Evaluation of adaptogenic potential of Polygonatum cirrhifolium (Wall.) Royle: In vitro, in vivo and in silico studies

The present study deals with validation of adaptogenic potential of different extracts (petroleum ether, dichloromethane, chloroform, ethanol and aqueous) of an Ashtavarga plant, Polygonatum cirrhifolium (Wall.) Royle by in vitro, in vivo and in silico studies. In vitro adaptogenic potential was determined by evaluating in vitro antioxidant activity using ABTS, DPPH, and total antioxidant capacity assays. Anoxia stress tolerance (AST), forced swimming endurance test (FST), tail suspension test (TST) and chronic cold restraint stress (CCRS), models have been used for in vivo adaptogenic study. Docking study of selected chemical constituents (from GC/MS analysis of different extracts) with glucocorticoid protein (PDB 5NFP) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase 3 protein (PDB 2P33) was carried out for analyzing in silico adaptogenic activity. Ethanol extract showed highest antioxidant power among all the extracts. Swimming time in FST and tolerance time in AST increased significantly by petroleum ether (PE) and ethanol (EE) extract treatment compared to stress control animals. PE and EE treatment significantly reduced the immobility time in TST over stress control animals. Further, pre-treatment with PE and EE significantly decreased the stress induced elevated levels of various biochemical parameters such as blood glucose, total protein, triglycerides, corticosterone and blood urea nitrogen. Docking study revealed good interaction of sitosterol with PDB5NFP (docking score of 7.66 kcal/mol). 3,5-Dicyclohexyl-4-hydroxy-benzoic acid-methyl ester and 6,7-Dichloro-5-[(1-ethylpyrrolidin-2-yl)methylami-no]-1,3-dimethyl-pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione showed excellent interaction with PDB2P33. On the basis of the present findings, it can be perceived that P. cirrhifolium possessed noteworthy adaptogenic activities which might be due to antioxidant property of different secondary metabolites of the plant.