INVESTIGATION ON THE PHTOCHEMICALS CONSTITUENTS OF FICUS POLITA VAHL AND PARINARI CURATELLIFOLIA AS DIARRHEA INHIBITORS

This study investigates the phytochemical composition, antioxidant potential, and molecular interactions of bioactive compounds from the stem bark of Parinari curatellifolia and the leaves of Ficus polita Vahl using a combination of experimental and computational approaches. Essential oils were extracted via hydro distillation and analyzed using GC-MS, which revealed a diverse range of bioactive constituents, including terpenoids, aromatic compounds, fatty acids, and esters. Antioxidant activities were assessed using DPPH radical scavenging assays and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) tests. The results showed that Parinari curatellifolia exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity compared to Ficus polita Vahl, suggesting a greater potential for free radical neutralization. Furthermore, molecular docking studies were performed to evaluate the binding affinities of selected phytochemicals against specific biological targets relevant to oxidative stress and parasitic infections. Compounds such as geranyl acetate, elemicin, gama cadinene, citronellal, and germacrene D demonstrated strong binding affinities, surpassing the reference drug metronidazole in several cases, indicating promising therapeutic relevance. Additionally, drug-likeness and ADMET profiling using SwissADME revealed favorable pharmacokinetic properties for most of the top-performing compounds, supporting their potential for further development as antioxidant and antimicrobial agents. Overall, the findings highlight Parinari curatellifolia as a rich source of potent bioactive compounds with significant antioxidant properties and pharmacological promise, while Ficus polita Vahl also contributes bioactive metabolites but with comparatively lower efficacy. These insights provide a scientific basis for the traditional uses of both plants and lay the groundwork for future drug discovery and formulation studies.