Anthelmintic Activity of Hypericum japonicum Thunb.: An in vitro and in silico Studies

Abstract

Background Hypericum japonicum Thunb. is a vital medicinal plant in Northeast India, traditionally used by tribal communities to treat helminth infections with leaf extracts. Objectives The present study investigates the in vitro and in silico studies of anthelmintic activity of H. japonicum. Materials and Methods The anthelmintic activity was tested on Paramphistomum sp. with a test dose of 5 mg/mL to see the paralysis and death times. Phytocompounds were identified using GC-MS technique. 5 key enzymes-Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Acid Phosphatase (ACP), malate-and lactate dehydrogenase, and acetylcholinesterases were assayed using standard protocol. Furthermore, identified compounds were studied for their binding activity with the enzymes. Results Diethyl ether extract of H. japonicum showed the most potent anthelmintic activity against Paramphistomum sp. in the present study. GC-MS analysis identified 12 compounds in the diethyl ether extract. Of the five enzymes studied, ALP showed highest reduction (42.59%) and the least was found in ACP (16.21%) compared to control. Molecular docking observed strongest binding affinity between compound-2 and AchE (-6.73 kcal/mol) followed by ALP, ACP, and MDH enzymes. Conclusion The findings suggest that Hypericum japonicum could be a potential source of anthelmintic agents, warranting further studies to elucidate its exact mechanism of action.

Keywords: Anthelmintic; GC-MS; Hypericum japonicum; Molecular docking; Molecular dynamics