Phytochemical, biological, and in-silico analysis of Colutea armata Hemsl. & Lace: A possible source of bioactive natural compounds

Abstract

The Colutea genus of plants has been studied for its medicinal qualities, particularly antifungal. The current study is the first to examine and contrast the biological functions and chemical makeup of whole-plant extracts of Colutea armata Hemsl. & Lace. made with dichloromethane (DCM) solvent and methanol (MeOH) solvent. The ability of the extracts under study to block specific enzymes, such as α-glucosidase, tyrosinase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and phosphodiesterase. Likewise, spectrophotometric techniques were used to estimate the total bioactive components and potential for antioxidants (DPPH). Additionally, GC–MS metabolomics was done to establish the composition of potential secondary metabolites. Moreover, the in-silico docking studies confirmed the specific compound responsible for biological activities. The varying concentrations of alkaloidal, phenolic and flavonoid components were found in MeOH and DCM extracts, which might be responsible for the notable DPPH, α-glucosidase, and tyrosinase inhibitory potentials. In the contrast, moderate AChE, BChE, and phosphodiesterase inhibition were noted. Additionally, the extracts presented considerable antifungal (S. cerevisiae) and anti-bacterial (K. pneumoniae, S. typhi, E. coli, and S. aureus). In addition, GC–MS profiling of both the MeOH and the DCM extracts revealed the tentative presence of 19 and 33 secondary metabolites, respectively, mostly phenolic, flavonoid, glycoside, terpenes, steroids, and alkaloids, this may be the cause of the plant extract under study's reported biological potential. To conclude, our findings highlighted C. armata as a lead source for naturally bioactive compounds that may open the door to industrial uses.