Gynura nepalensis DC, a perennial herb of the Asteraceae family, is widely used in
traditional medicine throughout South and Southeast Asia for managing diabetes, treating
wounds, and addressing cardiovascular issues. This study explored the phytochemical
composition, toxicity, anti- inflammatory, membrane-stabilizing, and thrombolytic properties
of the crude aqueous leaf extract using in vitro, ex vivo, and theoretical in silico methods.
Phytochemical analysis identified the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins,
glycosides, steroids, and reducing sugars, with significant compounds such as chlorogenic
acid and quercetin contributing to their bioactivity. The Allium cepa test demonstrated dosedependent
cytotoxicity, showing 90.04% inhibition of root growth at 20% v/v (IC50:1.08–
2.23% v/v), indicating potential genotoxicity at higher doses, likely due to oxidative stress
induced by the alkaloids and steroids. At lower concentrations (0.18–0.36% v/v), the extract
exhibited notable anti-inflammatory effects (53.38% inhibition of egg albumin denaturation,
EC50:0.31% v/v), membrane stabilization (57.43% inhibition of HRBC hemolysis,
EC50:0.33% v/v), and thrombolytic activity (41.17% clot lysis, EC50:0.52% v/v), although it was less effective than standard drugs such as acetyl salicylic acid and streptokinase. In silico docking revealed strong interactions between quercetin and chlorogenic acid with COX-2 and PAI-1, supporting their anti- inflammatory and thrombolytic roles. These results confirm the traditional medicinal applications of the plant, emphasize the necessity for dose optimization to ensure safety and effectiveness, and highlight the importance of further research into standardization, pyrrolizidine alkaloid screening, and clinical application.
