Rosemary and neem methanolic extract: antioxidant, cytotoxic, and larvicidal activities supported by chemical composition and molecular docking simulations

Enhanced Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Properties of Pterostilbene (Resveratrol Derivative) in Amorphous Solid Dispersions

In this study, amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) of pterostilbene (PTR) with polyvinylpyrrolidone polymers (PVP K30 and VA64) were prepared through milling, affirming the amorphous dispersion of PTR via X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Subsequent analysis of DSC thermograms, augmented using mathematical equations such as the Gordon-Taylor and Couchman-Karasz equations, facilitated the determination of predicted values for glass transition (Tg), PTR's miscibility with PVP, and the strength of PTR's interaction with the polymers. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis validated interactions maintaining PTR's amorphous state and identified involved functional groups, namely, the 4'-OH and/or -CH groups of PTR and the C=O group of PVP. The study culminated in evaluating the impact of amorphization on water solubility, the release profile in pH 6.8, and in vitro permeability (PAMPA-GIT and BBB methods). In addition, it was determined how improving water solubility affects the increase in antioxidant (ABTS, DPPH, CUPRAC, and FRAP assays) and neuroprotective (inhibition of cholinesterases: AChE and BChE) properties. The apparent solubility of the pure PTR was ~4.0 µg·mL-1 and showed no activity in the considered assays. For obtained ASDs (PTR-PVP30/PTR-PVPVA64, respectively) improvements in apparent solubility (410.8 and 383.2 µg·mL-1), release profile, permeability, antioxidant properties (ABTS: IC50 = 52.37/52.99 μg·mL-1, DPPH: IC50 = 163.43/173.96 μg·mL-1, CUPRAC: IC0.5 = 122.27/129.59 μg·mL-1, FRAP: IC0.5 = 95.69/98.57 μg·mL-1), and neuroprotective effects (AChE: 39.1%/36.2%, BChE: 76.9%/73.2%) were confirmed.

Chemical Composition Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Myrtus communis L. Leaf Extract: Forecasting ADMET Profiling and Anti-Inflammatory Targets Using Molecular Docking Tools

Compounds derived from natural sources continue to serve as chemical scaffolds for designing prophylactic/therapeutic options for human healthcare. In this study, we aimed to systematically unravel the chemical profile and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of myrtle methanolic extract (MMEx) using in vitro, in vivo, and in silico approaches. High levels of TPC (415.85 ± 15.52 mg GAE/g) and TFC (285.80 ± 1.64 mg QE/g) were observed. Mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of 1,8-cineole (33.80%), α-pinene (10.06%), linalool (4.83%), p-dimethylaminobenzophenone (4.21%), thunbergol (4%), terpineol (3.60%), cis-geranyl acetate (3.25%), and totarol (3.30%) as major compounds. MMEx induced pronounced dose-dependent inhibition in all assays, and the best antioxidant activity was found with H2O2, with an IC50 of 17.81 ± 3.67 µg.mL-1. MMEx showed a good anti-inflammatory effect in vivo by limiting the development of carrageenan-induced paw edema. The pharmacokinetic profiles of the active molecules were determined using the SwissADME website, followed by virtual screening against anti-inflammatory targets including phospholipase A2 (PLA-2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and NF-κB. A pharmacokinetic study revealed that the molecules have good absorption, distribution, and metabolism profiles, with negative organ toxicity. Among the compounds identified by GC-MS analysis, pinostrobin chalcone, cinnamyl cinnamate, hedycaryol, totarol, and p-dimethylaminobenzophenone were observed to have good binding scores, thus appreciable anti-inflammatory potential. Our study reveals that MMEx from Algerian Myrtus communis L. can be considered to be a promising candidate for alleviating many health complaints associated with oxidative stress and inflammation.