In vivo and in silico antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities of Vernonia amygdalina Del. leaf extracts

<i>Vernonia amygdalina</i> (VA) leaves contain many potential active ingredients and exhibit diverse pharmacological activities. The antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects of VA crude and fraction extracts were carried out using Swiss albino mice models. VAE is considered safe to be administered due to LD₅₀ being greater than 10,000 mg/kg body weight. A dose-dependent increase in antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities was observed in both VAE and fractions, similar to the reference drugs. The antihypertensive effect of the VAE 2.0 (2000 mg/kg, SBP: ↓26.05 %, DBP: ↓34.51 %) was nearly equivalent to Captopril (100 mg/kg, SBP: ↓30.28 %, DBP: ↓40.71 %) with no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). The VAE 1.0 (1000 mg/kg), and EA 30 (30 mg/kg) showed potent anti-inflammatory activity when reducing the total edematous paw volume significantly (p < 0.01) by ↓65.58 %, and ↓69.34 %, respectively, similar to Ibuprofen (7.5 mg/kg, ↓67.03 %). Besides, VAE (>500 mg/kg), and W 400 (water, 400 mg/kg) fraction extracts showed a potent analgesic effect equivalent to Para 50 (paracetamol 50 mg/kg) for the highest protection (>65 %) against the acetic acid-induced writhing after 35 min. Moreover, cepharanthine, cynaroside, and vernoniosides of VA leaf extract exhibited the highest affinity (>10 kcal/mol) in anti-inflammatory and analgesic targets (iNOS and COX-2) and antihypertensive targets (ACE and β₁ adrenoreceptor). Therefore, the crude and fraction extracts of VA leaves from the percolation method and bioactive metabolites are a potential source that can be developed into antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic agents in herbal medicine.