In silico studies and antioxidant activity of Pongamia pinnata against the potential targets of Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

A degenerative neurological condition of the brain, Parkinson's disease (PD) occurs when dopamine producing cells become less. Pongamia pinnata seed extract has demonstrated its ability to mitigate neuronal damage, reduce oxidative stress, and enhance neuronal survival in various experimental models of neurodegenerative diseases. Hence, the primary goal of this research is to investigate the prospective abilities of flavonoid compounds isolated from Pongamia pinnata. The quantitative analysis revealed that phytochemicals extracted from ethanol showed greater flavonoid content than other solvent. Gas chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) investigation was also conducted to determine the number of flavonoid compounds contained in the crude extracts of the plant. Additionally, Pongamia pinnata seed extract has been demonstrated to regulate critical molecular pathways that are affected by neurodegeneration, such as the regulation of apoptosis, inflammation, and the oxidative stress response. Flavonoids from Pongamia pinnata were screened and docked with nine distinct proteins using AutoDock 4.2. Flavonoid compound 2-Hydroxy-2-(5-methylfuran-2-yl)1-phenylethanone emerged as the top binding compounds from Pongamia pinnata, showing significant binding across multiple genes in the neurodegenerative pathway. DPPH and FRAP antioxidant assay were performed for the plant extract and the inhibition activity was found to be 54.28% and 54.21%, respectively. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of Pongamia pinnata seed extract as a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.