Anti-Pathogenic, Anti-Diabetic, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Wound Healing Efficacy of Datura metel L. Leaves

Abstract

Datura metel L. is an important medicinal plant of Solanaceae family which has extensive pharmacological properties. The present investigation was aimed to identify the presence of phytoconstituents and assess in vitro antibacterial, anti-biofilm, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and wound healing efficacy of D. metel leaves extract. Among different solvent extracts, methanolic extract showed higher amount of phenolic (124.61 ± 0.68 mg GAE/g), alkaloid (88.77 ± 1.01 mg AE/g), flavonoids (42.24 ± 0.18 mg QE/g), and tannins contents (38.72 ± 0.51 mg GAE/g). The extract exhibited not only significantly (P < 0.05) different antibacterial activities against pathogens tested but also showed maximum biofilm inhibition of 94, 88, and 92% against B. subtilis, MRSA, and E. coli, respectively. Anti-diabetic assay depicted 22.55 ± 0.62–79.41 ± 1.13% and 24.31 ± 1.47–72.59 ± 0.22% of α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition abilities of methanolic extract, respectively at varied concentrations. The methanolic extract showed potential anti-inflammatory effect (P < 0.05) by showing 28.11 ± 0.13, 34.94 ± 1.11, 55.73 ± 0.42, 73.28 ± 0.72, and 92.62 ± 1.33% of inhibition of protein denaturation at different concentrations with an IC50 value of 52.45 µg/mL. The extract revealed significant (P < 0.05) rate of ABTS scavenging, DPPH degradation, and reducing power assay in a concentration dependent manner. The cytotoxicity assay was demonstrated on L929 mouse fibroblast cell line and found > 90% of cell viability in the presence of methanolic extract, thereby indicating its non-toxicity effect. Wound healing assay indicated that methanolic extract at 50 µg/mL closed 100% of wound gap after 24 h with high rate of migration and proliferation. Furthermore, GC–MS chromatogram revealed the presence of several components in methanolic extract, including neophytadiene, hexadecanoic acid, and hentriacontane as principal phytoconstituents. In conclusion, methanolic extract of D. metel leaves could be used as potent therapeutic agent not only for treating metabolic diseases but also superficial chronic diabetic wounds.