Nutritional Profile, GC-MS Analysis and In-silico Anti-diabetic Phytocompounds Candidature of Jatropha gossypifolia Leaf Extracts.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder known to impair many physiological functions via reactive oxygen species (ROS). Aldose reductase, Sorbitol dehydrogenase, Dipeptidyl peptidase IV, α-amylase and α-glucosidase are pharmacotherapeutic protein targets in type-2 diabetes. Inhibitors of these enzymes constitute a new class of drugs used in the treatment and management of type-2 diabetes mellitus. Some reports claim that medicinal plant extracts used as food (antioxidant source) can reduce these alterations by eliminating ROS caused by DM. Ethnobotanical survey claims Jatropha gossypifolia commonly called "fig-nut" and "Lapa-lapa" in the Yoruba land of South-western Nigeria, to be used for the treatment and management of diabetes, in addition to its nutritive value.

OBJECTIVE: The nutritional composition and in-silico antidiabetic potential of the bioactive constituents of J. gossypifolia leaf extracts were investigated.

METHODS: Proximate, minerals and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis were carried out using standard procedures. Phytocompounds present in J. gossypifolia methanol (JGM) and ethyl acetate (JGE) leaf extracts were tested as potential antagonists of selected protein targets via in-silico techniques. Drug-likeness, pharmacokinetic properties and toxicity of the promising docked ligands were also predicted.

RESULTS: The proximate and mineral analysis revealed good nutritional composition and mineral content. Moreso, cyclo-pentadecane and dibutyl phthalate from methanol extract, and benzene1,2,4,5-tetramethyl, benzene-1,2,3,5-tetramethyl, and benzene-1,3-dimethyl-5-(1-methylethyl) from ethyl acetate extract were present in J. gossypifolia leaf which exhibited better binding affinity than the clinically prescribed standard, metformin.

CONCLUSION: Benzene-1,2,4,5-tetramethyl from JGE extracts exhibited the most promising antidiabetic potential in-silico, suggesting its candidature as diabetes-target-protein inhibitor which may be developed for the treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus.