Phytochemical analysis, biological activities, and network pharmacology of Sterculia hamiltonii leaves, barks, and roots ethanol extract

• S. hemiltonii bark & root extracts showed higher antioxidant activity than leaves. • Leaf extracts of S. hemiltonii (SH) showed better cytotoxic properties than others. • SH showed strong analgesic effects in hot plate & acetic acid writhing test. • SH Leaf & root ethanol extracts showed significant anti-inflammatory activity. • 216 phytochemicals by GC-MS link to antioxidant, analgesic, anticancer, etc. uses. This study aims to analyze phytochemicals, biological activities, and therapeutic mechanisms of Sterculia hamiltonii leaf, bark, and root ethanol extracts. This study extracts S. hemiltonii leaf, bark, and root with ethanol and names them SHEL, SHEB, and SHER. Phytochemical screening identifies bioactive compounds, while GC-MS analysis is for chemical profiling. In-vitro and in-vivo bioassays for antioxidant, cytotoxicity, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory activity, network pharmacology investigates molecular mechanisms and pathways linking bioactive molecules. The phytochemical analysis found alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, and phenolics in all extracts. The barks had more total phenolics. Total flavonoid data showed leaf extract had a non-significantly higher content. Barks and roots have more total antioxidant and ferric reduction capacity than leaves. DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging test, the SHEB and SHER showed strong antioxidant activity with IC 50 values of 27.26 and 26.95 µg/mL. In the brine shrimp cytotoxicity investigation, SHEL showed significant activity. Analgesic studies showed leaves, barks, and root extracts have significant effects in the hot plate, with maximum activity at 60 min. 69.59% in 500mg/kg, and acetic acid induced the highest writhing inhibition was 71% in 250mg/kg. In xylene-induced ear edema, leaf and root extracts had better anti-inflammatory action. The GC-MS study of S. hemiltonii leaf, bark, and root extracts found 76, 67, and 73 phytochemicals, respectively. Literature studies of the constituents showed that many compounds have biological uses like antioxidant, antimicrobial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Network pharmacology of phytochemicals may treat Alzheimer’s, cancers, epilepsy, hypertension, diabetes, etc. The studies of S. hemiltonii extracts revealed the presence of many potential phytochemicals, which are responsible for antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, etc. effects. In-vitro, in-vivo, and in-silico studies also prove the significance of the effects of S. hemiltonii extract .