Novel In Silico and In Vivo Insights of Flavonoids as Anti-Diabetic and Anti-Oxidant in Rodent Models

Abstract

Insulin sensitivity is a symptom of diabetes, which is caused by insulin resistance, decreasing insulin production and ultimately pancreatic cancer. The current study is focused on the anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties of Chrysanthemum indicum flower extract and to scientifically validate the claim by in silico docking studies of natural compounds present in the extract for their respective sites against selected proteins. Pharmacological evaluations were done using 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of the extract. Upon treatment with methanolic extract of Chrysanthemum indicum at 200 mg/kg body weight, 400 mg/kg body weight and glibenclamide 0.5 mg/kg body weight, significant reduction in blood glucose levels was observed. The extract was screened against reducing power assay and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay for its anti-oxidant potential and the results were compared with the standard ascorbic acid. In both assays, the findings clearly demonstrated the extract's ability to scavenge free radicals. Docking studies were performed for natural compounds present in the extract such as epigallactocatechin, quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin, myrcetin, rutin, luteolin and standard drug glibenclamide against protein data bank ID: 1VA5, protein data bank ID: 1Z2C, protein data bank ID: 5WUA using Mcule software. The statistical verification of the model was evaluated with PROCHEK; a structure verification program relies on Ramachandran plot which determines the quality of the predicted structures. The results revealed that epigallactocatechin and rutin had shown highest glide scores which indicates a stronger receptor-ligand binding affinity among the various phytochemical constituents present in the extract and this might be the possible mechanism by which the extract showed antidiabetic and antioxidant activities. From the above it is concluded that the extract possess anti-diabetic and anti-oxidant activity.