In this study, it was aimed to determine the effects of morin (MOR) on gastric toxicity caused by experimental ifosfamide (IFO) administration in rats. For this purpose, experimental animals were divided into five groups (n=7 for each group). The groups were designed as control, MOR, IFO, IFO+MOR 100 and IFO+MOR 200. The model group of rats received a single injection of ifosfamide (500 mg/kg; ip) on day 2, while the supportive treatment groups received two different doses of morin (100 and 200 mg/kg; by gavage) daily. The tissues were analyzed biochemically (malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, NF-κB, TNF-α, MPO, OHdG) and histologically. While MOR treatment decreased gastric lipid peroxidation (P<0.05) and glutathione (P<0.05) depletion caused by IFO, it increased antioxidant enzyme [superoxide dismutase (P<0.05), catalase (P<0.05) and glutathione peroxidase (P<0.05)] activities and decreased inflammation markers [NF-κB (P<0.05), TNF-α (P<0.05), MPO (P<0.05)]. Also, morin reduced the IFO-induced increased 8-OHdG (P<0.05) level and improved the impaired gastric histological integrity.

The results of the current study revealed that MOR could be used as a useful adjuvant to protect against IFO-induced gastric injury through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.