| dc.description.abstract | Obesity is a condition characterized by excessive fat accumulation resulting from multiple factors, including excessive food intake, physical inactivity, and stress. The increase in body fat can lead to adipocyte hypertrophy, which triggers an inflammatory response through the secretion of macrophage-derived cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). These cytokines can induce the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), an enzyme responsible for the production of nitric oxide (NO). Overexpression of iNOS leads to elevated levels of NO, which can cause oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, thereby contributing to insulin resistance and other degenerative diseases. Therapeutic approaches have been developed to control inflammation associated with obesity. One promising strategy involves inhibiting iNOS activity using natural products, such as Moringa oleifera leaves and red galangal (Alpinia purpurata) rhizomes, both of which have long been utilized in traditional medicine. The powdered forms of these plant materials are known to contain bioactive compounds with potential anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the quality characteristics of the powdered formulations, their phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity, in vitro iNOS inhibitory activity, and molecular docking interactions with iNOS, TNF-a, and IL-6 in silico. The results showed that the moisture content of the F2 formulation met the required quality standards, and both microbial and heavy metal contamination levels were within acceptable limits. The highest phenolic content was observed in Formula 5, which consisted solely of red galangal powder, whereas the highest flavonoid and terpenoid contents were found in Formula 1, composed solely of Moringa oleifera leaf powder. Among the combination formulations, Formula 2 (F2), containing 85% Moringa oleifera leaf powder and 15% red galangal rhizome powder, demonstrated the most favorable characteristics. The antioxidant capacity was highest in F1 and F2, while the strongest free radical scavenging ability, indicated by the lowest IC50 value, was found in F5. The in vitro iNOS inhibition assay showed the highest inhibition percentages for F1 and F2. Based on in silico molecular docking, bioavailability, and toxicity analyses, 1,3,4,5-tetrahydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid was identified as the most potent compound binding to iNOS, while chlorogenic acid exhibited the strongest interactions with the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-a and IL-6. These compounds were predominantly present in the Moringa oleifera leaf powder (F1) and the combined formulation (F2). Additionally, emiglitate, a bioactive compound found in red galangal rhizome powder, showed strong binding affinity toward iNOS and TNF-a, whereas hernanol was identified as the best candidate compound interacting with IL-6. | |
