Investigating the molecular mechanisms of Ashwagandha phytocompounds in epilepsy through differential gene expression and pathway analysis

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) is a traditional Indian herb used in Ayurveda and Unani medicine, particularly in anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-stress, antioxidant, immune-boosting, and rejuvenating effects. Epilepsy is a severe neuropsychological condition that occurs sporadically and has a long-term effect on the electrical signals that travel between brain cells. The disorder is characterized by recurrent seizures that are brought on by a sudden increase in brain electrical activity. This is the outcome of abnormal neuronal discharges or coordinated neuronal hyperexcitability. The study’s main objective is to find out the therapeutic phytocompound in treating Epileptic disorder. Materials and Methods: This study investigated the potential use of phytochemicals from the Ashwagandha plant as epileptic seizure treatments that target key genes strongly associated with the disease. To forecast the binding affinity between the phytochemicals and the receptors, molecular docking simulations (PyRx) were used for the virtual screening. Results: The preliminary screening of the twenty-two phytocompounds from Withania somnifera was based on their affinity for epilepsy. The results showed that withasomnine exhibited great binding affinity to the receptors, indicating their potential as targeted epileptic seizure therapeutics. The ligands revealed stronger binding with the epilepsy targets, and the binding score less than -7 kcal/mol was taken into consideration for further exploration. This research lays the groundwork for upcoming in-vitro and in-vivo studies to confirm the effectiveness of these phytochemicals as cancer therapies. Conclusion: The results suggest that withasomnine derivatives from Withania somnifera could be a promising source of epilepsy therapies.