Harnessing the chemical composition and anti-oxidant, anti-enzymatic, and anti-cancer activities of two Corydalis species (C. erdelii and C. solida) by using in vitro and in silico analysis

In search of a powerful source of bioactive molecules that can be imperative in maintaining health, this paper studies two Corydalis species from the territory of Turkey. Namely, C. erdelii Zucc. and C. solida (L.) Clairv. were extracted with ethanol using homogenized-assisted extraction, and infusions of these two plant species were obtained using water. The obtained extracts and infusions were characterized in terms of chemical composition, namely in terms of the content of total phenols and flavonoids, as well as individual polyphenolic components using the LC-method of analysis. Along with the examination of the chemical composition, their biological activity was also determined using a series of tests that defined their antioxidant, antidiabetic, neuroprotective and cytotoxic activity. The obtained results showed that infusion of C. solida was richer with biomolecules capable to neutralize DPPH, ABTS radicals but also with better reduction power. Ethanolic extracts also showed a higher degree of inhibition of the observed enzymes. Treatment of A549 lung cancer cells with Corydalis extracts, especially ethanol extracts, triggered up-regulation of apoptotic and ER stress pathway genes, potentially attributed to compounds like quercetin and verbascoside. C. erdelii demonstrated superior apoptotic activity compared to C. solida, possibly due to unique compounds. In BEAS-2B cells, Corydalis extracts induced apoptosis while suppressing ER stress, suggesting a mechanism primarily driven by apoptosis. The molecular docking study identified eight compounds from Corydalis extracts with strong inhibitory activity against enzymes. Compounds like kaempferol 3-O-rhamnoside, rhamnocitrin 3-rhamnoside, and verbascoside showed stable interactions with proteins, suggesting their potential for further drug development.