Determination of the Anti-Oxidative Stress Mechanism of Leaves by Employing Bioinformatic and Novel Research Technology.

from Suzhou, China, is a traditional Chinese herb with wide applications in medicine and food. The antioxidant activity against oxidative stress of the leaves of is a myth since long and is not explored earlier thoroughly. The present study is focused to explore the active components in leaf extracts responsible for antioxidant effects against oxidative stress and the potential mechanism of this activity. We obtained the chromatograms of leaf extracts by the high-performance liquid phase (HPLC) for possible detection of antioxidant constituents. Some compounds in leaf extracts were then further assessed through the luminol luminescence mechanism combined with HPLC analysis as well as with SwissTargetPrediction database that helped to screen out the other constituents. The targets for effects against oxidative stress were then further screened through the GeneCards database, and the PPI network was constructed. The targets were analyzed by GO and KEGG using the David database. The obtained results were then further studied by employing in vitro experimentation and protein expression analyses by Western blotting. It is found that leaf extracts contain rutin, isoquercetin, glaucocalyxin A, glaucocalyxin B, and other compounds with antioxidant activity. The activity map of the free radical scavenging signals from showed a strong ability to scavenge free radicals with the highest capacity of glaucocalyxin B followed by isoquercetin succeeding the glaucocalyxin A supervening the rutin. Further network pharmacological analyses and in vitro experimentation showed that leaf extracts interfere with TNF and the p38 MAPK signaling pathway for antioxidant effects against oxidative stress. Conclusively, it is found that leaf extracts possess strong antioxidant potential via targeting TNF and p38 MAPK signaling pathways against oxidative stress, providing scientific foundation for further studies on for the further therapeutic approach.