Mulberry tree was known in antiquity throughout the Mediterranean basin. Probably originating in Persia, it arrived in Europe before the white mulberry. There are more than 10 different species of Mulberries. In Japan, Mulberry trees grow naturally but are also widely cultivated as a support for silkworms. The Black Mulberry tree originates in Western Asia and North America.
The Greeks used the berry to change the colour of wine. Dioscorides believed that the mulberries could decongest the stomach, that the juice was astringent and that it was effective as well against fluxes, creeping sores and tonsillitis. They used also the Mulberry to calm sore throats. Today, it is used to prevent cardio-vascular diseases by strengthening the walls of the capillary vessels. In the Chinese and Japanese Pharmacopoeia, Mulberry extracts are used as bleaching agents. They further have anti- inflammatory and moisturising properties. Mulberry extracts are used for their treatment of skin lightening.