Unlocking the functional potential of Nitraria schoberi extracts using chemical fingerprinting, biological efficiencies, in silico and network pharmacological approaches

Abstract

The objective of this investigation was to assess the cytotoxic, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibitory properties of the aerial portions of Nitraria schoberi (family Nitrariaceae). Extracts were prepared by sequential maceration in hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate and methanol (MeOH) and water extract was prepared by infusion. DCM and MeOH extracts accumulated the highest amount of metabolites where the former was characterized by the presence of octadecyl ferulate (16.96 mg/100 mg), methoxyluteolin (8.48 mg/100 mg) and isorhamnetin (5.35 mg/100 mg) and the alkaloids perlolyrine (5.03 mg/100 mg), (+)-5a-hydroxylemannine (2.43 mg/100 mg) and matrine (2.40 mg/100 mg). Results of antioxidant activity showed that the MeOH extract exerted the highest anti-2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (28.13 mg Trolox equivalent (TE)/g) and Fe+++ (54.38 mg TE/g) reducing capacity. All extracts exerted significant acetylcholinesterase (3.71–4.37 mg galantamine equivalent (GALAE)/g) and tyrosinase (86.40–109.63 mg kojic acid equivalent (KAE)/g) inhibition activity. The best α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition was exhibited by the DCM (0.81 mmol ACAE/g) and MeOH (1.34 mmol ACAE/g) extracts respectively. The highest cytotoxic effect was exerted against the breast adenocarcinoma (MDA-MB-231) (IC50: 26.71 μg/mL) and cervix adenocarcinoma (HELA) (IC50: 29.10 μg/mL) cell lines by the MeOH and DCM extracts respectively. In addition, we performed molecular docking analysis to understand the interaction between chemical components and tested enzymes and cellular targets for cancer. Chrysoeriol-3-O-rutinoside bound strongly to AChE. Furthermore, a good interaction between vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and isovitexin-2″-O-arabinoside was observed. We employed network pharmacology to understand the role of N. schoberi's compounds in neurological disorder like Alzheimer and multiple sclerosis. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that N. schoberi may serve as a viable starting point for the future creation of phytopharmaceuticals that target particular diseases associated with oxidative stress, such as diabetes and certain neurological disorders.