Salvadora persica Fruit Methanolic Extract, Nutritional Profiling, Therapeutic Potential in High‐Fat Diet‐Induced Hyperlipidemic Rats: In Vivo, In Vitro, and In Silico Approaches

TL;DR

Salvadora persica fruit extract shows strong antioxidant and health benefits in rats with high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia.

Contribution

The study combines in vivo, in vitro, and in silico methods to demonstrate the therapeutic potential of S. persica extract.

Findings

The extract significantly reduced oxidative stress and improved lipid profiles in hyperlipidemic rats.

GC–MS identified oleic acid as the main bioactive compound in the extract.

Molecular docking showed strong binding of extract compounds to HMG-CoA reductase.

Abstract

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
.

Salvadora persica methanolic extract exhibited strong antioxidant, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic effects in high‐fat diet‐induced hyperlipidemic rats. In vitro antioxidant assays, GC–MS profiling, and in vivo studies confirmed improvements in the lipid profile and in markers of oxidative stress, liver, and kidney function. In silico studies also confirm bioactive compounds have strong binding affinities with key lipid‐regulating targets, such as HMG‐CoA reductase.

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