et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2020, 248, 112296.

Researchers isolated 26 compounds from mulberry root bark and screened them for antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activity. Several phenolic constituents showed promising dual anti-infective and anti-inflammatory properties, supporting the herb's traditional use in treating respiratory infections and inflammation.

PubMed
4

Correlation of bioactive markers of Morus alba root bark extract with toxicity and efficacy in BALB/c mice — Preclinical study, 2023

Langeder J, Grienke U, Gao L, et al. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2023, 14, 1193118.

A standardized mulberry root bark extract (MA60), enriched in Diels-Alder type adducts including sanggenons C and D, was tested in mice for anti-influenza and anti-inflammatory activity. The study demonstrated in vivo anti-infective efficacy and established safety parameters, supporting the traditional use of Sang Bai Pi for respiratory infections.

Research on individual TCM herbs is growing but still limited by Western clinical trial standards. These studies provide emerging evidence and should be considered alongside practitioner expertise.