Exploring Betula alnoides bark: Insilico and preclinical insights into its antioxidant and lipid-lowering effects in hypercholesterolemia

Aim

Hyperlipidemia characterized by elevated cholesterol levels and formation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) is a critical risk factor for coronary heart diseases. In traditional Indian Ayurveda and herbal medicine, various parts of Betula alnoides are reputed for their therapeutic uses. The main aim of this study is to explore the hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of Betula alnoides bark extracts (petroleum ether and ethyl acetate) in rats with induced hypercholesterolemia.

Methods

Soxhlet extraction method was used to extract Betula alnoides bark powder, utilizing petroleum ether and ethyl acetate as solvents and both the extracts underwent phytochemical screening to identify a range of phytoconstituents. The acute oral toxicity was evaluated on male albino rats, adhering to OECD guideline No. 420. DPPH and nitric oxide scavenging assay was used to determine antioxidant capacity of bark extracts. Hypolipidemic activity was evaluated by inducing hyperlipidemia through a high-fat diet and measuring serum biochemical markers like total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides.

Results

The extraction yields were found to be 1.4% ± 0.65% for the petroleum ether extract and 3.2% ± 0.80% for the ethyl acetate extract. In the acute toxicity study, it was found that the bark extracts showed no signs of toxicity. The findings indicated that the DPPH/Nitric oxide free radical scavenging capacity of Betula alnoides bark extracts increased with higher concentrations. When compared to the petroleum ether bark extract, the ethyl acetate bark extract showed a noticeably better antioxidant capacity. Both petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg) and fenofibrate (65 mg/kg), exhibited significant hypolipidemic effects.

Conclusion

The ethyl acetate extract demonstrated superior hypolipidemic activity compared to the petroleum ether extract. Lupeol binds strongly to SOD, SGLT2, and APOE proteins, showing significant docking scores and engaging multiple amino acids through various stabilizing interactions. These findings suggest that Betula alnoides bark extracts possess promising antioxidant and anti-hyperlipidemic properties.