Abstract: This study was intended to investigate the effect of mulberry leaf and bitter melon powder blend on blood glucose, blood lipid and antioxidant status in normal mice. The mice were administered with four different concentrations of the blend for 30 days. Body mass, blood glucose, glucose tolerance, lipid metabolism and antioxidant indicators were measured during the experimental period. As a result, the blend exerted a significant inhibitory effect on body mass gain in mice compared with the control group and the effect remained unchanged at higher concentrations. Compared with the normal control group, the blend at 0.20 g/mL had no significant effect on blood glucose levels, although it resulted in a decrease in glucose area under the curve (AUC) of 14.18% and 15.69%, an increase in hepatic glycogen level of 2.93 and 2.98 times, a reduction in serum total cholesterol (TC) of 17.19% and 18.92%, a decrease in triglycerides (TG) of 15.00% and 16.79%, a decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of 41.67% and 45.83% and an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) of 64.52% and 72.22%, as well as an increase in hepatic glycogen of 193% and 198%, a reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) level of 36.71% and 37.73%, an increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of 41.77% and 48.41% and an increase in glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity of 29.04% and 27.21% for female and male mice, respectively. These results suggested that mulberry leaf and bitter melon powder blend can regulate body mass, blood glucose, glucose tolerance, lipid metabolism and antioxidant status without causing any adverse health effects in normal mice.

Key words: mulberry leaf and bitter melon powder blend, normal mice, blood glucose, blood lipid, antioxidant status