Gastroprotective effects of Sapodilla fruit powder against ethanol‐induced gastric injury in Sprague–Dawley rats: In silico prediction and in vivo validation

Background Gastrointestinal disorders are rapidly increasing worldwide due to the disturbance of mucosal defenses. Manilkara zapota possesses significant therapeutic attributes to improve individual well‐being. Objectives The current study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant activity, phytochemical characterization, and in silico and in vivo gastroprotective potential of Manilkara zapota fruit powder (MZFP) in ethanol‐induced gastric injury in Sprague–Dawley rats. Methodology Antioxidant activity and phytochemical profiling of MZFP were investigated via DPPH and FRAP assays, alongside TPC and FTIR analysis. The in silico study was carried out via molecular docking and Discovery Studio Visualizer. Furthermore, efficacy was determined by procuring Sprague–Dawley rats, which were administered ethanol (5 mg/kg body weight) to induce peptic ulcer. Rats were sacrificed after 28 days, and blood and serum were collected for hematological and serological examination. Results The methanolic extract has the highest antioxidant potential due to the maximum TPC (116.63 ± 2.47 mgGAE/100 g). The FTIR analysis revealed the presence of aliphatic C–H and ester/aldehyde C=O groups, demonstrating phenolics, flavonoids, and carbohydrate moieties. The in silico study predicted the gastroprotective potential of MZFP, with apigenin demonstrating maximum activity, i.e., the binding affinity of −7.4 kcal/mol. Furthermore, the gastroprotective activity was validated by in vivo rodent modeling. The findings indicated that all the markers were negatively influenced in T1, which were improved in T4. The histopathological examination also confirmed the potential of MZFP in attenuating the progression of PUD. Conclusion In a nutshell, these findings revealed that MZFP (500 mg/kg BW) has a significantly higher protective effect against ethanol‐induced gastric injury.