Phytochemical Analysis and Ocular Benefits of Terminalia chebula Extracts for Myopia Treatment: In vitro and In silico Approaches

Abstract

Terminalia chebula, commonly known as Haritaki, is a medicinal plant with a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine for various health conditions. It is rich in bioactive compounds such as tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, demonstrating significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a prevalent refractive error that typically begins in childhood and can lead to an increased risk of other ocular complications if severe. While genetic and environmental factors contribute to myopia, inflammation, and oxidative stress within ocular tissues may exacerbate its progression. Given Haritaki's documented therapeutic properties, this study investigates its potential in treating myopia. This research explores the phytochemical composition and biological activities of Terminalia chebula extracts concerning myopia treatment. Utilizing Soxhlet extraction with methanol, hexane, and ethyl acetate solvents, followed by GC-MS analysis, this research identified key bioactive compounds in T. chebula. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were assessed via DPPH, and TCA, with all three extracts demonstrating superior efficacy. In silico ADME evaluation and molecular docking studies using Discovery Studio revealed several promising ligands, particularly from methanol and ethyl acetate extracts, showing favorable drug-like properties and strong interactions with myopia-related target proteins. These findings suggest T. chebula extracts hold potential for developing novel myopia treatments. This study lays the groundwork for future pre-clinical and clinical investigations to validate T. chebula's therapeutic efficacy in ophthalmology, potentially offering a natural alternative in myopia management.