Integrative metabolomics and system pharmacology reveal the antioxidant blueprint of Psoralea corylifolia
Abdul Bari Shah, Ki Yong Lee
Abstract
Psoralea corylifolia is a well-known edible medicinal plant extensively used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, the methanolic extract of P. corylifolia was initially screened for its antioxidant capacity using multiple in vitro assays, including 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), 2,2'-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assays. Additionally, Total Phenolic Content (TPC) and Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) values were calculated. To identify the key metabolites responsible for these effects, an LC-QTOF-MS/MS-based metabolite profiling approach was employed, resulting in the identification of 41 compounds. Among them, 18 compounds were selected based on drug-likeness and bioavailability scores, using multiple online databases. To explore their potential mechanisms of action, a network pharmacology approach was employed. A total of 83 of 86 genes overlapped with antioxidant-related disease genes, which were subsequently subjected to protein-protein interaction (PPI), gene ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. The top-ranked genes were TDP1, APEX1, TOP2A, CTSD, and KLF5. Finally, the most promising compounds and their target genes were subjected to molecular docking and simulation studies to validate the antioxidant potential of P. corylifolia.