Salvadora persica Fruit Methanolic Extract, Nutritional Profiling, Therapeutic Potential in High-Fat Diet-Induced...

This manuscript presents original research on Salvadora persica fruit, investigating its antioxidant and metabolic properties using in vivo, in vitro, and in silico approaches in high-fat-diet induced hyperlipidemic rat models. Nutritional profiling, phytochemical analysis (TPC, DPPH, FRAP, ABTS), and GC-MS analysis identified key bioactive compounds. The antioxidant tests revealed high activity of the methanolic extract, with TPC (62.1 mg GAE/g), DPPH (67.8%), FRAP (335.4 μmol Fe²⁺/g), and ABTS (540.2 μmol Trolox/g) assays. GC-MS analysis revealed oleic acid as the predominant compound (56.64%), followed by (9E,11E)-octadecadienoic acid (18.10%) and n-hexadecanoic acid (10.92%). Molecular docking studies confirmed strong binding affinities with HMG-CoA reductase. Furthermore, in vivo studies in male Wistar albino rats (n = 5 per group) confirmed that S. persica significantly restored antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, Catalase, and GSH) and reduced oxidative stress markers (MDA and NO) in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). Lipid parameters (TG, TC, LDL, and VLDL) in animals treated with S. persica were significantly reduced, and liver and kidney markers, including AST, ALT, creatinine, and urea, were significantly improved (p < 0.05). Additionally, glucose levels in hyperlipidemic rats treated with S. persica methanolic extract were lower than those in the negative control (p < 0.05). These results underscore the promising antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, and renoprotective potential of the methanolic extract of S. persica.