Evaluation of the immunomodulatory potential of Quisqualis indica L. flowers through In vivo and In silico approaches

The prevalence of immune system disorders, such as autoimmune diseases, chronic infections, and immunodeficiencies, continues to increase and poses a significant challenge in the world of health. To address the challenge, there has been an increase in the exploration of herbal-based immunomodulatory agents due to their safety and effectiveness. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the potential of Quisqualis indica L. flower extract as an immunomodulator through in vivo and computational approaches. The study procedures comprised ethanol extraction of Q. indica flowers using maceration technique and in vivo immunomodulatory testing through semi-quantitative antibody titer and carbon clearance tests in experimental animals. Further analysis was carried out using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation to predict molecular mechanisms. The results showed that ethanol extract of Q. indica flowers had a yield of 14.904%. In vivo tests showed an increase in antibody titer at a dose of 750 mg/kgBW, reaching a protective value (4.08±0.033). In addition, there was a decrease in the half-life of carbon clearance to 20.87 ± 0.80 minutes, indicating increased phagocytosis. Network pharmacology analysis confirmed the involvement of Toll-like receptor, NF-κB, and IL-17 pathways in the immunomodulation mechanism. Molecular docking revealed appreciable binding energy, while molecular dynamics simulation study showed ligand stability. Thus, both in vivo and in silico studies confirmed the mechanism of action of Q. indica flowers as potential immunomodulatory agents.