Antioxidant and skin protection effect of morin upon UVA exposure

Neuroprotective Effects of Morin Against Cadmium- and Arsenic-Induced Cell Damage in PC12 Neurons

Arsenic and cadmium, both toxic metals and widespread environmental pollutants, can trigger apoptosis and oxidative stress in various tissues and cells. Morin, a natural flavonoid with diverse biological properties, has been found to protect neurons from oxidative stress and apoptosis-induced damage. This research aimed to examine the protective properties of morin against neurotoxicity caused by arsenic and cadmium, utilizing PC12 cells as a model for nerve cells. The cells were pre-treated with different concentrations of morin and then exposed to arsenic and cadmium, after which cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were assessed. Additionally, western blotting was performed to evaluate the protein levels of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and cleaved-caspase-3. Following exposure to arsenic and cadmium, there were significant increases in ROS, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and cleaved-caspase-3. However, the results of the study demonstrated the beneficial effects of morin at various concentrations, as it increased cell viability and decreased ROS production. Furthermore, morin at a concentration of 10 µM was found to reduce the elevated levels of cleaved-caspase-3 induced by arsenic and diminish the increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio after exposure to arsenic and cadmium. The findings of this study suggest that morin can effectively protect cells from arsenic and cadmium-induced neurotoxicity through its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects. Thus, morin should be considered a promising agent for treating arsenic and cadmium toxicity.

Morin Prevents Non-Alcoholic Hepatic Steatosis in Obese Rats by Targeting the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Alpha (PPARα)

BACKGROUND

Obesity has become a widespread issue globally. Morin, a flavonoid with traditional use in managing hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, has demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in experimental studies. This research aims to explore the anti-obesity potential of morin in rats subjected to a high-fat diet (HFD) and investigate whether its effects are mediated through PPARα regulation.

METHODS

Young adult male Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups (n = 8/group): normal, morin (50 mg/kg/BWT, oral), HFD, and HFD + morin (50 mg/kg/BWT, oral). Treatments were administered daily for 17 consecutive weeks.

RESULTS

Morin mitigated the elevation in glucose levels and decreased fasting glucose and insulin levels, along with the HOMA-IR index, in HFD-fed rats. Furthermore, morin reduced calorie intake, final body weights, and the masses of subcutaneous, epididymal, peritoneal, and mesenteric fat in these rats. It also attenuated the rise in systolic blood pressure in HFD-fed rats and decreased serum levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, free fatty acids, LDL-c, and leptin, while increasing levels of HDL-c and adiponectin in both normal and HFD-fed rats. Moreover, morin restored normal liver structure and reduced fat vacuole accumulation in HFD-fed rats. Notably, it upregulated mRNA levels of PPARα in the livers and white adipose tissue of both normal and HFD-fed rats.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest the potential use of morin to enhance fatty acid oxidation in white adipose tissue and mitigate obesity, warranting further clinical investigation into its therapeutic applications.

Morin hydrate ameliorates Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) induced hepatotoxicity in a mouse model via TNF-α and NF-κβ signaling

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalic acid (DEHP) pollutes the environment, and posing a significant risk to human and animal health. Consequently, a successful preventative strategy against DEHP-induced liver toxicity needs to be investigated. Morin hydrate (MH), a flavanol compound, possesses toxic preventive attributes against various environmental pollutants. However, the effects of MH have not been investigated against DEHP-induced liver toxicity. Female Swiss albino mice were divided into four groups: control, DEHP (orally administered with 500 mg/kg, DEHP plus MH 10 mg/kg, and DEHP plus MH 100 mg/kg for 14 days. The results showed that the MH treatment ameliorated the DEHP-induced liver dysfunctions by decreasing the alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin, liver histoarchitecture, fibrosis, and markers of oxidative stress. Furthermore, DEHP increased apoptosis, increased active caspase 3 and decreased B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) expression. However, the MH treatment showed a differential effect on these proteins; a lower dose increased, and a higher dose decreased the expression. Thus, a lower dose of MH could be involved in the disposal of damaged hepatocytes. Expression of Estrogen receptors alpha (ERα) also showed a similar trend with active caspase 3. Furthermore, the expression of Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and Nuclear factor-κβ (NF-κβ) were up-regulated by DEHP treatment, and MH treatment down-regulated the expression of these two inflammatory markers. Since this down-regulation of TNF-α and NF-κβ coincides with improved liver functions against DEHP-induced toxicity, it can be concluded that MH-mediated liver function involves the singling of TNF-α and NF-κβ.

