DOI: 10.1177/1934578x261479028 ISSN: 1934-578X
Anti-Inflammatory Potential of n-Hexane Extract From
Mesua nagassarium
Stem Bark: An Experimental and
In Silico
Study
Farida Siddika, Sumaiya Islam Chowdhury, Tania Sharmin, Suman Das, Md. Rashed Alam, Md. Afzal Hossain, Nusrat Jahan Mouri, Md. Farhad Sarker, Dil Umme Salma Chowdhury, Mohammad Mostafa, Nazneen Naher Islam, Rasheda Akter
Objective
Inflammation in response to internal or external stimuli is associated with various life-threatening complications. Prolonged use of conventional anti-inflammatory drugs may cause adverse health effects which emphasizes the need for safer natural alternatives.
Mesua nagassarium
(Burm.f.) Kosterm., a medicinal plant with therapeutic potential, was therefore investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the n-hexane extract of
Mesua nagassarium
stem bark using
in vitro
,
in vivo
, and
in silico
approaches.
Methodology
Stem bark of
Mesua nagassarium
(Burm.f.) Kosterm. was extracted using n-hexane, and phytochemical constituents were identified through standard chemical tests.
In vitro
anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using heat-induced RBC membrane stabilization assays under pre- and post-treatment conditions.
In vivo
activity was assessed using carrageenan-induced paw edema and cotton pellet granuloma models in Wistar albino rats. GC–MS analysis identified volatile compounds in the extract. Pharmacokinetic properties and molecular interactions of identified phytocompounds with inflammation-related proteins were investigated using computational approaches.
Results
Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, carbohydrates, anthraquinones, and volatile oils.
In vitro
assays demonstrated significant membrane stabilization at all tested concentrations (75, 150, and 300 μg/mL).
In vivo
studies showed effective inhibition of acute and chronic inflammation. The extract produced the greatest paw edema inhibition of 48.27% and the highest granuloma inhibition of 53.85% at a dose of 300 mg/kg body weight, both comparable to diclofenac sodium. Post-treatment hemolysis inhibition reached 92.58% at 300 mg/kg, exceeding diclofenac sodium (86.22%). GC–MS identified eleven phytocompounds including δ-tocopherol, trans-geranylgeraniol, (E)-α-bisabolene, zonarene, (E)-β-farnesene etc. Molecular docking analysis indicated comparatively favorable binding energies for δ-tocopherol with IL-1β and COX-2, while zonarene showed favorable interaction with NF-κB p65.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that
Mesua nagassarium
(Burm.f.) Kosterm. stem bark extract possesses considerable anti-inflammatory potential and may serve as a valuable starting point for future bioactivity-guided isolation and mechanistic studies aimed at identifying bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory properties.