Scientific publications
Mengue Ngadena Yolande Sandrine
Pascal Emmanuel Owona
Ella Fils Armand
A Julie
Bouguem Yandja Paule Cynthia
B. Michel
Paul Désiré Djomeni Dzeufiet
Ammena Y. Binsaleh
Nawal Al‐Hoshani
Maher S. Alwethaynani
Fakhria A. Al‐Joufi
Ghulam Nabi
Journal of Computational Biophysics and Chemistry
Pterocarpus mildbraedii(Pm) harms is traditionally valued for its antioxidant, analgesic, anxiolytic, and neuroprotective properties. Some of its active metabolites can cross the BBB, are believed to enhance immunity and reduce inflammation, yet its specific effects on neuroinflammation remain underexplored. This study investigates Pm’s neuroprotective potential in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced rat model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Potential AD-related targets were identified using Swiss Target Prediction, GeneCards, and STRING databases. Molecular docking confirmed strong interactions between key Pm constituents, such as liquiritigenin and pterocarptriol, and critical proteins including ESR1, ESR2, BACE1, and MAPK1. GO and KEGG analyses revealed relevant pathways, including nitrogen metabolism and VEGF signaling. In vitro, Pm exhibited potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, along with inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). In vivo, Pm significantly attenuated LPS-induced oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, evidenced by reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), and restoration of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GSH). Behavioral assessments showed improvements in spatial learning, exploratory activity, and anxiety-like behaviors. Overall, these findings highlight Pterocarpus mildbraedii as a promising phytotherapeutic candidate for AD, capable of mitigating behavioral deficits, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammatory responses.
