Evaluation of In Vitro and In Vivo Pharmacological Activity of Elatostema sessile With In Silico Approaches

Abstract

Elatostema sessile is used by traditional medicinal practitioners to treat various diseases. The methanol extract (MES) and its fractions, including petroleum ether (PES), carbon tetrachloride (TES), chloroform (CES), and aqueous soluble fractions (AES), were tested for their antioxidant, cytotoxic, analgesic, and sedative properties on Swiss albino mice. In addition, we used GCMS to determine the bioactive compounds present in the MES of E. sessile. The MES had the lowest IC₅₀ value (24.95 μg/mL) for antioxidant activity, measured by DPPH free radical scavenging, whereas the IC₅₀ value for ascorbic acid was 5.80 μg/mL. In cytotoxic test with brine shrimp, PES exhibited the lowest LC₅₀ value of 6.10 μg/mL among all the extract. Using the formalin-induced paw licking method, MES and PES showed substantial results (p < 0.001) at 400 mg/kg dose. The tail immersion test showed significant (p < 0.05) findings for MES, PES, and TES after 30, 60, and 90 min following 400 mg/kg dose administration. The hole-cross test demonstrated highly statistically significant results (p < 0.001) for the sedative activity of PES at a dose of 400 mg/kg after 30 min of administration and for CES after 90 min. According to molecular docking investigations, the extract has the potential to function as a pain-relieving drug by inhibiting the enzymatic activity of cyclooxygenases 1 and 2. In summary, the results indicate that E. sessile offers significant therapeutic promise in the creation of innovative therapies for cancer, pain, and sleep problems.