| Description: |
Aralia armata, a medicinal plant traditionally used in Asia, has attracted increasing attention for its diverse pharmacological properties, primarily attributed to triterpenoid saponins. However, its potential antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory, and antimicrobial activities remain poorly explored, and systematic phytochemical profiling beyond saponins is lacking. The present study provides the first comprehensive evaluation of the bioactivities and chemical composition of A. armata extracts, with a focus on the ethanol leaf extract (EtOH-L). EtOH-L exhibited the strongest enzyme inhibitory effects among eight tested extracts, particularly against acetylcholinesterase (IC50: 564.36 μg/mL) and butyrylcholinesterase (IC50: 17.62 μg/mL), showing potency close to berberine chloride, the positive control. Antioxidant assays further demonstrated remarkable radical scavenging capacity, with EtOH-L outperforming Trolox in DPPH (IC50: 43.098 μg/mL vs. 58.618 μg/mL) and showing near-equivalent activity in ABTS assays. Strong antibacterial activity was also observed, with EtOH-L and EA-L producing inhibition zones (≈ 29 mm) against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, comparable to clinical antibiotics. Phytochemical analyses identified high levels of flavonoids such as myricetin and quercetin, as well as volatile constituents dominated by azafrin methyl ester (75.32%) and 10-deacetylbaccatin III (22.66%). Molecular docking and ADME predictions revealed favorable binding affinities of key phytochemicals toward cholinesterases, along with gastrointestinal absorption and blood–brain barrier penetration, supporting their potential as anti-Alzheimer drug candidates. Collectively, these findings establish A. armata as a novel and rich source of bioactive compounds, expanding its pharmacological profile and highlighting its promise for therapeutic and functional applications. ; 補正完畢 ; USA |