Pharmacological insights into Azadirachta indica fruit: GC-MS Profiling and evaluation of key bioactivities on experimental animals.
Azadirachta indica, fruit with significant therapeutic potential, was evaluated using a multidimensional approach to systematically evaluate its pharmacological spectrum covering antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, muscle-relaxant and sleep-inducing effects using in vitro and in vivo models. The study found that fruit extract, when administered at different doses, showed significant antibacterial effects against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria along with a highly significant antifungal effect against Aspergillus niger that might be due to identified azol compounds. Azadirachta indica extract showed significant anti-inflammatory effects at doses of 200 and 400mg/Kg, reducing paw oedema volume and exhibiting analgesic and muscle relaxant activity. Unique findings included significant muscle relaxation and enhanced locomotor activity observed specifically at 400mg/Kg on the 7<sup>th</sup> and 14<sup>th</sup> days. Azadirachta indica showed significantly increased sleep duration and reduced sleep onset time in Na-thiopental-induced sleep tests at doses of 200 and 400mg/Kg. Through GC-MS analysis, bioactive compounds, including 2,3-propanetriol, 7-methoxy-1,3,4,5-tetrahydrobenzo[b]azepin-2-one, piperazine and 4-amino-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-one, were identified, which likely contribute to the observed pharmacological activities. This study first reports Azadirachta indica's muscle-relaxant and sleep-enhancing effects, expanding its known therapeutic potential.
Authors
- Maham Nawaz
- Ayaz Ahmed (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8792-7850)
- Mariam Razzak
- Muhammad Ali Rajput (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3688-8518)
- Azra Riaz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7938-805X)
- Shahana Wahid (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7467-0080)
- A.S. Alqahtani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0263-5363)
- Saira Khan
Institutions
- King Khalid University (SA)
Publication Details
- Journal
- PubMed
- Published
- 2025-05-15
- Primary Topic
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00