Exploring the functional food potential of Clitoria ternatea in modulating TNF-α/IL-23/IL-17 axis-related...

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease driven by cytokine dysregulation, particularly through the TNF-α/IL-23/IL-17 axis. Current treatments targeting these cytokines are effective yet limited by cost, relapse risk, and safety concerns. This study investigates the therapeutic potential of Clitoria ternatea extract (CTE) using a multi-approach strategy combining phytochemical profiling, in silico analysis, molecular docking, and in vitro antioxidant assays. UPLC-QToF-MS/MS identified 14 major compounds in CTE, predominantly flavonoids. SAR-based prediction and ADMET profiling suggested that compounds C1, C4, C5, C7, and C8 exhibit anti-inflammatory potential with favorable safety profiles. Protein-protein interaction analysis and gene ontology revealed that these compounds target pathways associated with cytokine regulation. Molecular docking demonstrated strong affinities of C5 and C4 against IL-23 and TNF-α, exceeding that of clobetasol. In vitro antioxidant assays showed CTE had moderate scavenging activity against DPPH and ABTS radicals (IC₅₀ ~ 90 μg/mL). In vitro studies using the RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) revealed that treatment with CTE significantly suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory proteins AKT1, IL-23, and TNF-α. These findings indicate that CTE, particularly its flavonoid components, may modulate key inflammatory pathways associated with the TNF-α/IL-23/IL-17 axis. Given its phytochemical composition and predicted safety profile, CTE may be better positioned as a functional food or nutraceutical candidate, rather than as a direct pharmacological agent, for supporting inflammatory balance. However, as this study is limited to in vitro and in silico analyses without in vivo validation, further mechanistic and clinical studies are required to determine its translational applicability.