Osajin is the major bioactive iso avone present in the fruit of Maclura pomifera. It has antitumor, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities.

Osajin shows growth inhibitory activity on six human cancer cell lines, including kidney, lung, prostate, breast, melanoma and colon cancer cells. Osajin obviously reduces the viability of human NPC cells in a dose-dependent manner. Osajin causes apoptosis in human NPC cells through multiple apoptotic pathways, including the extrinsic death receptor pathway, and intrinsic pathways relying on mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum stress[1][2].

The cardioprotection provided by osajin and pomiferin treatment results from the suppression of oxidative stress and this correlates with improved ventricular function. Osajin and pomiferin attenuate the myocardial dysfunction provoked by ischemia-reperfusion. This is confirmed by an increase in both antioxidant enzyme values and total antioxidant activity[3].