Hepatoprotective Potential of Uvaria chamae Leaf Extracts: A Combined in silico , in vitro , and Antioxidant Profiling Study of Multiple Fractions

Background This study explored the phytochemical composition, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and antioxidant properties of the crude methanol extract (CRUME) and its fractions from Uvaria chamae in search of potential hepatoprotective drug candidates. Methods Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses were performed on CRUME and its methanol (MEFUC), ethyl acetate (EAFUC), and dichloromethane (DIFUC) fractions. Antioxidant assays, including Thiobarbituric reacting substance (TBARS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), were conducted. FTIR analysis was used to identify functional groups, and GC-MS analysis identified bioactive compounds in the methanol fraction. Molecular docking and drug-likeness assessments were conducted to evaluate hepatoprotective potential and safety profiles. Results Phytochemical screening revealed diverse classes in varying concentrations. Antioxidant assays showed maximum TBARS scavenging activity for CRUME (73.67 ± 4.16% at 250 µg/mL), DIFUC (91.67 ± 0.16% at 250 µg/mL), EAFUC (81.33 ± 0.16% at 125 µg/mL), and MEFUC (69.33 ± 0.58% at 500 µg/mL), comparable to BHT (74.33 ± 0.16% at 15.53 µg/mL). DPPH activity peaked at 500 µg/mL for CRUME (98.00 ± 0.70%), DIFUC (68.33 ± 2.08%), and EAFUC (61.67 ± 5.51%), while MEFUC showed peak activity at 15.53 µg/mL (89.33 ± 1.16%), similar to ascorbic acid (64.19 ± 1.34% at 31.25 µg/mL). FTIR revealed multiple functional groups; GC-MS identified 39 bioactive compounds. Docking studies highlighted 10 compounds with strong hepatoprotective potential. Drug-likeness and ADMET profiling indicated no signs of hepatotoxicity, immunotoxicity, cytotoxicity, or mutagenicity. Conclusion The methanol leaf extract of Uvaria chamae and its fractions demonstrate potent antioxidant activities and contain bioactive compounds with significant potential as hepatoprotective drug candidates for the management of liver-related diseases.