Photoprotective Effects of Two New Morin-Schiff Base Derivatives on UVB-Irradiated HaCaT Cells

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation harms the skin, causing oxidative damage, inflammation, and disruption of the skin's barrier function. There is considerable interest in identifying new natural ingredients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to serve as adjuvants in sunscreens. The flavonoid morin (1) can undergo structural modifications to enhance its biological properties. The aim of this study was to synthesize two new morin-Schiff base derivatives, morin oxime (2) and morin semicarbazone (3), comparing their photoprotective effects with that of the parent compound on UVB-exposed HaCaT keratinocytes. The chemical structure of the novel compounds was revealed based on spectroscopic data analysis. Our findings demonstrated that derivatives 2 and 3 enhanced the light absorption capability in the UV-visible (vis) range compared to 1. Tested compounds exhibited a higher scavenger capacity than Trolox. Moreover, pre-treatment with all compounds protected HaCaT cells from UVB-induced cell death. Compound 3 demonstrated the strongest antioxidant effect, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and, subsequently, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Additionally, compounds 2 and 3 exhibited greater anti-inflammatory effects than compound 1, significantly reducing interleukin (IL)-6 production levels at all tested concentrations. These findings have demonstrated, for the first time, a promising photoprotective activity of two new Schiff base derivatives and suggest their use as natural sunscreen ingredients.

Liposomes Encapsulating Morin: Investigation of Physicochemical Properties, Dermal Absorption Improvement and Anti-Aging Activity in PM-Induced Keratinocytes

Recently, a global market for anti-aging skin care using botanicals has been noticeably developing. Morin, 3,5,7,2',4'-pentahydroxyflavone, is a polyphenol with many pharmacological properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammation and photoprotection. However, poor aqueous solubility of morin restricts its application in pharmaceuticals. The present study aimed to encapsulate morin into liposomal vesicles to improve its water solubility and skin penetration, and further investigated its ROS inhibition and anti-aging activity in HaCaT keratinocytes induced by particulate matters (PMs). Our data presented that morin was a strong DPPH^• radical scavenger. Morin displayed a remarkable ROS inhibitory ability and protected keratinocytes against PMs by downregulating matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression via suppressing p-ERK and p-p38 in the MAPK pathway. Moreover, water solubility of liposomal morin (LM) prepared by the thin film hydration method was significantly better than free form of morin due to particle size reduction of LM. Our results also demonstrated that deformable liposomal vesicles were achieved for increasing dermal absorption. Additionally, LM (morin:lecinolws-50:tween-80:PF-68, 1:2.5:2.5:5) was able to effectively reduce generation of ROS, inactivate p-ERK, p-p38 and MMP-1 in HaCaT cells exposed to PM. In conclusion, our findings suggested that LM would be a bright candidate for various topical anti-aging and anti-pollution products.

The anticarcinogenic and anticancer effects of the dietary flavonoid, morin: Current status, challenges, and future perspectives

Flavonoids constitute one of the most important classes of polyphenols, which have been found to have a wide range of biological activities such as anticancer effects. A large body of evidence demonstrates that morin as a pleiotropic dietary flavonoid possesses potent anticarcinogenic and anticancer activities with minimal toxicity against normal cells. The present review comprehensively elaborates the molecular mechanisms underlying antitumorigenic and anticancer effects of morin. Morin exerts its anticarcinogenic effects through multiple cancer preventive mechanisms, including reduction of oxidative stress, activation of phase II enzymes, induction of apoptosis, attenuation of inflammatory mediators, and downregulation of p-Akt and NF-κB expression. A variety of molecular targets and signaling pathways such as apoptosis, cell cycle, reactive oxygen species (ROS), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and microRNAs (miRNAs) as well as signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), NF-κB, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and Hippo pathways have been found to be involved in the anticancer effects of morin. In the adjuvant therapy, morin has been shown to have synergistic anticancer effects with several chemotherapeutic drugs. The findings of this review indicate that morin can act as a promising chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent.

Natural-Derived Molecules as a Potential Adjuvant in Chemotherapy: Normal Cell Protectors and Cancer Cell Sensitizers

BACKGROUND

Cancer is a global threat to humans and a leading cause of death worldwide. Cancer treatment includes, among other things, the use of chemotherapeutic agents, compounds that are vital for treating and preventing cancer. However, chemotherapeutic agents produce oxidative stress along with other side effects that would affect the human body.

OBJECTIVE

To reduce the oxidative stress of chemotherapeutic agents in cancer and normal cells by naturally derived compounds with anti-cancer properties, and protect normal cells from the oxidation process. Therefore, the need to develop more potent chemotherapeutics with fewer side effects has become increasingly important.

