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Broussonetia papyrifera also known as paper mulberry is native to Asia including China, Japan, India, and Burma belonging to the family Moraceae. It grows up to a height of 20 m and a diameter of 70 cm in sub-tropical regions at an elevation of 1600 m. The plant is dioecious, and leaves are papery which vary in shape and are alternate, acuminate, dentate with oblique bases having a dimension of 9.7 x 6.6 cm. The fruit is reddish, fleshy, 1-2 cm long, and drupe. It is mainly used for making the fine quality bark cloth, decoction, and edible fruit. It is medicinally used as an astringent, diuretic, diaphoretic, laxative, and stomachic and possesses antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antinociceptive activity. It is also used for animal feed, fodder, forage, shade, shelter, fuelwood, and ornamental use. It contains various phytoconstituents including minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, copper, lead, mercury, and vitamins like vitamin E, B1, B2, B5, B6, C, beta carotene, fatty acids, and amino acids like aspartate, threonine, glutamate, glycine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, tyrosine, and apigenin, luteolin, flavone, ficustriol, icariside, and flavones. The plant grows well at a temperature between 15 to 28oC, annual rainfall of 800 to 2500 mm, and pH of 5 to 7.5. Species are highly invasive, cause of aeroallergen but useful in phytoremediation. |
