Effect of Extraction Methods on Secondary Metabolites of Premna serratifolia Root by Chromatographic and Phytochemical Methods and Network Pharmacology Evaluation

Introduction: Methods for abstracting the medicinally active compounds from plant materials need to be optimized for their judicious utilization by scientific approaches. The present work aimed to study the effect of various extraction solvents on active phytoconstituents of Premna serratifolia root, which comes under the Dashamula group in traditional Indian medicine, and its network pharmacology evaluation. Materials and Methods: Various quantitative estimations and high-performance thin-layer chromatography evaluations were carried out in different extracts. Chromatographic quantification of active compounds was carried out. Network pharmacology tools were employed to analyze biological processes and pathways. Results: In total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin content estimations, Premna serratifolia root hydroalcohol extract showed the highest values among the different extracts. Profiling using thin-layer chromatography revealed variations in the number of bands and band intensity, which indicated the qualitative and quantitative differences in chemical constituents. Identification and quantification of major noteworthy phenolic acids such as caffeic acid and ferulic acid, were completed, and ethanol extract provided the highest percentage of these phenolic acids, while hydroalcohol extract also gave comparable results. Network pharmacology assessments of identified compounds exhibited the major molecular targets and mechanisms. Discussion: The observed results validate that the solvents such as ethanol and hydroalcohol were more suitable for the extraction of caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and other phenolic and flavonoid- type compounds. Molecular pathways identified for the compounds were involved in various inflammatory ailments, which also signify the importance of the Premna serratifolia root. Conclusion: Findings of the study revealed that hydroalcohol can be considered as a potent extraction medium for Premna serratifolia root with high concentrations of desired bioactive compounds and can be used as an alternative for water extract in new generation herbal medicine preparation.