Network pharmacology based identification of potential phytocompounds from Betula utilis in the treatment of...

Leishmaniasis is one of the most prominent worldwide flagellated protozoan parasite diseases. Natural products have gained attention as potential anti-leishmanial agents due to their fewer side effects, low toxicity, and cost effectiveness compared to conventional chemotherapy drugs. In the current study, the network pharmacology approach was used to evaluate the therapeutic potential of Betula utilis derived phytochemicals against Leishmaniasis and toidentify potential anti-leishmanial agents targeting key proteins implicated in leishmaniasis progression.To carry out this study, several databases including Cytoscape, IMPPAT, Dr. Duke's, Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and STRING database, were used to conduct network pharmacology to examine the biomolecular approach of metabolites of the plant in leishmaniasis disease. A total of 33 phytochemical components from B. utilis were analyzed, resulting in the identification of five major bioactive molecules: betulinic acid, betulin, lupeol, oleanolic acid, and karachic acid. These compounds had high affinity for a variety of leishmaniasis-related molecular targets, including MAPK1, NFKB1, TLR4, HSD17B10, and DHODH, among others. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was created to identify essential connections, and Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment studies revealed their involvement in inflammation, immunological regulation, and apoptotic pathways. Among these metabolites, betulin and betulinic acid were found to be the most active metabolites with the most prominent interaction with the genes that play an active role in the pathophysiology of leishmaniasis. B. utilis may be identified potential source of anti-leishmanial drug candidates.