benzofurans and morin

Cataract is one of the most important causes of blindness worldwide, with age-related cataract being the most common one. Agents preventing cataract formation are urgently required. Substantial evidences point out aggravated oxidative stress as a vital factor for cataract formation. Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2)/Kelch-like erythroid-cell-derived protein with CNC homology (ECH)-associated protein 1 (Keap1) system is considered as one of the main cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative stresses. This review discusses the role of Nrf2 pathway in the prevention of cataracts and highlights that Nrf2 suppressors may augment oxidative stress of the lens, and Nrf2 inducers may decrease the oxidative stress and prevent the cataract formation. Thus, Nrf2 may serve as a promising therapeutic target for cataract treatment.

Topics: Aging; Antioxidants; Benzofurans; Blindness; Cataract; Flavonoids; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Humans; Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1; Lens, Crystalline; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Oxidative Stress; Quercetin; Signal Transduction; Transcription, Genetic

In the present study, non-thermal dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma of induced structural changes of morin resulted in the isolation of one previously undescribed benzofuranone derivative, along with two known compounds. The chemical structures of these degradation products were elucidated by UV, NMR and FAB-MS spectroscopic analyses. The isolated three compounds showed potent antioxidative activities in two different tests, with IC

Topics: Antioxidants; Benzofurans; Benzothiazoles; Biodegradation, Environmental; Electric Impedance; Flavonoids; Humans; Lipase; Molecular Structure; Pancreas; Sulfonic Acids

Pancreatic lipase (PL), a key enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of triacylglycerides in the gastrointestinal tract, has been identified as the therapeutic target for the regulation of lipid absorption. In the present study, six major constituents from a famous Chinese herbal medicine Cortex Mori Radicis (also named sangbaipi in Chinese), have been collected and their inhibitory effects on PL have been carefully investigated and well characterized by a fluorescence-based assay. The results clearly demonstrated that all tested bioactive constituents from Cortex Mori Radicis including sanggenone C (SC), sanggenone D (SD), kuwanon C (KC), kuwanon G (KG), morin and morusin displayed strong to moderate inhibitory effects towards PL with the IC

Topics: Animals; Benzene Derivatives; Benzofurans; Chromones; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Enzyme Inhibitors; Flavonoids; Lipase; Molecular Docking Simulation; Morus; Pancreas; Swine

Morin is a flavonoid contained in guava that is known to reduce hyperglycemia in diabetics. Morin has been demonstrated to increase plasma insulin. However, the mechanism(s) remains unknown. The present study is designed to investigate the effect of morin on the imidazoline receptor (I-R) that regulates insulin secretion. We used Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with an I-R expression construct (NISCH-CHO-K1 cells) to identify the direct effect of morin on the I-R. Moreover, the imidazoline I

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Benzofurans; CHO Cells; Cricetinae; Cricetulus; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Flavonoids; Imidazoles; Imidazoline Receptors; Insulin; Insulin Secretion; Islets of Langerhans; Male; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley