α-Glucosidase Inhibition-Guided Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Reveal the Antidiabetic Potential of Cichorium intybus as a Functional Food

<i>Cichorium intybus</i>, commonly known as chicory, is acknowledged as a substitute for coffee and is widely utilized in medicinal applications to treat various ailments. Chicory extract is commonly used in the management of diabetes; however, the specific bioactive components remain unidentified. The present study displayed the antidiabetic potential of chicory using a comprehensive approach integrating in vitro, network pharmacology, and in silico techniques. The methanolic extract demonstrated significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in the initial experiment, indicating potential for the management of postprandial hyperglycemia. Based on this, chicory's major metabolites were identified and examined for their interactions with (type 2 diabetes) T2D targets using network pharmacology. The core genes and pathways involved in the disease were mapped to understand the multitarget mechanisms of the extract. A molecular docking study validated the binding affinity and interactions of leading bioactive compounds with T2D protein targets. The findings indicate that chicory metabolites may serve as promising candidates for the development of natural antidiabetic agents.