Metabolic profiling, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibition potential of Iris pseudacorus L. from Egypt and Japan: A comparative study

Genus Iris comprises numerous and diverse phytoconstituents displaying marked biological activities. The rhizomes, and aerial parts of Iris pseudacorus L. cultivars from Egypt and Japan were subjected to comparative metabolic profiling using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The antioxidant capacity was determined using DPPH assay. In vitro enzyme inhibition potential against α-glucosidase, tyrosinase and lipase was evaluated. In silico molecular docking was conducted on the active sites of human α-glucosidase and human pancreatic lipase. Forty-three compounds were tentatively identified including flavonoids, isoflavonoids, phenolics and xanthones. I. pseudacorus rhizomes extracts (IPR-J and IPR-E) exhibited the highest radical scavenging activity with IC(50) values of 40.89 µg/mL and 97.97 µg/mL, respectively (Trolox IC(50) value was 14.59 µg/mL). Moreover, IPR-J and IPR-E exhibited promising α-glucosidase inhibitory activity displaying IC(50) values of 18.52 µg/mL, 57.89 µg/mL, respectively being more potent as compared to acarbose with IC(50) value of 362.088 µg/mL. All extracts exerted significant lipase inhibitory activity exhibiting IC(50) values of 2.35, 4.81, 2.22 and 0.42 µg/mL, respectively compared to cetilistat with IC(50) value of 7.47 µg/mL. However, no tyrosinase inhibitory activity was observed for all I. pseudacorus extracts up to 500 µg/mL. In silico molecular modelling revealed that quercetin, galloyl glucose, and irilin D exhibited the highest fitting scores within the active sites of human α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase. ADMET prediction (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) showed that most of the phytoconstituents exhibited promising pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamics and tolerable toxicity properties. According to our findings, I. pseudacorus might be considered as a valuable source for designing novel phytopharmaceuticals.