Hepatoprotective activity, phytochemical profile and molecular docking of flavonoids of Thesium viride

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Published: 2026-06-21
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13057/biofar/f240104
Keywords:
Antioxidant, carbon tetrachloride, flavonoids, liver, Thesium viride
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SANI SHEHU
Department of Pharmacognosy and Drug Development, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kaduna State University. P.M.B. 2339, Tafawa Balewa Way, Kabala Coastain, Kaduna 800283, Kaduna State, Nigeria
MUSTAPHA ABDULLAHI
Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Kaduna State University. P.M.B. 2339, Tafawa Balewa Way, Kabala Coastain, Kaduna 800283, Kaduna State, Nigeria
UWAISU ILIYASU
Department of Pharmacognosy and Drug Development, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kaduna State University. P.M.B. 2339, Tafawa Balewa Way, Kabala Coastain, Kaduna 800283, Kaduna State, Nigeria
ALAA AHMAD HAMDY
Derabon Primary Health Center, Duhok Directorate of Health. MOH KRG, Iraq
YUSHAU MUSA HADI
Department of Pharmacognosy and Drug Development, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kaduna State University. P.M.B. 2339, Tafawa Balewa Way, Kabala Coastain, Kaduna 800283, Kaduna State, Nigeria
UMAR HABIB DANMALAM
Department of Pharmacognosy and Drug Development, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University. Zaria 810211, Kaduna, Nigeria
HEMN STAR
Nursing Department, Tishk International University. Sulaimanyah, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
KHALIS MOHAMMED SHAHADHA
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Ninevah University. Mosul, Iraq
ABDULLAHI ALIYU
Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Applied and Health Sciences, A’Sharqiyah University. PO Box 42, Postal code 400, Ibra, Sultanate of Oman
ABDULRAHMAN MAHMOUD DOGARA ♥
Department of Biology Education, Tishk International University. Erbil, Iraq
ATEEQ AHMED AL-ZAHRANI
Department of Chemistry, University College at Al-Qunfudhah, Umm Al-Qura University. Alkhaldiyah, Al Qunfudhah 28821, Saudi Arabia
MARIAM SALEH ALGHAMDI
Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Science, University of Jeddah. P.O. Box 80237, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Abstract. Shehu S, Abdullahi M, Iliyasu U, Hamdy AA, Hadi YM, Danmalam UH, Star H, Shahadha KM, Aliyu A, Dogara AM, Al-Zahrani AA, Alghamdi MS. 2026. Hepatoprotective activity, phytochemical profile and molecular docking of flavonoids of Thesium viride. Asian J Nat Prod Biochem 24 (1): f240104. https://doi.org/10.13057/biofar/f240104. Liver disease is a major global health challenge. Medicinal plants such as Thesium viride can be used as alternatives, considering the traditional use of T. viride in liver management and the considerable drawbacks of current conventional therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of the T. viride fraction in vivo and in silico to confirm its traditional usage. Wistar rats (140-180 g) were pretreated with a flavonoid-rich fraction (200 or 400 mg/kg) seven days before carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity, and liver function (ALT, AST, and ALP), oxidative stress biomarkers (MDA, CAT, and SOD), and histopathology (using a semi-quantitative scoring technique) were then evaluated to determine hepatoprotective efficacy. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (HPLC/MS) analysis of the fraction was performed, and molecular docking was performed on the fraction. Pretreatment increased liver indices in a dose-dependent manner, decreased liver enzymes and lipid peroxidation (MDA), and promoted the recovery of antioxidant defenses (CAT and SOD). There was a significant reduction in necrosis, ballooning, and congestion, as observed via histology. Molecular docking against the Keap1 protein (PDB: 4L7B) revealed that all 11 identified compounds formed highly stable ligand‒protein complexes; in particular, isorhamnetin-3-galactoside-7-rhamnoside had higher binding affinities than the reference ligand did, suggesting its predicted hepatoprotective activity. The flavonoid-rich fraction of T. viride has significant hepatoprotective potential, making it an attractive candidate for future biological validation. Further investigations are warranted to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of the fraction in chronic liver disease models.

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