Development of stable emulsified formulations of Terminalia arjuna for topical application: evaluation of antioxidant activity of final product and molecular docking study

Therapeutic potential and industrial applications of Terminalia arjuna bark

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arnot (Combretaceae) is one of the most frequently used medicinal trees in Indian traditional medicinal systems. It is used for the treatment of a variety of diseases including cardiovascular disorders.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this review was to provide a comprehensive overview of the phytochemistry, medicinal uses, toxicity, and industrial applications of T. arjuna bark (BTA), as well as to identify gaps in research and applications of this important tree. It also aimed to analyze trends and future research paths to utilize the full potential of this tree.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Extensive bibliographic research on the T. arjuna tree was carried out using scientific research engines and databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science, covering all relevant English-language articles. The database "World Flora Online (WFO)" (http://www.worldfloraonline.org) was used to confirm plant taxonomy.

RESULTS

To date, BTA has been traditionally employed for several disorders such as snakebites, scorpion stings, gleets, earaches, dysentery, sexual disorders, and urinary tract infections along with the cardioprotective activity. About 38 phytocompounds were identified from BTA and were classified as triterpenoids, tannins, flavonoids, and glycosides. A wide range of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological effects of BTA were reported such as anti-cancer, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-allergic, anti-diabetic, and wound healing activities. The oral administration of BTA (500 mg/kg) per day did not result in any toxicity in humans. The in vivo acute and sub-acute toxicity analysis of the methanol extract of BTA and one of its major compounds, 7-methyl gallate, did not produce any adverse effects up to a dose of 1000 mg/kg.

CONCLUSIONS

This comprehensive review highlights various aspects of traditional knowledge, phytochemicals, and pharmacological significance of BTA. The review covered safety information on employing BTA in pharmaceutical dosage forms. Despite its long history of medicinal benefit, more studies are needed to understand the molecular mechanisms, structure-activity relationship, and potential synergistic and antagonistic effects of its phytocompounds, drug administration, drug-drug interactions, and toxicological effects.

Discovery of pyridoindole derivatives as potential inhibitors for phosphodiesterase 5A: in silico and in vivo studies

The aim of this work was to synthesise derivatives from identified plant based pyridoindole lead scaffold, and to assess phosphodiesterase 5A inhibitory potential by in silico and in vivo. Pyridoindole derivatives were synthesised by using six-stage reactor. In silico screening was carried out by grip-based docking methodology. In step-I, tryptophan as a starting material was reacted with different aldehydes and ketones to obtain 11 molecules. In step-II, obtained molecules were reacted with ethanol and benzyl alcohols to obtain D1 to D22 derivatives. In silico investigation resulted in best three molecules D12, D4 and D8 with promising BE score. Oral acute toxicity study of selected molecules resulted in LD50 value 500 mg/kg in rats. The result of in vivo antihypertensive study shown that molecule D12 was found to be the best antihypertensive lead molecule. This study could be a best platform to tailor novel biomolecules for inhibiting phosphodiesterase 5A enzyme in hypertension management.