MORUS ALBA ROOT EXTRACT
White mulberry root extract is the material obtained from the roots of Morus alba L., a species in the Moraceae family. On an ingredient list, it identifies a botanical extract rather than one isolated substance, so it should not be confused with a specific mulberry compound or with an extract made from the leaves or fruit.
MORUS ALBA ROOT EXTRACT: what it is
White mulberry root extract is the material obtained from the roots of Morus alba L., a species in the Moraceae family. On an ingredient list, it identifies a botanical extract rather than one isolated substance, so it should not be confused with a specific mulberry compound or with an extract made from the leaves or fruit.
The plant part is meaningful here: the raw material is the root. Research on the root and root bark describes plant-component classes such as flavonoids and stilbenoids, but an extract's profile can vary with the extraction method and plant material. The name on its own does not reveal that profile or the amount used in a product.
MORUS ALBA ROOT EXTRACT: what it does in cosmetics
White mulberry root extract is used in cosmetics to help keep skin in good condition and in products intended for a lighter-looking skin tone. In everyday terms, skin conditioning means supporting a cared-for feel and appearance; it does not mean treating dark spots, melasma, or any skin disease.
There is laboratory research behind interest in this use: in cultured B16F10 cells, a Morus alba root extract reduced tyrosinase activity and melanin accumulation. That was a cell study using an extract, not a trial of a cosmetic on people, so it cannot predict a lightening result or how skin will respond when a product is used.
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
