UHPLC-based phytochemical profiling and network pharmacology insights into mint-derived selenium nanoparticles

Area of Science:

• Integrates nanotechnology, bioinformatics, and plant secondary metabolites for scientific advancement.
• Explores novel applications in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and sustainable materials.

Background:

• Plant secondary metabolites offer potential for therapeutic applications.
• Oxidative stress is a key factor in diabetes pathogenesis.
• Nanotechnology provides novel delivery and enhancement methods for natural compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of mint extracts and mint-based selenium nanoparticles in mitigating oxidative stress.
• To identify key plant metabolite targets for diabetes management using bioinformatics.

Main Methods:

• In vitro antioxidant assays (DPPH, ABTS, reducing power, phosphomolybdate, hydrogen peroxide) were performed on Mentha extracts and selenium nanoparticles.
• Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) was used for metabolite profiling and identification.
• Bioinformatics tools including SwissTargetPrediction, gene ontology, KEGG pathway analysis, and Cytoscape were employed for target identification.

Main Results:

• Mentha royleana exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with M. royleana-based SeNPs showing low IC50 values.
• UHPLC-MS identified 146 compounds, with 8 selected for further analysis.
• Bioinformatics analysis pinpointed hub targets (TNF, ALB, PTGS2, STAT3, CASP3, ESR1, EGFR, MAPK1, ERBB2, MAPK14) and pathways (hormone regulation, diabetes mellitus, TNF signaling) relevant to diabetes.

Conclusions:

• Mint extracts and selenium nanoparticles demonstrate potential in improving oxidative stress and managing diabetes.
• The identified hub targets and pathways provide a molecular basis for the anti-diabetic effects of Mentha.
• This study highlights the synergistic potential of nanotechnology, plant metabolites, and bioinformatics in drug discovery.