Treatment of oxidative damage caused by valproic acid in tongue tissue with ethanolic Moringa oleifera leaves extract and prediction of potential bioactive molecules with molecular docking

Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) is a popular medicinal plant that has become a wide research area in recent years due to its detected biological effects and its bioactive compounds. Valproic acid (VPA) is a medication used in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder and high doses or prolonged use of VPA can result in oxidative stress in cells. Since M. oleifera has high biological activities and contains many bioactive compounds, it is necessary to understand whether it plays a role in reducing oxidative damage, especially that caused VPA. The relationship between VPA and tongue tissue needs to be investigated, since VPA has negative effects on oral health and it is known that tongue tissue plays an important role in the continuity of oral health. In the present study, 3.0–3.5 month-old female Sprague Dawley rats (160–250 g) were divided into four groups (Control, Moringa, VPA, VPA + M), and VPA was administered via gavage. The aim was to understand the protective/preventive effects of ethanolic M. oleifera leaves extract against oxidative stress through biochemical parameters. Additionally, molecular docking studies were conducted on niazicin-A, niazimin-A, and niazimin-B found in M. oleifera leaves based on in vivo results. The results indicate that M. oleifera extract treats oxidative damage to the tongue tissue, and niazimin-A and niazimin-B particularly show high binding affinities to myeloperoxidase (MPO) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzymes. Further studies may suggest that the use of M. oleifera leaves extract with VPA could prevent potential negative effects on tongue tissue.