Unveiling the anti-inflammatory activity of chloroform fraction of curcuma wallichii and its phytoconstituents by in vivo and in silico studies

Curcuma genus has been widely used in folk medicine for its diverse medicinal properties. This study explored the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of the chloroform fraction of Curcuma wallichii (CFCW) and assessed the drug-likeness of identified compounds using computational tools. Phytochemical screening, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses of the CFCW confirmed the presence of different bioactive compounds. The in vitro methods include the human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization and egg albumin denaturation assays, where the fraction exhibited substantial anti-inflammatory activity in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo evaluation using the formalin-induced licking test and acetic acid-induced writhing test in Swiss albino mice showed noteworthy anti-inflammatory effects. The pharmacokinetic profile of the identified compounds was analyzed using pkCSM and SwissADME, which evaluated their drug-likeness properties and toxicity. Molecular docking studies were conducted to recognize possible drug candidates by predicting the binding affinity of the compounds against COX-2, using diclofenac sodium (DS) as a reference. Several molecules demonstrated even stronger binding affinities than the standard DS. Findings suggest that the plant C. wallichii contains bioactive compounds with significant anti-inflammatory effects. Further research is necessary to analyze their bioactivity, and clinical trials will be essential for the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs.