In Silico Identification of Antihypertensive Phytoconstituents in Terminalia arjuna via Molecular Docking, MD...

Hypertension is a major global health concern, and the exploration of natural compounds as potential antihypertensive agents has been a recent area of study.. The ancient medicinal tree Terminalia arjuna is very potent for treating cardiovascular conditions. Its bark is rich in bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, tannins, and triterpenoids, which exhibit cardioprotective properties.

This research focused on identifying and characterizing antihypertensive phytoconstituents of Terminalia arjuna through molecular docking, dynamic simulations, and DFT studies. We systematically screened bioactive compounds from the plant for their ability to interact with key targets (PDB:2X96), which are involved in the regulation of blood pressure using AutoDock Tools 1.5.7. The dynamic behavior of the complexes was evaluated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation in the GROMACS package program (version 2022.2). DFT calculations were performed using DMol3 (Discovery Studio Client) to determine molecular electronic properties.

We identified Quercetin and Ellagic acid as promising ligands with strong binding affinities and significant pre-ADMET analysis database. Further, molecular dynamics simulations (500 ns) provided insights into the stability and binding modes of these selected compounds, highlighting their potential for long-term efficacy. DFT calculations were employed to evaluate the electronic properties, such as frontier molecular orbital analysis and electrostatic potential mapping, revealing the reactivity and interaction profiles of the compounds. The docking scores and MMGBSA binding free energy value of Ellagic acid with AnCE-RXPA380 complex target protein were found to be -9.5 and -17.94 kcal/mol, respectively, which is higher as compared to Captopril (--5.7 and --4.36 kcal/mol kJ/mol).

Ellagic acid exhibits more conventional hydrogen binding efficiency at 2X96 receptor with GLN A:361, THR A:364, ASP A:360, LYS A:495, and GLN A:265, respectively, providing a scientific basis for its use in hypertension management Furthermore.

Our results suggest that Ellagic acid from Terminalia arjuna possesses significant antihypertensive potential due to the highest binding efficiency with 2X96 receptor. However, in vitro, and in vivo experimentation are needed to validate the antihypertensive potential of Ellagic acid in the future.