Molecular Docking Analysis of Phenolic and Flavonoid Compounds from Eichhornia Crassipes for Antidiabetic Activity Through Interaction with PPAR- γ (5Y2O) and A-Glucosidase (3TOP)

Abstract

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by insulin resistance and persistent hyperglycemia. This study investigated the antidiabetic potential of 30 phenolic and flavonoid compounds derived from Eichhornia crassipes using in silico approaches, including toxicity assessments (ToxTree 3.1.0, ProTox 3), ADME analysis (SwissADME), and molecular docking (AutoDock 4.2.6). Ligand structures were retrieved from PubChem, while PPAR-γ (5Y2O) and α-Glucosidase (3TOP) receptors were obtained from the RCSB Protein Data Bank. Toxicity and ADME analyses were conducted prior to molecular docking, which employed the Genetic Algorithm with 50 conformations. Docking results revealed that Tricin (a flavonoid) exhibited strong interactions with both receptors, with Gibbs free energy values of -7.53 kcal/mol for PPAR-γ and -5.19 kcal/mol for α-Glucosidase. These values are comparable to those of the native ligand Pioglitazone (-10.03 kcal/mol) and Acarbose (-6.86 kcal/mol). Tricin formed hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts with key active site residues including, ARG288 and TYR327 in PPAR-γ, GLN1561 and GLN1372 in α-Glucosidase), mirroring the interactions of the native ligands. Toxicity predictions classified Tricin as low risk (Class I Cramer Rules, Kroes TTC). Furthermore, ADME evaluation showed that Tricin (aglycone) is fully compliant with Lipinski's Rule of Five, suggesting favorable properties for oral absorption and bioavailability. In conclusion, Tricin from E. crassipes demonstrates significant potential as an antidiabetic candidate and warrants further in vitro and in vivo validation.