Petiveria alliacea L. methanolic extract inhibits amyloid-β aggregation and enhances cell viability in SH-SY5Y cells: in vitro and in silico evidence.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Petiveria alliacea L. is a member of the Petiveriaceae botanical family, distributed in America and some Asian countries, and is used as a medicinal plant to enhance memory. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated that it reduces oxidative damage and regulates the cholinergic function in the brain, exhibiting a significant memory-enhancing potency. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study evaluated the effect of P. alliacea by inhibiting polymerization and disassembly of amyloid β (Aβ) oligomers in SH-SY5Y cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: SH-SY5Y cells were incubated with Aβ peptide oligomers and treated with either methanol (PMF) or hexane fraction (PHF) of P. alliacea at different time points. Cellular viability and toxicity were assessed by MTT assay. Inhibition of Aβ polymerization in cells was assessed using the thioflavin T (ThT) assay and immunofluorescence. The chemical profile of P. alliacea was analyzed by GC-MS. Bioinformatic data analysis was performed using the STITCH database, and PPIs were identified using STRING. RESULTS: PMF inhibited polymerization and induced disassembly of Aβ oligomers, leading to a possible neuroprotective effect in SH-SY5Y cells. A total of 73 compounds were identified in PHF and 70 in PMF; among these, 14 were associated with Aβ activity based on bioinformatic analyses. Bioinformatic analysis identified that several metabolites from P. alliacea may interact with proteins involved in neuroinflammatory pathways. CONCLUSIONS: P. alliacea demonstrates substantial anti-amyloidogenic capabilities and protects SH-SY5Y cell viability in an Aβ-induced cytotoxicity model. Our findings suggest that P. alliacea is a promising candidate for the development of novel therapeutic interventions for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.