In-silico Molecular Docking of Coumarin and Naphthalene Derivatives from Pyrenacantha volubilis with the Pathological Mediators of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease which mainly targets synovial membrane during its disease pathogenesis. Available therapeutic drugs for the treatment of RA provide only symptomatic relief and are associated with severe side effects. Herbal plants comprise many active biological compounds that cure the disease with minimal adverse effects. Pyrenacantha volubilis is a climber and member of Icacinaceae family. Gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of ethanolic extracts of leaves of Pyrenacantha volubilis (EEPV) reveals the presence of 2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexyl 3-(1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-oxobutyl)-coumarin-4-yl carbonate and 1-naphthalenepropanol, alpha-ethyldecahydro-5-(hydroxymethyl)-alpha,5,8A-trimethyl-2-methyl phytoconstitutents. Hence these compounds were docked with various pathological mediators of RA using Autodock 4.2. The docking results unveils that these compounds had better binding energy against inflammatory, oxidative stress and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) mediators that plays a pivotal role in the progression of RA. However, this study warrants further in-vitro and in-vivo studies to be carried out to establish the anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity of selected phytoconstitutents.