Background: Dipterocarpus turbinatus is a well-known ethnomedicinal plant species. Traditionally, it has been used to treat various medical ailments, including diabetes, diarrhea, tuberculosis, leprosy, ringworm, gonorrhea, ulcers, skin infections, wounds, and burns. This study aimed to assess the pharmacological properties of the methanol extract of D. turbinatus (MEDT) obtained from leaves, specifically focusing on its potential antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anthelminthic, cytotoxic, thrombolytic, antidiarrheal, and antipyretic properties.

Methods: In this study, castor oil-induced diarrhea, gastrointestinal transit, and castor oil-induced enteropooling mice models were used to examine the antidiarrheal potential of MEDT. The alpha-amylase inhibition assay was employed to investigate its antidiabetic attributes. Moreover, human blood samples were analyzed using a rapid clot analysis method to evaluate their thrombolytic properties. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory attributes of MEDT were assessed using bovine serum albumin and egg albumin denaturation assays. The Brewer's yeast technique was used to evaluate the pyretic potential of MEDT in mouse models. The chemical composition of MEDT was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Furthermore, a docking analysis of selected phytochemicals in MEDT was performed using BIOVIA and Schrödinger Maestro (v11.1) methods. Additionally, the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion/toxicity (ADME/T) properties of these compounds were investigated utilizing online tools.

Results: The phytochemical analysis of the MEDT revealed the presence of diverse phytoconstituents such as flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, phytosterols, and resins. MEDT significantly inhibited alpha-amylase in a concentration-dependent manner, with a minimal inhibitory concentration required to inhibit 50% of enzyme activity (IC50) value of 38.40 μg/mL. Furthermore, MEDT significantly exhibited cytotoxicity, as evidenced by the median lethal dose (LC50) value of 439.25 μg/mL. Compared to streptokinase, the thrombolytic activity was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Additionally, the anthelmintic experiment revealed that exposure to MEDT led to a significant reduction in the duration of paralysis and the time to death in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, in pyrectic-induced mice, MEDT at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses resulted in a significant decrease in pyrexia. Moreover, GC-MS analysis enabled the detection of 31 compounds in MEDT. Interestingly, the binding predictions showed that 3-azabicyclo[3.2.2]nonane interacted favorably with 1A5H and 1ERR and that 8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic acid (Z,Z,Z)- showed potential interactions with 1SA0 which might mediate their anthelmintic and antidiabetic properties.

Conclusion: Taking into account the above findings and the ethnomedicinal importance of D. turbinatus, further research is needed to isolate and describe the phytoconstituents that underpin its purported biological effects.