In‐silico Screening of Kewra Oil Composition and Validation of Its Anti‐arthritic Efficacy Against Experimental Rat Model

Rheumatoid Arthritis, a prevalent chronic inflammatory condition, imposes significant burdens on affected individuals globally. Kewra oil derived from Pandanus odoratissimus flowers, is reputed for its anti-inflammatory properties in traditional medicine. This study aimed to assess the pharmacological effects of P. odoratissimus in an experimental rat model of arthritis along with an in-silico study. An in-silico study performed with PDB ID: 3GN8 and Dexamethasone was taken as standard reference. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were randomized into six groups: normal control, arthritis control, standard (Dexamethasone- 1 mg/kg, s.c.), and three treatment groups receiving varied doses of extract P. odoratissimus (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, oral). Arthritis was induced by injecting Freund's complete adjuvant into the rats' right hind paws. Treatment groups received oral P. odoratissimus extract once daily for 4 weeks. Paw volume, joint circumference, arthritis index, hematological parameters, inflammatory markers, and histopathological changes were assessed to check the arthritis severity. In Kewra oil, 56 bioactive were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and out of them, 54 molecules have dock score and dG binding value, which have more and less anti-inflammatory effects. Out of 54 molecules, 30 molecules have good hydrogen bond interaction with different types of amino acids in receptors. The in-vivo results state that rats when treated with P. odoratissimus, showed significant (p < 0.05) arthritis index, joint circumference, paw volume, improved weight-bearing capacity, and inflammatory markers of rats treated with P. odoratissimus were significantly less than those in arthritis-control rats (p < 0.05). The predicted anti-inflammatory effects of the Kewra oil were validated by performing an in-vivo study. P. odoratissimus holds potential as a natural remedy for arthritis, meriting continued exploration for therapeutic application.