Anthelmintic Activity of Hypericum japonicum Thunb.: An in vitro and in silico Studies

Background: Hypericum japonicum Thunb. is a vital medicinal plant in Northeast India, traditionally used by tribal communities to treat helminth infections with leaf extracts. Objectives: The present study investigates the in vitro and in silico studies of anthelmintic activity of H. japonicum. Materials and Methods: The anthelmintic activity was tested on Paramphistomum sp. with a test dose of 5 mg/mL to see the paralysis and death times. Phytocompounds were identified using GC-MS technique. 5 key enzymes-Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Acid Phosphatase (ACP), malate-and lactate dehydrogenase, and acetylcholinesterases were assayed using standard protocol. Furthermore, identified compounds were studied for their binding activity with the enzymes. Results: Diethyl ether extract of H. japonicum showed the most potent anthelmintic activity against Paramphistomum sp. in the present study. GC-MS analysis identified 12 compounds in the diethyl ether extract. Of the five enzymes studied, ALP showed highest reduction (42.59%) and the least was found in ACP (16.21%) compared to control. Molecular docking observed strongest binding affinity between compound-2 and AchE (-6.73 kcal/mol) followed by ALP, ACP, and MDH enzymes. Conclusion: The findings suggest that Hypericum japonicum could be a potential source of anthelmintic agents, warranting further studies to elucidate its exact mechanism of action.