GC-MS based metabolite profile, assessment of in vitro antioxidant and anticoagulant properties of Melastoma malabathricum L. extracts

Melastoma malabathricum L., commonly known as Indian Rhododendron is an herbaceous shrub, widely used in traditional medicine to treat diseases like diabetes, wound healing, and bacterial infections. This study highlights the metabolite profile, and antioxidant capacity along with the anticoagulant and in vitro thrombolytic properties of the leaf extract (MMLE) and flower extract (MMFE) of M. malabathricum L. GC-MS-metabolite profiling of the methanolic MMLE and MMFE established the presence of compounds like Squalene (12.63%), Catechol (6.04%), .beta.-Sitosterol (5.99%) in MMLE and 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (17.97%), Diosgenin (10.09%), 4H-Pyran-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl- (8.71%) in MMFE. Free radical scavenging activity assays affirmed the strong antioxidant properties of both MMLE and MMFE. Both MMLE and MMFE demonstrated better proteolytic specificity towards fibrinogen than casein. Further, electrophoretic analysis of fibrinogen degradation products revealed that MMLE exhibited αβ-fibrinogenase activity and degraded the γ-band of fibrinogen. However, MMFE demonstrated weak αβ-fibrinogenase activity with little effect on the γ-band of fibrinogen. MMLE exhibited dose-dependent anticoagulant properties and inhibited the prothrombin activation property of Factor Xa. However, MMFE showed no significant impact on the blood coagulation process despite its ability to inhibit Factor Xa. Both MMLE and MMFE had substantial in vitro clot (thrombus) lysis properties. The present study substantiates the presence of important metabolites with significant pharmacological roles. In addition, the study also highlights the potential effects of the plant extracts in blood coagulation processes which can be of therapeutic relevance in the field of cardiovascular drug discovery.