METHOD

Recent literature dealing with the antioxidant and anticancer activities of the naturally naturally-derived compounds: morin, myricetin, malvidin, naringin, eriodictyol, isovitexin, daidzein, naringenin, chrysin, and fisetin has been surveyed and examined in this review. For this, data were gathered from different search engines, including Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Scopus, and Scifinder, among others. Additionally, several patient offices such as WIPO, CIPO, and USPTO were consulted to obtain published articles related to these compounds.

RESULT

Numerous plants contain flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds such as morin, myricetin, malvidin, naringin, eriodictyol, isovitexin, daidzein, naringenin, chrysin, and fisetin, which exhibit ‎antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic actions via several mechanisms. These compounds show sensitizers of cancer cells and protectors of healthy cells. Moreover, these compounds can reduce oxidative stress, which is accelerated by chemotherapeutics and exhibit a potent anticancer effect on cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these findings, more research is recommended to explore and evaluate such flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds.

Morin as an imminent functional food ingredient: an update on its enhanced efficacy in the treatment and prevention of metabolic syndromes

Flavonoids represent polyphenolic plant secondary metabolites with a general structure of a 15-carbon skeleton comprising two phenyl rings and a heterocyclic ring. Over 5000 natural flavonoids (flavanones, flavanonols, and flavans) from various plants have been characterized. Several studies provide novel and promising insights into morin hydrate for its different biological activities against a series of metabolic syndromes. The present review is a rendition of its sources, chemistry, functional potency, and protective effects on metabolic syndromes ranging from cancer to brain injury. Most importantly this systematic review article also highlights the mechanisms of interest to morin-mediated management of metabolic disorders. The key mechanisms (anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory) responsible for its therapeutic potential are well featured after collating the in vitro and in vivo study reports. As a whole, based on the prevailing information rationalizing its medicinal use, morin can be identified as a therapeutic agent for the expansion of human health.

Morin hydrate: A comprehensive review on novel natural dietary bioactive compound with versatile biological and pharmacological potential

Flavonoids are natural plant-derived dietary bioactive compounds having a substantial impact on human health. Morin hydrate is a bioflavonoid mainly obtained from fruits, stem, and leaves of Moraceae family members' plants. Plenty of evidences supported that morin hydrate exerts its beneficial effects against various chronic and life-threatening degenerative diseases. Our current article discloses the recent advances that have been studied to explore the biological/pharmacological properties and molecular mechanisms to better understand the beneficial and multiple health benefits of morin hydrate. Indeed, Morin hydrate exerts free radical scavenging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancerous, anti-microbial, antidiabetic, anti-arthritis, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, nephroprotective, and hepatoprotective effects. Moreover, morin hydrate exhibits its pharmacological activities by modulating various cellular signaling pathways such as Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-қB), Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), Janus kinases/ Signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins (JAKs/STATs), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein1/Nuclear erythroid-2-related factor (Keap1/Nrf2), Endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis, Wnt/β-catenin, and Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). Most importantly, morin hydrate has the potential to modulate a variety of biological networks. Therefore, it can be predicted that this therapeutically potent compound could serve as a dietary agent for the expansion of human health and might be helpful for the development of the novel drug in the future. However, due to the lack of clinical trials, special human clinical trials are needed to address the effects of morin hydrate on various life-threatening disparities to recommend morin and/or morin-rich foods with other foods or bioactive dietary components, as well as dose-response interaction and safety profile.

Photochemically Synthesized Ruthenium Nanoparticle-Decorated Carbon-Dot Nanochains: An Efficient Catalyst for Synergistic Redox Reactions

Ruthenium nanoparticle (NP)-decorated carbon dots (Ru/C-dots) were fabricated as a potential catalyst in the application of both oxidation and reduction. The photochemical method was used to synthesize Ru/C-dot nanohybrids. The as-prepared Ru/C-dots exhibited a core-shell-based nanochain structure, in which the spherical nature of C-dots further evolved to a layer structure to homogeneously encapsulate Ru NPs. Such Ru/C-dots have excellent catalytic properties, which were demonstrated in the oxidation of flavonoids and concomitantly reduction of inorganic complex and organic dyes, each yielding a high catalytic rate constant. We also proposed an appropriate catalytic mechanism for each reaction. Higher catalytic activity was achieved by the synergistic effect of the encapsulated Ru NPs and the C-dots layer. Further, this nanohybrid was successfully applied to inspect a real aqueous sample. We anticipated that Ru/C-dots nanohybrid may open up a broad platform for the design of efficient multifunctional catalysts.